Provo City

Provo Demographic Profile


Origin

Under the direction of Brigham Young, Provo City was settled by Mormon pioneers in the Spring of 1849. John S. Higbee led 33 families (150 People) from Salt Lake City to the Provo area, a difficult three day travel. On April 3, 1849, the pioneers started construction of a fort on the south bank of the Provo River three miles east of Utah Lake. In 1850, the settlers moved east toward higher ground. Blocks of four acres were surveyed and divided into parcels for home sites. Provo City became the county seat for Utah County on January 31, 1850.
John Clifton Moffitt, The Story of Provo Utah, Press Publishing Co. 1975

Provo Labor Force

By far, the most important asset Provo has to offer a potential employer is its people. Provo has a very productive and reliable labor pool which forms the nucleus of Utah Valley's 176,703 - person work force. Provo's strategic central location allows its companies to draw upon both the Provo metro area labor market and the Salt Lake Valley labor market, which adds an additional 600,000-plus workers to the pool. however, the quantity of Provo's labor force is not nearly as impressive as its quality. Woods and Pool Economics declared Provo "one of the nation's most intelligent work forces." Among the outstanding qualities of the Provo work force are foreign language ability, foreign service experience, high education levels, and a strong work ethic. In Provo, turnover is low because people want to live here.

Population

YearPopulation
197053,131
198074,111
199086,835
199392,630
199494,210
2000105,439
2004111,718
2005115,135
2006116,217
2007117,592
2008119,850
2009122,151
2010124,496
US Bureau of the Census, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2006 Cenus Challenge, other numbers estimates or projections.

Population Increase

YearPopulation Increase
1990-200837,661

Utah County Population

YearPopulation
2008519,632

Gender Breakdown

Male/Female BreakdownPercent
Male - 45.58745.1%
Female - 55,57754.9%
2005 American Community Survey

Population by Age Groups

AgePopulationPercent
Under 5 years10,35310.4%
18 years and older79,65078.7%
65 years and older5,4225.4%
American Community Survey 2005

Median Age

Median Age24.5
US Bureau of the Census, 2000

Race

RacePopulationPercent
White87,59786.6%
Black or African American4660.5%

American Indian or Alaska Native

2680.3%
Asian2,2182.2%
Hawaiian and Pacific Islander1,3141.3%
Some other race7,0296.9%

Two or more races

2,2722.2%

Race with Hispanic Origin

12,91512.8%
2005 American Community Survey

Education

Utah has one of the most educated populations in the nation. As a state, over 90% of its citizens have at least a high school degree, and over 55% have attended some college, with over 28% having earned a Bachelor’s degree. Summit and Utah Counties have the most educated populations in the state.
 
Geographic LocationHigh School GraduateAssociates DegreeBachelor's DegreeGraduate Degree/th>
Provo City15.2%11.0%25.9%13.1%
Economic Development Corporation of Utah

Fall 2008 College Student Enrollment

InstitutionEnrollment
BYU *59,891
UVU **27,000
Total55,3
* BYU Institutional Assessment and Analysis, 2008
** UVU Institutional Research and Planning, 2008

Households and Housing

TypeStatistics
Average Household Size3.18
Average Family Size3.40
Total Housing Units34,764
2005 American Community Survey

Housing Occupancy

TypeStatistics
Owner Occupied42.9%
Renter Occupied57.1%
Housing Vacancy Rate8.5%
Estimated Median Value$171,000
2005 American Community Survey

Employment

Provo Metro Area 
TypeStatistics
Labor force236,400
Employed224,100
Unemployed12,300
Unemployment Rate (Dec. 2009)6.0
Additional Utah County Occupational Employment Statistics are available from the the United States Labor Department, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Wages

In 2001, Utah's average annual nonagricultural pay was $29,700—up 3.1% from the 2000 average. This is the seventh year in a row that average wage increases in Utah have outpaced increases in inflation, as measured by the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), but they are still only 83% of the U.S. average. The loss of high-paying mining and metals-producing jobs in the early and mid-‘80s helped contribute to the decline. However, Utah's demographics also play a part. Utah has a large percentage of young people in the labor market and a relatively young labor force. Young people are usually paid less than older workers. In addition, Utah has a higher proportion of part-time workers than the U.S. in general, which also tends to pull the average wage down.   The average annual pay in 2008 is $37,661.
State of Utah, DCED

Income

Median Family Income 2005$34,085

Property Tax

TypeRate
Assessment$877.70 per $100,000 in value
(Rate = .008777)
Residential55% of Market Value x Rate
Commercial100% of Market Value x Rate
Utah County Assessors 2008

Sales Tax

Rate = .06750
Utah State Tax Commission, 2009

Corporate Income Tax

Rate = 5.0%
 
Corporate income tax in Provo is set by state statute. Utah’s corporate tax rate is among the lowest in the Rocky Mountain Region, which in turn is among the lowest in the country.

Utilities

Provo City is fully equipped to handle the utility needs of your company. Our municipally owned energy department is well positioned to meet the growing power demands of the business community, and we are prepared to do so at a significantly lower price than the national average. The American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association state that Provos utilities are 15% below the national average. Our utility infrastructure is constantly being upgraded in response to community-wide residential and industrial development. In addition to comparatively lower costs, utility services are easily accessible throughout Provo, ensuring our customers convenient, reliable service. Provo has also taken pains to ensure that all of our systems are environmentally sound, meeting or exceeding federal and state standards.

Utility Summary

Natural Gas
Questar is the Power Supplier
Electricity
Provo City Power is a municipally owned electric company. Provo has a geothermal plant in southern Utah and hydroelectric facilities in Northern Utah.
Telephone
QWest, Veracity and Utopia supply Provo and Utah county with a complete state-of-the-art fiber optic telecommunications system capable of handling any current phone technology
Water
Provo City’s water supply originates from cold mountain springs, deep wells, Deer Creek Reservoir, and Jordanelle Reservoir. Water demand prior to completion of the Jordanelle Dam was only half of total supply. With the completion of the Jordanelle Dam the water demand will be significantly less than half of the supply.
Water Reclamation
Provo has a modern, award-winning, waste water treatment facility that is currently operating well below capacity.
Solid Waste Disposal
Provo not only provides full capacity sanitation and solid waste disposal, but also provides a mulching program to help reuse: “greenwaste”.

Crime Rate

Crime rates are tallied by part-one crimes, which include; homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Crimes per 100,000 Population (2008)

LocationRate
Provo2666
Utah3579
National3667
US Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigations, 2008

Geography

Mean Precipitation per Year

TypeMean Measurement
Rain20.13 inches
Snow60.40 inches
Provo Weather Station Brigham Young University, 1999

Mean Temperature (Degrees Fahrenheit)

Jan.April.JulyOct.Annual
30.752.076.453.353.3
Provo Weather Station Brigham Young University, 1999

Location

Latitude40.158
Longitude111.39
Provo Weather Station Brigham Young University, 2009

Elevation

Elevation4,540 feet
Provo Weather Station Brigham Young University, 2009

Size - Area

Square Miles43
Provo City Community Development Department, 2009

Recreation & Entertainment

ActivityQuantity
Golf Courses (within 15 min.)13
Public Tennis Courts37
Public Parks32
Softball Complexes5
Ice Rinks2
Movie Theaters66
Water Parks1

Other Activites

  • Hiking
  • Camping
  • Boating / Water Skiing
  • Biking
  • Fishing
  • Swimming
  • Snow Skiing/ Snowboarding
  • Hunting
  • Volleyball
  • Bowling

Spectator Sports

Brigham Young University Cougars

Affiliation: NCAA Division I-A
Conference: Mountain West Conference
Varsity Teams: 21
Teams in MWC: 19
 
Including:
  • Football
  • Volleyball
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Soccer
  • Track & Field

Professional

  • Utah Jazz (NBA) 1997 & 1998 Western Conference Champions
  • Utah Grizzly's (IHL) 1995 & 1996 Cup Winner
  • Real Salt Lake (Major League Soccer) MLS Champions 2009

Cultural Arts

TypeQuantity
Museums8
Live Theatrical Venues14
 
Brigham Young University has a first class art museum that has housed world-renowned exhibits like the Etruscan Exhibit from the Vatican and the Masada and Dead Sea Scrolls.

Points of Interest and Special Events 

  • Sundance Ski Resort and Summer Theater
    Home of the famous Sundance Film Festival and Summer Theater.
  • Provo River World Class Trout Fishing & The High Uintas Mountain Range
  • Hiking, fishing, and the most spectacular scenery in the country.
  • America's Freedom Festival at Provo
    One of the nation's biggest Independence Day celebration
  • WinterFest in Provo
    A family celebration of the holidays including First Night Provo New Years Eve celebration.

Religion

20 plus religious denominations are represented in Provo.
  •  
  • Address:
    86 N. University Ave.,
    Suite 240
    Provo, Utah 84601
  • Phone:
    801-852-6161
  • Fax:
    801-375-1469
  • Office Hours:
    Monday - Thursday
    7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  •  
  • Information provided by:
    Provo City Community Development Department
    351 West Center Street
    Provo, Utah 84601
    Phone: 801-852-6400
    Fax: 801-852-6417
  •  December 2002
  •  
  • Additional Sources of Demographic Data:
    U.S. Census Bureau web site
  •