With an average median age of 29.9, and the state’s leaders recognize the importance of educating youth to become skilled, competitive members of the workforce. Approximately 90% of Utahans have earned at least a high school degree, and more than 55% have attended some college. Utah’s graduation rate is above the national average. Students pursuing higher education have a diverse and compelling set of educational options to choose from. Utah has 10 public and 3 private universities and colleges. The University of Utah ranked first in 2010 and 2011 for the number of start-ups powered by technology developed by faculty at a U.S. university. In 2012, the University of Utah took the #2 spot behind MIT. Utah maintains a major commitment to foreign language “total immersion” classrooms. 80% of BYU students are fluent in a second language, and Utah conducts more Mandarin immersion classes than anywhere else in the U.S. more than 130 languages are spoken in daily commerce in the state.

Which contributes to the state’s vibrant workforce and active lifestyle. Utah’s average household size, 3.14 persons, is the largest in the U.S., with the highest birthrate also (18.0 live births per 1,000 total population in 2012). By 2060, Utah’s population is projected to be more than 5.96 million people—a 106% increase. (Household income)

Under the leadership of Governor Gary R. Herbert, Utah achieved an annual job growth rate of 2.61%, compared to the national average of 1.53%. Governor Herbert was listed at no. 3 among governors for job creation in 2013, and “most popular governor” in the country (The Washington Post). The state maintains an AAA bond/credit rating—one of only seven states to achieve this rating (Moody, Fitch and Standard and Poor’s), and USA TODAY ranked Utah as the no. 5 “best run” state in America in 2013. Founded in 2006, the state’s funded Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) program has invested $200 million in the state’s universities to recruit top researchers. Two Utah cities were named in the “Top Five Best Performing Cities for Business” in 2013: Provo (no.2) and Salt Lake City (no.5) (Milken Institute). The Governor’s International Trade and Diplomacy Office assists Utah companies in developing markets for their products and services in foreign countries.

Utah residents pay the least of any state for health care (Wall Street Journal, April 2013). Utah’s hospitals rank high in many fields. In 2011, Utah’s Governor Herbert directed the Utah Department of Health to begin a health system transformation known as the Utah Health Innovation Plan, centered on establishing better health, better healthcare, and lower cost. Utah was one of the nation’s first states to launch its own health exchange, Avenue H, an internet-based portal that enables small business owners to offer affordable health benefits to their employees. Avenue H also connects individuals who are unable to access group coverage to major insurance organizations and thousands of brokers.

With two major interstates converging in the heart of the state, a robust rail network and a busy international airport, the state is a major hub for distribution and travel. Utah is a one-day truck drive or less from almost every major city in the Western U.S. Salt Lake International Airport ranked No. 2 in North America in 2012 for on-time departures (Flight Stats). It has about 625 scheduled daily flights serving 20 million passengers each year. Salt Lake’s public transportation system is No.1 in the nation for connecting people to jobs (Brookings Institution).

Utah boasts one of the least costly and most stable energy supplies in the nation. Energy is conservatively estimated to be a $4.7 billion industry in Utah. Its production of oil, gas, and coal generate more than 98% of all the energy produced in the state. Utah also has a rich source of unconventional energy resources, including oil shale, oil sands, and uranium, being home to some of the nation’s greatest known deposits of oil shale and oil sand (Green River Formation and Uintah Basin, respectively). Utah has the only licensed and operating uranium mill in the US. The state is also moving forward with utility-scale solar and wind projects, as well as other renewable energy sources.

A job growth hovering around three percent and a cost of doing business at 12.9 percent below the national average, Utah has been able to parlay its workforce strength by focusing on the complete workforce pipeline from kindergarten through advanced certificates and degrees. State government working with the private sector is actively engaged in meeting the challenges of an ever-growing demand for a highly skilled workforce. Utah ranked in the top ten in most of the Forbes criteria: #5 in business costs, and #4 in labor supply. The state also ranked #9 in regulatory environment, which along with the other factors previously mentioned, placed Utah as #6 in economic climate. Financial incentives are also provided by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development for business relocation and expansion. These incentives are used to select companies that create new, high-paying jobs that help improve the standard of living, diversify the state economy, increase the tax base, attract and retain top-level management, and encourage graduates of in-state universities to remain in Utah.

Utah is recognized as a leader in broadband deployment, especially when compared to states with similar geographic and rural market challenges. Utah has the second fastest internet speed in the West of the US. Provo, Utah was selected as the third city for internet fiber technology to be instituted. The broadband landscape in Utah is strong and successful, thanks to the great service of Utah’s broadband providers. Many areas in the state, even in the rural areas, have great service, including fiber and other technologies.

Utah is home to five national parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas, six national forests, 14 world-class ski resorts, 43 state parks. The urban areas of the Salt Lake Valley where 85% of the state’s population reside are less than 45 minutes from its ski resorts, five lakes, and 12 rivers for fishing and boating. Utah hosts both the Tony Award-winning Shakespeare Festival and the Sundance Film Festival every year. The low crime rate also makes Utah ideal for raising families. The cost of living is average to the nation, unlike many of the neighboring metro areas, where cost of living exceeds the national average. Utah ranked No. 6 among America’s healthiest states (United Health Foundation in 2013). 6 of Utah’s cities were ranked Personal best Cities for Every Age in 2012 (Kiplinger). Utah boasts a four-season climate with lots of sunshine and low humidity. Source: http://business.utah.gov/top-10-reasons-business-utah/