Weber and Davis Counties Population Explosion

Population explosion ahead
Forecast: Weber, Davis counties to fill up fast
By MITCH SHAW
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau mishaw@standard.net

LAYTON — During the next three decades, living space is going to be a little tighter in Weber and Davis counties.

The two counties, and many of the cities within them, will grow exponentially during the next 30 years, according to recently released population forecasts from the Wasatch Front Regional Council.

The WFRC, the state’s transportation planning arm, took total population estimates made by the Utah Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget for Weber and Davis counties, then, with the help of a professional demographer, broke down estimates for each city within the two counties.


“We look at how much raw ground there is in a city and how fast it’s filling up, what kind of density is there,” said WFRC spokesman Sam Klemm. “We look at a number of different factors.” Davis County’s population is projected to rise from its 2007 population of 291,669 to 398,719 by 2040. Weber County is expected to grow from 217,471 to 363,671 during the same time period. Among cities in Davis County, West Point is expected to see the biggest percentage of growth during the next 30 years, going from a population of 9,415 in 2007 to 23,399. Syracuse, Centerville and South Weber also are expected to see large spikes. Davis County’s largest city, Layton, will go from a population of 63,023 to 81,000. A pair of Weber County cities are expected to explode when it comes to population. By 2040, the WFRC says, West Haven will grow from 4,853 people to 33,995, and Hoop- er will grow from 4,975 to 22,515.

The populations of Farr West, Harrisville, Marriott-Slaterville, North Ogden, Plain City, Pleasant View and Uintah will all at least double.

Weber’s biggest city, Ogden, will jump from 78,589 to 106,186 people.

WFRC’s data also predicts that Weber County’s unincorporated areas will see strong growth, jumping from 25,433 to 40,660 during the next 30 years.

The WFRC uses the population data to help decide where and when to build future transportation projects.

“It forms the foundation of all we do,” Klemm said. “It tells us how soon we need to build roads and transportation facilities and how we can do it most efficiently.”