Utah is often associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or “Mormons,” due to the high population of members in the state. However, most members of the LDS church actually reside outside the US. The Church’s official headquarters are located in Utah where many members’ descendants settled in the mid-1800s to escape persecution in other states. While the Mormon population in Utah is declining slightly, its influence on the state cannot be denied. The reasons for its high concentration in Utah include attracting members from around the world seeking safety and like-minded companionship, as well as the state’s beautiful geography and low cost of living.
Ask those who are even vaguely knowledgeable about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints what a “Mormon” is, and they will likely associate the members with the US state of Utah, which is the church’s official headquarters. Even before statehood, Utah had a high Mormon population, higher than any other state in the nation. Although people of this religion hold a majority in the state, most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) reside outside the United States.
On July 24, 1847, then church president Brigham Young, after a tiring journey across the plains, looked out over the Salt Lake Valley and declared, “This is the place,” and the first group set down their roots. They had fled the deadly persecution of Missouri, Ohio and Illinois and had finally found what they thought would be a safe and secure place. Their descendants would be known by some as the “Utah Mormons.”
Contrary to popular belief, Church members are not as stronghold in Utah as they once were. Although the state enjoyed a 29 percent increase in overall population from 1990 to 2000, the Mormon portion of the total population is declining slightly. Many believe this may be due to a booming economy that attracts non-Mormons from around the country, including immigrants from Mexico, as well as many relocating to the region for what may be a lower cost of living. Beautiful geography and good weather, along with many neat neighbors, can also be an attraction.
In 2006, it was revealed that the Mormon portion of Utah’s total population has indeed declined, and that if current trends continue, by 2030 the Mormon population will lose its majority. Although estimates that members of this group comprise about 70% of the population have been bandied about, the number is closer to 62.4% (2004). Because this is based on church membership records and not actual attendance records, the number of people practicing faith in Utah may be much lower.
The main reason there are so many Mormons in Utah is, of course, that it has become a mecca for members from all over the world. While the church has experienced rapid growth around the world over the past century, many members in other countries have moved to Utah to escape less tolerant homelands, or simply because they wanted to live among other like-minded people. Another reason could be that people of this religion tend to have more children. In Utah in the 1960s the birth rate was 4.3 children per woman. Today, that rate in Utah is much lower, though higher than the national average, at 2.6 children per woman.
While the Mormon population in Utah may be in decline and being redistributed across the rest of the nation, the group has undeniably left an indelible mark on the state of Utah today, as well as its history.
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