Colorado’s wage and salary employment is about twice the size of Utah’s wage and salary employment. In some state rankings, it has been reported that Utah is adding workers at a faster rate than Colorado.
Since 1990, Utah wage and salary employment has grown at a faster rate than Colorado, although the two states grew at a similar rate during the 1990s.
A review of the following six industries shows that Utah has increased at a faster relative rate than Colorado between 1990 and 2013:
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Tourism
• Information
• Professional and Business Services
• Financial Activities
The following factors contribute to Utah’s faster rate of growth:
• Utah was showcased around the world for the 2002 Olympics.
• Utah has many of the same assets that Colorado has – quality of life, scenery, tourism, solid higher education.
• Because its rate of growth is calculated off a smaller base, Utah is likely to have a higher rate of growth. That statement is not intended to detract from Utah’s appeal as a place to live, work, and play.
It is common to rank and compare the performance of states. The most important take-away from this comparison is the fact that Colorado and Utah are both popular strong performing states.
