Multiracial residents drove 40% of Utah's population growth in the last decade - Axios Salt Lake CityLog InLog InAxios Salt Lake City is an Axios company.

Multiracial residents driving Utah' s population growth

Data: U.S. Census Bureau via University of Utah; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsUtahns who identify as two or more races accounted for nearly 40% of the state's population growth over the past decade, according to a of 2020 Census data released this week by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. By the numbers: As of 2020, multiracial Utahns account for 8.5% of the state population. In 2010, only 2.7% of Utahns identified as multiracial.Its multiracial population growth ranked 13th fastest in the U.S. Driving the news: Ahead of the 2020 count, the U.S. Census Bureau made significant to its questions about race. "It kind of captures how complicated race is as a topic," said Mallory Bateman, the research brief's author. Flashback: The census bureau first allowed Americans to self-identify as more than one race in 2000. Why it matters: Utah's booming population growth has already prompted new laws to address the state's changing demographics.This year, for example, the state Legislature passed a law that allows Utahns to take their in languages other than English. Zoom in: Salt Lake, Utah, Grand and Weber counties contain the largest share of multiracial residents in the state. The big picture: The American Indian/Alaska Native population in the state more than doubled "when adding multiracial residents."Multiracial Utahns were also found to be the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the state between 2010 and 2020.Over half of multiracial Utahns also identified as Latino or Hispanic.Among Latinos, nearly all identified as two races, with many saying listing they were white and "some other race." The intrigue: A higher share of people under the age of 18 were most likely to identify as multiracial. "A [younger] group of Utahns is kind of changing what the overall state population looks like," Bateman said. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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