This Is the (Other) Place: Southern Utah’s Growth Boom

More and more people are driving through Southern Utah and just deciding to stay. This red-rock stretch of desert has quietly become one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. I know of a handful of people with the same moving story. When asked, "What made you move here?" the responses are very similar and sound something like this,  "We were driving through St George and stopped for lunch and we just decided to stay. We moved here within a few weeks."

Brigham Young, the Mormon (LDS) pioneer who led early settlers west to the Salt Lake Valley, once declared, “This is the Place.” But Southern Utah is starting to make its own case—turns out, this is the place… too.

In 2023–2024, Washington County gained 5,858 new residents, second only to Utah and Salt Lake counties (Axios). More than half of Utah’s statewide population growth is now driven by people moving in—not being born here (KUER).

So, where are all these newcomers coming from?

According to KUER, the biggest out-of-state source for Washington County is California, making up 14.4% of new residents between 2017 and 2021. Other common origin spots include Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Kingman, Arizona—places that share a similar desert climate but often come with a higher cost of living. Even more recently, MoveBuddha found that nearly 20% of people moving to Utah are still coming from California, followed by Texas and Florida.

It’s not just families and remote workers making the move. When I moved to St George 20+ years ago, it was known as a retirement community. A rising number of retirees and seasonal snowbirds are again choosing St. George for its warm winters, clean towns, and golf-friendly lifestyle. In fact, the area's median age is expected to jump from 39 in 2022 to nearly 52 by 2060 (KUER).

In short, wide-open space, warm weather, and a slower pace of life are drawing thousands each year—especially from the West. Southern Utah isn’t just a vacation destination or a lunch stop on the way to Las Vegas anymore. It’s becoming home.