Today's SLTrib had an article exploring the claim that Utah is changing because of "all those outsiders" moving in.

Andy Larsen, who wrote the article, and I were both surprised by the results.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/04/01/andy-larsen-how-many/

If you've exceeded your freebie limit, here's the high points.

On a map showing what percentage of each state was born in the state, the highest percentages were in the Great Lakes states, or states within about 250 miles of the Great Lakes, like Kentucky. Many of them had 70% or more native-born residents. Louisiana was the highest, at 78%, Michigan next at 76%.

Nevada was lowest (27%), which comes as no surprise. It has a very small population, and is right next door to CA, so I would expect a lot of CA spillage into NV.

All of the states surrounding Utah are inn the low or very low percentage of residents born in the state.
WA 47%
OR 46%
ID 47%
WY 42%
CO 42%
NM 54%
AZ 40%
NV 27%

OK, so that is what the neighborhood around UT looks like. So how many of Utah residents were born in the state?

UT 62%

Of the 5 categories on the map, UT is in the fourth highest category of having home-grown residents. AZ having a low rate doesn't surprise me at all - lots of retirees moving into the state. But I would have bet money that UT and ID would have been very similar, and they are not. I also would have bet money that UT would have a fairly high percentage of residents born out of state or out of the country. It does not.

Who'd have thunk? UT is a serious outlier in the west

UT is 62% born in state, about 25% born in other US states, 13% all foreign countries,


Percentage of Utahns born in Utah, 5 most populous counties
Salt Lake 59%
Davis 63% (Bountiful)
Utah 64% (provo)
Washington 56% (St George)
Weber 66% (Ogden)