The Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce will host its sixth annual Growth & Prosperity Summit on Nov. 12 at Utah Valley University's Sorensen Student Center Grand Ballroom in Orem. The program is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with check-in starting at 7 a.m.
The summit agenda focuses on five primary questions: I-15 congestion and commute times, whether the next generation can afford homes in the area, water conservation, energy grid capacity, and workforce development. Curtis Blair, president and CEO of the Utah Valley Chamber, stated in an announcement that the summit aims to get ahead of growth challenges, noting the need to manage growth before it manages the region.
Keynote speakers for the event include Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, and Charles Marohn, founder of the national organization Strong Towns. Former Governor Gary Herbert is also scheduled to speak at the summit. Registration for the event is available on the Chamber's website.
The summit addresses significant regional pressures, including rapid population growth in Utah County. U.S. Census Bureau estimates placed the county population at approximately 759,859 in 2025, an increase from 659,392 in 2020. The Gardner Institute's 2026 Economic Report to the Governor projects the county population could roughly double to 1.5 million by 2065.
Economic data highlights current local challenges, such as housing and income levels. As of mid-2026, the Provo-Orem-Lehi metro area reported a median household income of $101,014 and a median home price of $572,450. Housing affordability was ranked last among 20 quality-of-life factors in the 2026 Utah Community Quality of Life Index, which reported an overall score of 63 out of 100, the lowest since the survey began in 2011.
