The Beehive State is the best – and we can prove it. Utah is number one at so many wonderful things. We have the best business opportunities, some of the nation’s best drivers (really!) and clearly, the best snow. But in some areas, Utah is a little… lackluster, which means that, whether you want to realize it or not, there are some bad things about Utah. And while we hate to harp on it, we thought we should provide some evidence, so here are 10 bad things about living in Utah that you would probably rather not know. (Remember, don’t shoot the messenger.)

  1. Utahns have the highest rate of melanoma in the nation.

milomingo/flickr Utahns are diagnosed with melanoma at a rate of 31.9 per 100,000, per statistics provided by the Utah Department of Health. That is 61 percent higher than the national average. The high number might be surprising for a landlocked state; however, there are actually several beaches in Utah as well as lots of outdoor attractions.

  1. One of Utah’s cities ranks worst in the nation for gender pay gap.

thetaxhaven/flickr Per the U.S. Census Bureau, Provo-Orem ranked worst in the nation for gender pay gap; the difference between salary for men and women doing the same job, with the same qualifications and experience.

  1. The rate of STDs in Utah is on the rise.

Katie Tegtmeyer/flickr The Utah Department of Health reports that cases of gonorrhea in women increased 714 percent between 2011 and 2014; in men it increased 296 percent. Surprisingly, the diagnoses aren’t just teenagers; they include men and women in their 30s, 40s and 50s - both single and married.

  1. Utah has one of the highest rates of prescription drug abuse in the nation.

Charles Williams/flickr An average of 23 Utahns die from prescription drug overdoses every month. Drug poisoning accounts for more deaths in Utah than car accidents, falls, firearms, and natural disasters in Utah.

  1. Utah ranks high in the nation for number of residents with mental health issues.

Michael Clesle/flickr In a 2014 study, our state ranked first in the nation, with 22.3 percent of adults reporting that they suffered from a mental illness in the last year (the national average was 18.2 percent).

  1. We are amongst the worst-dressed in the nation.

Paul Williams/flickr GQ Magazine deemed residents in Salt Lake City the 8th worst-dressed in the entire nation; those in Provo are the 15th worst. We are guessing that the culprits are Utahns who wear cargo shorts with hoodies in the winter, and those who wear sundresses with t-shirts underneath in the summer. But really, who cares what GQ says - what do they know?!

  1. We still have the lowest per-pupil spending in the nation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture/flickr You’ve heard this one before. Schools in Utah spend an average of $7,744 per student; the national average is $12,435. Luckily, our students don’t rank last in academic achievement.

  1. The air quality in Utah is the worst in years.

mateoutah/flickr For much of January and February, Utah cities rank the worst in the nation for air quality (Salt Lake City was the worst, Vernal took second place, and Ogden was the third worst in the nation).

  1. Utah ranks last in the nation for insuring Hispanic children.

Jasleen Kaur/flickr The National Council of La Raza released a report in January, 2016 that shows that 23 percent of Utah’s Hispanic children are not insured. The national average is 9.7 percent.

  1. We are the nerdiest?

Hada del lago/flickr Thrillist reported that Utah is the nerdiest state in the nation. This report was based on the “likes” generated from Facebook. Apparently, we Utahns like some nerdy things. In my mind, nerds are smart people. So…we are counting this one as a win for us.

While we shouldn’t be proud of any of these things (except maybe our “nerd” status), we can work to fix all of them! What would you do to change these statistics for the better? Were you aware of these bad things about Utah? Furthermore, do you agree? Are these, in fact, the worst things about Utah? Know of any other bad things about living in Utah that belong on this list? Whatever you have to say, we want to hear it, so share your thoughts with us!

milomingo/flickr

Utahns are diagnosed with melanoma at a rate of 31.9 per 100,000, per statistics provided by the Utah Department of Health. That is 61 percent higher than the national average. The high number might be surprising for a landlocked state; however, there are actually several beaches in Utah as well as lots of outdoor attractions.

thetaxhaven/flickr

Per the U.S. Census Bureau, Provo-Orem ranked worst in the nation for gender pay gap; the difference between salary for men and women doing the same job, with the same qualifications and experience.

Katie Tegtmeyer/flickr

The Utah Department of Health reports that cases of gonorrhea in women increased 714 percent between 2011 and 2014; in men it increased 296 percent. Surprisingly, the diagnoses aren’t just teenagers; they include men and women in their 30s, 40s and 50s - both single and married.

Charles Williams/flickr

An average of 23 Utahns die from prescription drug overdoses every month. Drug poisoning accounts for more deaths in Utah than car accidents, falls, firearms, and natural disasters in Utah.

Michael Clesle/flickr

In a 2014 study, our state ranked first in the nation, with 22.3 percent of adults reporting that they suffered from a mental illness in the last year (the national average was 18.2 percent).

Paul Williams/flickr

GQ Magazine deemed residents in Salt Lake City the 8th worst-dressed in the entire nation; those in Provo are the 15th worst. We are guessing that the culprits are Utahns who wear cargo shorts with hoodies in the winter, and those who wear sundresses with t-shirts underneath in the summer. But really, who cares what GQ says - what do they know?!

U.S. Department of Agriculture/flickr

You’ve heard this one before. Schools in Utah spend an average of $7,744 per student; the national average is $12,435. Luckily, our students don’t rank last in academic achievement.

mateoutah/flickr

For much of January and February, Utah cities rank the worst in the nation for air quality (Salt Lake City was the worst, Vernal took second place, and Ogden was the third worst in the nation).

Jasleen Kaur/flickr

The National Council of La Raza released a report in January, 2016 that shows that 23 percent of Utah’s Hispanic children are not insured. The national average is 9.7 percent.

Hada del lago/flickr

Thrillist reported that Utah is the nerdiest state in the nation. This report was based on the “likes” generated from Facebook. Apparently, we Utahns like some nerdy things. In my mind, nerds are smart people. So…we are counting this one as a win for us.

So, now that we’ve examined all the bad things about Utah, let’s switch gears and take a look at some of the state’s biggest perks. “Like what?” you ask. We thought you’d want some proof, and that’s why you’ll want to take a look at our list of the best things about living in Utah.

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Bad Things About Utah January 09, 2023 Daniella DiRienzo What are some other bad things about living in Utah? The cons mentioned above aren’t the only bad things about Utah. The list of bad things about living in Utah also includes:

Extreme Weather High Taxes Minimal Diversity Lack of Public Transportation

  Are there any perks to living in Utah? Living in Utah isn’t all bad. In fact, the good far outweighs the bad. Here are some of the best things about living in Utah:

Abundance of Wilderness Access to National Parks Low Crime Rate Friendly Residents A Thriving Economy

The OIYS Visitor Center

Bad Things About Utah

January 09, 2023

Daniella DiRienzo

What are some other bad things about living in Utah? The cons mentioned above aren’t the only bad things about Utah. The list of bad things about living in Utah also includes:

Extreme Weather High Taxes Minimal Diversity Lack of Public Transportation

  Are there any perks to living in Utah? Living in Utah isn’t all bad. In fact, the good far outweighs the bad. Here are some of the best things about living in Utah:

Abundance of Wilderness Access to National Parks Low Crime Rate Friendly Residents A Thriving Economy

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

The cons mentioned above aren’t the only bad things about Utah. The list of bad things about living in Utah also includes:

  • Extreme Weather
  • High Taxes
  • Minimal Diversity
  • Lack of Public Transportation

 

Are there any perks to living in Utah?

Living in Utah isn’t all bad. In fact, the good far outweighs the bad. Here are some of the best things about living in Utah:

  • Abundance of Wilderness
  • Access to National Parks
  • Low Crime Rate
  • Friendly Residents
  • A Thriving Economy