North Salt Lake Wellbeing Survey Findings 2024
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

Contact Information
Dr. Courtney Flint
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
North Salt Lake 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 North Salt Lake survey and comparative information with other project cities. In March and April 2024, North Salt Lake City advertised the survey for residents largely through electronic newsletters, social media, and Notify Me. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 439 viable surveys were recorded in this 2024 survey effort.
- The North Salt Lake 2023 survey had 605 responses.
- The adult population of North Salt Lake was estimated at 15,600, based on the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 439 survey responses in 2024 represent 2.8% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 4.61%.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
| Resident Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Full Time Residents of North Salt Lake | 98.9% |
| Part Time Residents of North Salt Lake | 1.1% |
| Length of Residency — Range | 0.2-67 years |
| Length of Residency — Average | 13.1 years |
| Length of Residency — Median | 9 years |
| Length of Residency 5 Years or less | 35.0% |
| ZIP Code | Percent |
|---|---|
| 84010 | 2.4% |
| 84054 | 97.6% |
| City Area | Percent |
|---|---|
| East (east of Orchard Dr) | 38.1% |
| Midtown (between I-15 and Orchard Dr Area) | 19.6% |
| West (west of I-15, Foxboro) | 42.2% |
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 North Salt Lake. People who are adult females, have at least a 4-year college degree, are married, and own their homes were overrepresented while those who are age 18-29, are adult males, do not have a college degree, and are renters were underrepresented.

Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in North Salt Lake
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in North Salt Lake. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in North Salt Lake was 4.08 with 80% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in North Salt Lake was 3.75 with 64% of respondents indicating community wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The east section of the city (east of Orchard Dr) had statistically higher scores than the midtown (between I-15 and Orchard Dr area) and west sections of the city (west of I-15, Foxboro) for both overall personal and community wellbeing scores.


When comparing survey data from North Salt Lake over the years as shown in the information below, we can see that the average personal wellbeing score remained nearly the same between 2023 and 2024. The average community wellbeing score improved between 2023 and 2024. Note that the number of respondents differed between years, there is no tracking of individuals from one year to the next, and the low end of the scale was "Poor" in 2024 but "Very Poor" in prior years which may account for differences in scores over time.

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. North Salt Lake is classified as an Established/Mid-sized City. Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the more Urban city cluster, North Salt Lake was close to the average overall personal wellbeing score and close to the average overall community wellbeing score.


Wellbeing Domains in North Salt Lake
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 North Salt Lake were Safety and Security (80%), Family Life (77%), Living Standards (72%), and Mental Health (71%). The most important wellbeing domains were Safety and Security (99%), Mental Health (98%), Living Standards (96%), and Physical Health (96%).

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

Wellbeing Domains Over Time in North Salt Lake
The graphs below show how the domains were rated over the years by North Salt Lake residents. The number of respondents changed over time. Note that the two domains Family Life and Transportation were new categories in the 2024 survey and were not measured in previous years. Most domains saw small changes to their overall ratings, except for Education which saw a larger drop in its overall rating.

Community Connection in North Salt Lake
Survey participants were asked about how connected they feel to North Salt Lake on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5), and the average score of all respondents was 3.01. The east, west, and midtown sections of the city all had statistically different community connection scores, with the east section having the highest scores and Midtown the lowest scores.

When comparing survey data from North Salt Lake over the years as shown in the information below, we can see that the average community connection score improved between 2023 and 2024.

To some extent, a positive relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing as well as 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. North Salt Lake ranked 37 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 (93%), recreating in parks in your city (80%), and using trails in or near your city (76%).

Using trails in or near your city was 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 community events and gardening at home were significantly related to higher ratings of community connection.
Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
Respondents in North Salt Lake were split between opinions that population growth was too fast (42%) and just right (38%). For the pace of economic development, respondents were split between opinions that it was just right (36%) and too slow (30%).


The graphs below show how perceptions of population growth and economic development in North Salt Lake have varied across recent years of Wellbeing Surveys. Perception that the rate of population growth is too fast declined from 2023 to 2024, and the perception that the pace of economic development is too fast switched with perceptions that it was too slow from 2023 to 2024.


The graphs below show perceptions of population growth and economic development for North Salt Lake compared to other participating cities and towns in the Established/Mid-sized 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 30% 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 North Salt Lake. Many comments asked for increased shopping opportunities and restaurants, especially options that are walkable and east of I-15. Many people commented about the current retail being limited to car dealerships and car related businesses and they would also like to see a revitalization of highway 89. There was also a common request for other services and things to do such as movie theaters, events, gyms, parks, and markets.
Additionally, the 15% 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 North Salt Lake. Comments centered around the perspective that too much housing is being built with little attention to other development such as stores and infrastructure.
Transportation in North Salt Lake
Respondents were asked to indicate all of their primary modes of transportation on a regular basis in North Salt Lake. The most popular modes of transportation were personal car (99%) and walking (30%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the most common barriers to transportation in North Salt Lake. The most problematic barriers were Travel time (38%) and Lack of routes (30%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of a set of possible transportation developments in North Salt Lake. The most important development to respondents were Improving road surfaces (72%), Enhancing safety (67%), More trails (60%), and Improving walkability (59%).

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently various activities take them out of North Salt Lake 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 Eating Out (94%), Groceries (90%), and Friends and Family (88%).

Concerns in North Salt Lake
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of North Salt Lake. Air Quality (90%), Water Supply (81%), Water Quality (78%), and Public Safety (77%) were the top concerns. Since 2023, moderate or major concern about public safety (+11%) notably increased, while concern about substance misuse (-16%), access to mental health care (-14%), and suicide (-10%) notably decreased.

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 North Salt Lake
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about North Salt Lake. 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. Many respondent comments expressed value in the location of North Salt Lake, as it is accessible to a significant number of activities and other cities. In addition, comments expressed appreciation for the social climate, safety, and recreation opportunities possible in the city.

Local Environmental Quality in North Salt Lake
The 65% 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. Respondent comments mentioned that the refineries close to North Salt Lake cause a lot of tension due to emissions that impact health. Air quality was also mentioned as a threat due to the gravel mining pits nearby. The freeway was a concern due to noise pollution and emissions. Needed upkeep of local streets and houses was also mentioned.
Improving Wellbeing in North Salt Lake
Survey respondents were asked if there is anything that could be done to improve wellbeing in North Salt Lake. Comments expressed concern about the environmental cost of refineries, factories, and mines in the area. Air and water quality were consistently mentioned as well. Some comments spoke of poor road quality as well as issues relating to speeding. Others also mentioned issues with the lack of options in regards to restaurants and retail.
Additional Comments
Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments on wellbeing in North Salt Lake. Comments expressed an overall appreciation for the North Salt Lake area, but some comments reinforced previously mentioned ideas such as environmental impact issues and lack of retail options.