Gov. Spencer J. Cox is a husband, father, farmer, recovering attorney, and Utah’s 18th governor. Since taking the oath of office on Jan. 4, 2021, Gov. Cox has secured funds for affordable housing, promoted suicide prevention and mental health resources and implemented water conservation and infrastructure planning. He also signed early education and workforce program funding, launched the new Utah Sustainable Health Collaborative, and expanded opportunity for women, diverse communities and those living in rural parts of the state.
“Our state succeeds because of our people and their culture of hard work, innovation, industry, inclusivity, and compassion - that is the ‘Utah Way’." - Governor Gary R. Herbert
In 1847, a group of Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley and Brigham Young, envisioning the future of their great settlement, famously declared “This is the right place.” While more than a century has passed and times have certainly changed, one thing remains truer than ever – Utah still is the right place.
Through our pioneering spirit, inclusive attitude, dedication to innovation, efficiency, and more, Utah has earned a reputation as the best state in the nation for living, starting a family, finding work, and for making a difference.
U.S. News and World Report named Utah the #1 State for Fiscal Responsibility, rated Utah’s economic strength 2nd in the nation, our education system 3rd, and acknowledged that Utah’s college students have the lowest average debt at graduation.
Bloomberg has praised our economic mobility, and claimed that while others may be struggling, Utah is the state where the American dream is still alive and well.
Forbes has recognized Utah as the Best State for Business six of the past eight years. Moreover, they ranked our labor supply 2nd in the nation, recognizing the talent of our employees and the workforce our state attracts.
Utah has also been recognized by WalletHub as the most charitable state in the nation, a ranking that has held strong for more than a decade. Utahns volunteer more, donate more, and do so as a larger percentage of their time and income than those in other states.
The United Health Foundation recognizes Utah as one of the healthiest states in the nation and notes that Utah has the lowest percentage of smokers.
All of this has certainly had an impact on the happiness of our residents, and WalletHub even recognized the great state of Utah as the 2nd happiest place in the nation. Don’t worry, we forgive them for being slightly off on this one – we are the happiest.
While we certainly like to share our accolades and the stories of our successes with the world, we recognize that the only way to truly understand the “Utah Way” is to live it.
You have to experience the Greatest Snow on Earth™ at one of the countless world-class ski resorts just minutes away from your home or work. You need to feel your body propel into the air as the Utah Jazz sink that buzzer-beater in a championship game. You need to taste our locally-sourced, high-end cuisines, or stare into the night sky while surrounded by red rock arches and pillars in Southern Utah to truly understand what makes us who we are.
Utah is the only state to receive a rating from the Michelin travel guide, and in their brilliance, they recognized Utah as a 3-Star state, deeming it “exceptional, worth a special journey in itself.”
Utah is unique. Our prosperity is propelled further by our vision for the future and our respect for the past. Our residents are diverse, and speak more than 120 languages in the conduct of business. We encourage diversity and inspire creativity. We admire innovation and reward hard work, and above all else, we have fun. We are unlike anywhere else in the world. We are Utah.