The Wasatch Front Regional Council has released an updated Utah Commuter Flow Map, utilizing anonymized employment data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Origin Destination Employment Statistics dataset. The map displays commuting patterns across the Wasatch Front by aggregating home-to-work connections to show where residents work and how many people live and work within the same community.
This tool is designed to assist local planners and leaders in understanding regional travel trends, comparing commuting data between different cities, and identifying ways to help residents access jobs more easily.
The map provides insights into several key commuting metrics. For instance, the data shows that 35% of the 42,000 workers living in Ogden hold jobs located within Ogden, though this percentage varies across the region from as low as 2% to as high as 50%.
While traditional job centers like downtown Salt Lake, Provo, and Ogden remain significant, the map reveals that more workers travel to other cities than to these primary downtown centers. Additionally, non-downtown employment districts specializing in research, education, manufacturing, distribution, and technology serve as important destinations.
In Tooele City, while Salt Lake City is the most common single destination for commuters, a much larger number of workers travel to various other Wasatch Front cities combined than to Salt Lake City alone, with 10,186 versus 4,192 workers respectively.
The data also highlights the influx of workers into specific municipalities. For example, 46,000 workers commute from other cities into Sandy City, which includes more than 2,000 workers arriving from West Jordan, Salt Lake City, South Jordan, West Valley City, and Draper.
County-level data shows varying levels of internal employment. Salt Lake County reports that 83% of its workforce lives and works within the county, while Box Elder and Morgan counties show lower figures at 37% and 23%, respectively.
The Wasatch Front Regional Council notes that improving the balance between jobs, housing, and amenities can reduce strain on existing roads and transportation investments. Strategies such as attracting jobs to residential areas or building housing near employment centers may help mitigate peak-period congestion.
The current map features statewide coverage using 2023 LODES data and includes a time slider that allows users to explore historical data dating back to 2002.
