Utah Birth Rate Credited with Population Growth

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — New U.S. census figures show Utah is the third-fastest growing state in the country thanks to a high birth rate. The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday that Utah follows only Idaho and Nevada in population growth since last year. Utah's population grew by more than 57,000 people between July 2016 and July 2017, pushing the state's total population to 3.1 million. The census found most of Utah's growth came from "natural increase," meaning that births outpaced deaths. But at least one expert is skeptical about that data. Pam Perlich, director of demographics at the University of Utah, says a state-funded survey found there were fewer births in the state this year than last year, which contradicts the census data.