Utah’s population increased by over 70K this year: meet three of your new neighbors

Construction equipment sits on a dirt lot, as St. George aims to build housing for new residents, St. George, Utah, March 3, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — It’s no secret that throngs of people are migrating to Utah.

According to a new study done by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, an estimated 71,936 new residents have moved to Utah since the 2020 Census. Iron County recorded the fastest rate of growth at 6.2%, adding 3,574 new residents. Washington County’s 4% growth rate was the third fastest in the state, adding 7,321 new residents.

Opinions on this growth vary, especially when considering water. Most Washington County officials are trying to harness the growth to build a stronger economy and a more diverse community. But the state is in the midst of a megadrought, which may put a damper on continual growth. It remains to be seen how this will impact growth.

St. George News has had the opportunity to meet a few of our new neighbors. Each of them shared their reasons for leaving their former states of residence, and what they’re up to as they settle into their new homes in St. George.

Chris Connors

Chris Connors tries to line up a new distributor for Farmstead Bakery in St. George, May 25, 2021 | photo by David Dudley, St. George News

A restaurateur, Connors moved from Las Vegas, Nevada, to St. George to open Farmstead Bakery. The primary reason he moved was that Nevada had made it all but impossible for restaurant owners to earn enough to survive. So, Connors committed to opening a new eatery in St. George.

“Utah opened as we were opening,” Connors said.

In the process, Connors brought at least three of his collaborators with him. They included chef Chris Herrin, pastry chef Marie Yonge and Ben Garcia. Together, they’ve built Farmstead into one of the most popular places to grab a pastry and coffee, or a turkey croissant sandwich.

“If we’ve been successful,” Connors said, “it’s because of our rock-star team.”

“And the warm reception we’ve received in St. George,” Connors added. “It’s beyond anything I ever got in Vegas.”

Lee Richeson

Lee Richeson at work in his new shop, St. George, Utah, Dec. 3, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

Richeson, a gunsmith who owns Rich’s Gun Shop, said that it was hard to leave behind a successful business in Donald, Oregon, to move to St. George. He had two gun shops in Oregon, one with a live-ammunition firing range, and a shooting gallery. But with the social/political turmoil the state has seen during the past year, Richeson said the writing was on the wall.

“Oregon has terrible leadership,” Richeson told St. George News. “We were being cased by Antifa, and members of Black Lives Matter made things oppressive up there. I knew it was time for me to get out.”

So, after speaking with his wife about where they may move, his wife suggested St. George.

“She’d never been there,” Richeson said, his eyes widening. “I’d only been there for firearms license training a few years ago.”

“But, when she said St. George, it just felt right,” he added.

So, Richeson moved his shop, as well as three of his employees, including his son, to St. George. As they try to build a clientele in Utah, they’ve already been visited by former customers from Oregon.

“We’re lucky to have such loyal customers,” he said. “Now, we’re looking forward to serving St. George.”

Cory LaFranchi

File photo of chef Cory LaFranchi grilling birria tacos in St. George, Utah, March 16, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

Like Connors, LaFranchi is a restaurateur. He owned and ran the award-winning Street Eats food truck in Seattle. But when the pandemic hit, LaFranchi said he began reconsidering where he wanted to be. Not only was he losing money, but he was far away from his family.

“I really wanted to be closer to my family,” he said. “I also wanted to live somewhere cheaper. In Seattle, we were paying $11,000 annually in taxes alone. So, we had to go nonstop just to make ends meet.”

Selling his Seattle home was the easy part. It happened faster than he expected, and he turned a $100,000 profit. But when he began looking for a new home in St. George in August, 2020, a harsh reality set in.

“There wasn’t anything on the market,” he said. “We lost our first choice to a cash buyer. We were out-bid for our second choice. I started to wonder whether we made the right choice, because we were living in a travel trailer. It was 115 degrees outside, and the air conditioner couldn’t keep up.”

Then, a small miracle occurred. “We closed on a house in downtown St. George,” he said.

Now, he serves as executive chef at Cliffside Restaurant. He was also named to the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce’s 30 in their 30’s, which celebrates local business owners’ contributions to the community.

Between Utah’s robust economy, abundant outdoor activities and conservative approach to politics, Utah has become a destination for those looking for a new life.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!