West Valley City, Utah Population 2023

143,455

West Valley City is a city located in Utah. With a 2023 population of 143,455, it is the 2nd largest city in Utah and the 204th largest city in the United States.West Valley City is currently growing at a rate of 0.76% annually and its population has increased by 2.3% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 140,230 in 2020. Spanning over 36 miles, West Valley City has a population density of 4,045 people per square mile.

The average household income in West Valley City is $76,924 with a poverty rate of 15.51%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in West Valley City is 30.2 years, 30 years for males, and 30.3 years for females.

Located in Salt Lake County, a suburb of Salt Lake City, West Valley City is the second-largest city in Utah. West Valley City is located about 11 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. The city was incorporated in 1980 from a large and quickly growing unincorporated area, which had variously been known as Chesterfield, Granger, Hunter, and Redwood.

Diversity

According to new census estimates, demographers say West Valley City is now a minority-majority city (https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/09/13/census-west-valley-city/) in 2019 with minorities accounting for 51.4% of the population compared to around 48.6% white. About one-third of West Valley City's population is Hispanic or Latino.

Population Growth

At the time of West Valley City’s incorporation in 1980, the population of the city stood at just over 72,000. The city has seen consistent and steady growth over the years that have followed, growing on average by around 1 or 2% each decade. The largest increase in growth came during the 1990s, with an additional 22,000 people having come to the city between 1990 and 2000.

Between the incorporation of West Valley City in 1980 and the latest census estimates in 2017, it's estimated that the city has seen a rise of an additional 63,792 people, an increase of marginally more than 88%. In 2015, the city saw a growth of only 692 people, and 2016 saw a decline of almost as many. It's not known whether this decline is expected to continue and become a trend.

Prior to the first European settlers to the area, the earliest known residents of the western Salt Lake Valley were Ute and Shoshoni tribes of Native American Indians. European Latter-day Saints arrived and settled in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.

The area would go on to be comprised of four separate communities – Chesterfield, Granger, Hunter, and Redwood. Welsh Latter-day Saints settled in the Granger area in 1849, and by 1930 Granger and its surrounding area had grown to be home to around 1,000 inhabitants. It was not until 1876 that Hunter was settled. Irrigation was developed 5 years later, and the area became known for its growth and cultivation of fruit trees.

The communities of Chesterfield, Granger, Hunter, and Redwood saw rapid growth in population in the 1970s, and the four unincorporated areas came together in 1980 to form West Valley City.

The city unveiled plans in 2011 for a vast, 10-year investment plan into its infrastructure, creating a downtown area comprising approximately 40 acres at a cost of $500 million.

West Valley City Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Valley City was:

  • White: 56.69%
  • Other race: 25.71%
  • Two or more races: 5.36%
  • Asian: 5.02%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 3.59%
  • Black or African American: 2.73%
  • Native American: 0.9%
The current population of West Valley City, Utah is 143,455 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 140,230.

West Valley City, Utah Population 2023

Population by Race

White

Other race

Two or more races

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Black or African American

Native American

West Valley City Population by Race

West Valley City Population Pyramid 2023

West Valley City Median Age

30.2

Total

30

Male

30.3

Female

West Valley City Adults

There are 93,097 adults, (11,722 of whom are seniors) in West Valley City.

West Valley City Age Dependency

66.6

Age Dependency Ratio

14.4

Old Age Dependency Ratio

52.2

Child Dependency Ratio

West Valley City Sex Ratio

Female66,46349.01%
Male69,14750.99%

West Valley City Population by Age

West Valley City Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.95

Average Family Size

3.65

Average Household Size

69.6%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

West Valley City Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

West Valley City Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

West Valley City Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 77.81%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 19.86%.

West Valley City Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$35,839

Average Earnings

$42,087

Average Male

$29,712

Average Female

West Valley City Earnings by Educational Attainment

West Valley City Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

West Valley City Language

59.98% of West Valley City residents speak only English, while 40.02% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 31.54% of the population.

West Valley City Language

West Valley City Poverty by Race

rate

15.51%

Overall Poverty Rate

11.04%

Male Poverty Rate

12.37%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in West Valley City

The race most likely to be in poverty in West Valley City is Black, with 39.15% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in West Valley City is Islander, with 4.16% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.88%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.01%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 18.78%.

West Valley City Poverty

West Valley City Poverty Rate by Education

West Valley City Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

West Valley City Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

West Valley City Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

47.5%

Overall Marriage Rate

47.7%

Male Marriage Rate

47.3%

Female Marriage Rate

West Valley City Married by Age and Sex

male

female

West Valley City Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

West Valley City Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

West Valley City Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

4,348

Number of Veterans

3,978

Male Veterans

370

Female Veterans

West Valley City Veterans by War

West Valley City Veterans by Age

count

West Valley City Veterans by Race

West Valley City Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

5.71%

Veteran Poverty Rate

28.71%

Veteran Disability Rate

West Valley City Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

72.4%

Labor Force Participation

69.1%

Employment Rate

4.2%

Unemployment Rate

West Valley City Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

West Valley City Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

West Valley City Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

54.23%

Born in West Valley City

75.99%

Native Born

20.71%

Foreign Born

13.63%

Non Citizen

7.08%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

75.99% of West Valley City residents were born in the United States, with 54.23% having been born in Utah. 13.63% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

West Valley City Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

West Valley City Population by Year