Utah Hispanic Population Numbers

Utah's Hispanic or Latino population reached 492,912 in the 2020 Census, or 15.1% of the state, and grew by 134,572 people since 2010. This reflects a trend of sustained increase: the Census 2000 count was 201,559, or 9.0% of Utahns, so the Hispanic population more than doubled in twenty years.

How Big and How Fast

The 2010 Census counted 358,340 Hispanic or Latino residents, 13.0% of the state. Growth between 2010 and 2020 was 37.6%, slower than the 77.8% of the 2000s, but Hispanic residents still made up more than a quarter (26.5%) of Utah's total population growth that decade, according to an analysis of Census data by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. It is Utah's second-largest racial or ethnic group after non-Hispanic white residents.

The Census Bureau treats Hispanic origin as an ethnicity, not a race. The census form asks one question about Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin and a separate question about race, so a Hispanic Utahn can be of any race. In 2020, 42.1% of Hispanic Utahns chose "Some Other Race," 32.3% chose two or more races and 21.9% chose White alone.

Where the Population Is Concentrated

The Hispanic/Latino population in Utah is not evenly distributed across the state. In 2020, 82.9% of Hispanic Utahns lived in Weber, Davis, Salt Lake or Utah counties. Salt Lake County had the highest share, with 19.6% of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino, followed by Weber County at 18.6%. Some rural counties also have high shares, including Beaver (15.1%), Wasatch (14.5%) and Millard (13.7%).

Among places with more than 10,000 residents, Hispanic residents made up more than one-third of the population in Kearns (42.3%), West Valley City (39.4%) and Magna (34.4%). West Valley City had the largest Hispanic population in the state, 55,278 people, followed by Salt Lake City (41,504) and Ogden (26,898).

Age and Countries of Origin

Utah's Hispanic or Latino population is, overall, younger than the state population as a whole. In 2020 its median age was 25.4 years, compared with 31.3 years for all Utahns, and 35.8% of Hispanic Utahns were under 18.

Not all Hispanic/Latino respondents in Utah have roots in Mexico, though most do. The 2020 detailed Census counts show:

• Mexican: 326,430 people, about two-thirds of Hispanic Utahns and one in ten Utahns overall
• South American: 50,518, led by Peruvian (12,488), Venezuelan (10,383) and Colombian (7,752)
• Central American: 34,131, led by Salvadoran (14,426) and Guatemalan (11,651)
• Spaniard: 14,489, the second-largest single detailed group

These figures come from the once-a-decade census and will not change until the next count. For newer yearly estimates, including the American Community Survey, check the U.S. Census Bureau's QuickFacts and data.census.gov, and always note the year and the survey when you quote a number.