Ivins Wellbeing Survey Findings 2024
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

Contact Information
Dr. Courtney Flint
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
Ivins is one of 51 cities participating in the Utah Wellbeing Survey Project in 2024. This project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of city residents and to provide information to city leaders to inform general planning processes. Additional analysis is underway and this report may be updated over time.
We are grateful to all those who took the survey and to our city partners who helped to make this possible. We are grateful to a number of entities for funding: the Utah League of Cities and Towns, USU Extension, USU’s Institute for Land Water and Air, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Utah Department of Transportation, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, and the cities of Alpine, Cedar Hills, Draper, Millcreek, Nephi, North Salt Lake, Ogden, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Providence, Springdale, Tremonton, West Bountiful, and West Valley City.
This report describes findings from the 2024 Ivins survey and comparative information with other project cities. In March and April 2024, Ivins City advertised the survey for residents largely through social media and newsletters. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 336 viable surveys were recorded in this 2024 survey effort.
- The adult population of Ivins was estimated at 7,331, based on the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 336 survey responses in 2024 represent 4.6% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 5.22%.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
| Resident Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Full Time Residents of Ivins | 92.6% |
| Part Time Residents of Ivins | 7.4% |
| Length of Residency — Range | 1-62 years |
| Length of Residency — Average | 12.0 years |
| Length of Residency — Median | 9 years |
| Length of Residency 5 Years or less | 27.5% |
Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents were compared below with U.S. Census information from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. In the graph below, gray bars indicate differences between the American Community Survey estimates and the Utah Wellbeing Project surveys. The wider the gray bars, the larger the differences. Also note that estimates for religious affiliation, adult non-conforming or non-binary gender, disability, and chronic conditions are unavailable from the census data. There can also be a variable margin of error in the American Community Survey estimates, and caution should be used when comparing estimates. Not all respondents provided demographic information. As the graph shows, 2024 survey respondents were not fully representative of Ivins. People who are age 70 or over, have at least a 4-year college degree, are married, are not employed for various reasons, and own their homes were overrepresented while those who do not have a college degree, are employed, and are renters were underrepresented.

Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in Ivins
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in Ivins. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in Ivins was 4.40 with 92% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in Ivins was 3.91 with 69% of respondents indicating community wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.


Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities
The Utah League of Cities and Towns clusters cities and towns into five different categories based on size and growth rates. We utilize these clusters in our analysis. Ivins is classified as a Rapid Growth City. Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the Rapid Growth city cluster, Ivins was well above the average overall personal wellbeing score and slightly above the average overall community wellbeing score.


Wellbeing Domains in Ivins
According to national and international entities that track wellbeing, there are a number of common dimensions or domains of wellbeing. Survey respondents rated twelve domains on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent. They were also asked to indicate the importance of each domain to their overall personal wellbeing on a 5-point scale from not at all important to very important. The highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in Ivins were Living Standards (90%), Mental Health (90%), Leisure Time (89%), Connection with Nature (88%), and Safety and Security (88%). The most important wellbeing domains were Mental Health (99%), Physical Health (98%), Safety and Security (97%), and Living Standards (96%).

Wellbeing Matrix for Ivins
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from Ivins. Connection with Nature, Leisure Time, Living Standards, Mental Health, and Safety and Security were highly important and rated above average among the domains. Local Environmental Quality and Physical Health fell in the “red zone” of higher importance and lower ratings.

Community Connection in Ivins
Survey participants were asked about how connected they feel to Ivins on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5), and the average score of all respondents was 3.46.

A positive relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing, but no clear relationship was found between community connection and mental health.


The graph below shows how Wellbeing Project cities and towns compare on feelings of community connection based on the percentage of respondents who answered 4 or a 5 on a 5-point scale from “not at all” to “a great deal” connected to their city or town. Ivins ranked 13 out of the 51 cities that participated.

Participation in Recreation and Nature-Related Activities
Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in various activities in the last 12 months. The most popular activities were walking or biking in your neighborhood or city (94%), using trails in or near your city (90%), gardening at home (79%), and community events (78%).

Participating in community events and using trails in or near your city were significantly related to higher ratings of personal wellbeing.
None of the recreation activities above were significantly related to higher ratings of community wellbeing.
Participating in city recreation programs, participating in community events, and recreating in parks in your city were significantly related to higher ratings of community connection.
Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
The majority of respondents in Ivins indicated that they felt the population growth was too fast (88%). For the pace of economic development, the majority of respondents indicated that it was too fast (55%).


The graphs below show perceptions of population growth and economic development for Ivins compared to other participating cities and towns in the Rapid Growth Cities cluster.


The graph below illustrates how many respondents perceived the pace of economic development as too slow, just right, too fast, or had no opinion, with additional breakdowns for the number of respondents who provided comments.

The 15% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too slow” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they would like to see more of in Ivins. The majority of comments emphasized the need for more retail and business options, particularly local business. There were comments about the need for employment and other amenities and services, particularly a bank. Some mentioned concerns about taxes and the need for a stronger tax base in the community.
Additionally, the 55% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too fast” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they feel are growing too quickly in Ivins. The main concern was about rapid development of housing and short-term rentals, with the Black Desert Resort the focus for many. There were concerns about traffic, insufficient water supply, and the loss of green space and open space.
Transportation in Ivins
Respondents were asked to indicate all of their primary modes of transportation on a regular basis in Ivins. The most popular modes of transportation were personal car (99%) and walking (46%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the most common barriers to transportation in Ivins. The most problematic barriers were Travel time (26%), Lack of routes (17%), Safety (17%), and Cost (16%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of a set of possible transportation developments in Ivins. The most important development to respondents were Enhancing safety (63%), More trails (62%), Improving walkability (62%), and Improving road surfaces (62%).

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently various activities take them out of Ivins to another city or town. The most commonly indicated reasons for traveling to another city or town at least sometimes or once a month were Groceries (87%), Eating Out (83%), and Recreation/Sports (70%).

Concerns in Ivins
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of Ivins. Water Supply (91%), Water Quality (86%), Traffic (85%), and Open Space/Green Space (84%) were the top concerns.

Open Comments
All open comments collected in the survey were shared with city leaders. General observations and themes are shared here.
What Respondents Value Most in Ivins
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about Ivins. The most common words and phrases from all city comments are included in the word cloud below. It is possible that negative or unrelated words may appear since these words have been taken out of context, and they may not indicate the respondent’s intended meaning. Respondents highly appreciated the natural beauty surrounding Ivins, including the red rock mountains. The scenic environment is particularly valued. Many comments highlighted the beauty of the landscape and the desire to maintain open spaces and nature. Residents value the small-town atmosphere.

Local Environmental Quality in Ivins
The 25% of respondents who rated the Local Environmental Quality domain as 1, 2, or 3 (Poor, Fair, or Moderate) were further asked if there are specific aspects of local environmental quality that they feel are problematic. A main concern was growth in Ivins and how this impacts water access, air quality, traffic and congestion, and the dark sky initiative. There were several mentions of Black Desert Resort that seemed to be the focus of a lot of tension in the area.
Improving Wellbeing in Ivins
Survey respondents were asked if there is anything that could be done to improve wellbeing in Ivins. Many comments expressed the desire to slow or stop the rapid growth in the area, especially the resorts and short-term rentals. Several comments also expressed desire for improved environmental issues, such as water, nature, and air quality.
Additional Comments
Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments on wellbeing in Ivins. There were a significant number of residents who mentioned worry about the rapid growth and overdevelopment in Ivins. They described this growth as driven by developers prioritizing profit over the community’s needs and sustainability. Many respondents express concerns about the impact of development on the natural environment, including threats to open spaces, air quality, and water supply. The was an expressed desire to conserve water and protect natural areas like Snow Canyon, with suggestions to limit new developments to safeguard the existing infrastructure and environment.