I have subscribed to the "ARA" Apartment Realty Advisors mailings. According to the 2008 Economic Report to the Governor "For the fourth consecutive year, Utah's economy outperformed the nation in 2007. The state led the nation in employment growth, personal income growth, housing price appreciation, and population growth and had an unemployment rate among the lowest in the nation."
"The Mountain Region is expanding more rapidly than the nation and is emerging as a growth center. Comparing September 2006 with September 2007, mountain state employment grew 2.5% nearly twice the nation's growth of 1.3%."
"Overall, the Utah economy is expected to experience healthy job growth, a tight labor market, and low unemployment in 2008. Employment growth of 3.2% will be near the long-term average of 3.3%. An economy that remains one of the best in the nation will contribute to strong net inmigration of over 41,000 and above average population growth of 3.1%. Personal income is expected to increase by 7.8%."
In 2007, Utah's population grew by 3.2%, 3 times the national rate of 1.0%. Utah's 2007 net inmigration was 44,252.
Between 2006 and 2007, Utah's population increased by 84,425 people to a total of 2,699,554.
According to the Wasatch from MLS, Salt Lake Counties average home price for 2006 was $250,698 (18.6% increase) and for 2007 $276,492 (10.3% increase) from the previous year.