West Haven Wellbeing Survey Findings 2024
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

Contact Information
Dr. Courtney Flint
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
West Haven 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 West Haven survey and comparative information with other project cities. In April and May 2024, West Haven City advertised the survey for residents largely through social media and the city website. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 118 viable surveys were recorded in this 2024 survey effort.
- The adult population of West Haven was estimated at 12,171, based on the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 118 survey responses in 2024 represent 1.0% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 8.98%.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
| Resident Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Full Time Residents of West Haven | 99.2% |
| Part Time Residents of West Haven | 0.8% |
| Length of Residency — Range | 0.5-65 years |
| Length of Residency — Average | 11.9 years |
| Length of Residency — Median | 8 years |
| Length of Residency 5 Years or less | 34.7% |
| ZIP Code | Percent |
|---|---|
| 84067 | 0.8% |
| 84401 | 99.2% |
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 West Haven. People who have at least a 4-year college degree, are married, and own their homes were overrepresented while those who are age 18-29, do not have a college degree, and are renters were underrepresented.

Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in West Haven
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in West Haven. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in West Haven was 4.17 with 84% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in West Haven was 3.67 with 60% 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. West Haven is classified as a Rapid Growth City. Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the Rapid Growth city cluster, West Haven was close to the average overall personal wellbeing score and slightly below the average overall community wellbeing score.


Wellbeing Domains in West Haven
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 West Haven were Family Life (85%), Mental Health (79%), and Living Standards (75%). The most important wellbeing domains were Family Life (98%), Mental Health (98%), Safety and Security (98%), and Living Standards (97%).

Wellbeing Matrix for West Haven
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from West Haven. Family Life, Leisure Time, Living Standards, Mental Health, Physical Health, and Safety and Security were highly important and rated above average among the domains. No Domains fell in the “red zone” of higher importance and lower ratings, though Local Environmental Quality approaches this zone.

Community Connection in West Haven
Survey participants were asked about how connected they feel to West Haven on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5), and the average score of all respondents was 2.87.

No clear relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing or 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. West Haven ranked 40 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 (89%), gardening at home (82%), and community events (80%).

Participating in city recreation programs was significantly related to higher ratings of personal wellbeing.
None of the recreation activities above were significantly related to higher ratings of community wellbeing or community connection.
Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
The majority of respondents in West Haven indicated that they felt the population growth was too fast (77%). For the pace of economic development, respondents were split between opinions that it was too slow (34%), too fast (34%), and just right (27%).


The graphs below show perceptions of population growth and economic development for West Haven 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 34% 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 West Haven. The vast majority of comments focused on the desire to have more retail and business in West Haven, particularly grocery and restaurant options. Many lamented having to drive to another city for these and other needs.
Additionally, the 34% 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 West Haven. Comments largely focused on housing, particularly apartments. There were also many comments about there being too many gas stations. Some lamented the change of town character.
Transportation in West Haven
Respondents were asked to indicate all of their primary modes of transportation on a regular basis in West Haven. The most popular modes of transportation were personal car (100%) and walking (25%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the most common barriers to transportation in West Haven. The most problematic barriers were Travel time (49%) and Cost (37%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of a set of possible transportation developments in West Haven. The most important development to respondents were Enhancing safety (67%), Improving road surfaces (57%), More trails (46%), and Improving walkability (46%).

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently various activities take them out of West Haven 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 (99%), Eating Out (95%), and Friends and Family (90%).

Concerns in West Haven
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of West Haven. Open Space/Green Space (79%), Traffic (77%), Water Supply (73%), and Water Quality (72%) were the top concerns.

Additional Questions for West Haven
Satisfaction with West Haven Services
Respondents were asked to indicate their level of satisfaction on a scale from 1 (Not at all satisfied) to 5 (Very satisfied) regarding a set of services in West Haven. The highest rated items were the Contract with Weber County Sheriff department to provide for public safety (62%) and Opportunities to engage in city events and activities (49%).

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 West Haven
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about West Haven. 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 from West Haven indicated that they highly value their social climate, including being close to family, and the sense of community in their neighborhoods. Despite this, a majority of the comments expressed frustration over recent development and the loss of the small town/country/rural feel of West Haven.

Local Environmental Quality in West Haven
The 51% 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. Comments focused on a need for more open space, green space, and desire to maintain current trails and parks. Water quality was also a concern as well as traffic in the area.
Improving Wellbeing in West Haven
Survey respondents were asked if there is anything that could be done to improve wellbeing in West Haven. A large majority of West Haven respondent comments revolved around a strong desire for controlled growth that maintains the community’s character. Many comments expressed opposition to high-density housing and infrastructure concerns. There were also desires for better local retail options and significant improvements in transportation infrastructure.
Additional Comments
Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments on wellbeing in West Haven. Most of the comments revolved around the impacts of rapid growth and development, and the resulting changes in the social climate. Respondents largely advocated for a more controlled approach to development that preserves the rural and agricultural character of the community. They also sought a stronger, more inclusive community.