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Iron County Shines Despite all the turmoil associated with the global COVID-19 pandemic, Cedar City wrapped up 2020 with some bright economic indicators moving into the New Year. While the county’s tourism industry took a severe hit with the shut-down of the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games, other sectors of Cedar City and Iron County’s diverse economy surged. The year saw strong population growth, record-breaking enrollment at Southern Utah University, high new job growth, and recordshattering residential construction. Iron County joined Washington, Tooele, and Utah counties as one of the four fastest-growing
counties in the state from 2019 to 2020 with a 2.67% countywide increase in population. The Cedar City area was ranked fourth nationally in annual percentage growth. By far, SUU’s enrollment growth was the highest among Utah’s public universities in a year when half of Utah’s public colleges and universities saw a decrease in enrollment. Iron County followed the state and the rest of the country. with job losses early in the year. However, unlike most areas, the county showed employment growth of 1.3% (year over year). According to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, Iron County was one of only four Utah counties showing job gains in 2020.
BUSINESS IN UTAH | 2021
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