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West Valley City Journal

West Valley City population continues to grow, becomes more diverse

Oct 05, 2021 10:21AM ● By Darrell Kirby

By Darrell Kirby | [email protected]

To no one’s surprise, West Valley City is growing and becoming more diverse. 

Figures from the 2020 Census released a few weeks ago show the city’s population jumped over the previous decade to a total of 140,230, a jump of 10,750, or 8.3%. 

The real story behind the numbers is that the population growth is fueled by an increase in people who identify with one ethnic group or another. In raw numbers, Hispanic/Latino saw an increase of 12,386 new residents for a bump of 29% in that category. The biggest increase by percentage in a single ethnic category was Black/African-American at 65%, for a 2020 total of 3,720. However, the largest percentage rise was 73% among those who identify themselves as being two or more races or a race not specified.

Those statistics are countered by a further decrease in what was once West Valley City’s largest sector of the population. “The data indicates a decline in the white population” of 8,494 or 12%,  Mallory Bateman, senior research analyst and state data center coordinator at the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute said by email. That drop between 2010 and 2020 continues a trend that has existed in the city for a number of years. 

West Valley City remains firmly cemented as the second most populous city in Utah. Salt Lake City remains No. 1 at just under 200,000 people. Rounding out the top five are West Jordan, Provo and Orem. 

Other information from the 2020 Census, compared to 2010:

Utah population: 3.27 million, increase of 507,000, or 18%, fastest percentage growth in the nation. 

Fastest growing county by percentage: Wasatch, 34,788 from 23,530, 47.9% increase. 

Most new residents, county: Salt Lake 155,583. Total population 1,185,238.

Fastest growing city by percentage: Vineyard (Utah County) 8,932%, (12,534 residents from 139)

Most new residents, city: Herriman, 33,359. Total population 55,144. 

Largest population decline by percentage, county: Emery, 1,151, -10.5%.