St. George's growth surge outshines Salt Lake City
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St. George, long known as a quiet retirement haven and tourist hotspot in southern Utah, is having a moment.
The big picture: It was the only metro area in the West to make the top 10 fastest-growing regions in the country, according to new census data.
By the numbers: It ranked eighth in the U.S. after adding about 5,200 residents (+2.5%) between 2024-25.
- The Salt Lake City-Murray metro area added slightly more people (6,100), but that only represented a 0.5% increase.
Zoom in: St. George was recognized last year as one of the nation's hottest job markets, as remote workers and entrepreneurs flocked to the desert city for its temperate weather and lower housing costs compared to other Utah metros.
Yes, but: Its population boom is straining infrastructure, with water shortages and rising traffic among the biggest concerns, per KSL.
Zoom out: Growth across all metro areas "declined dramatically" on average, the Census Bureau said, falling from +1.1% between 2023-24 to 0.6% — largely because of a big drop in international migration.