lds-enclaves

Community Snapshot

Based around Utah and the Mountain West, these 39 counties are the centers of the nation’s Mormon population.

The LDS Enclaves are one of the youngest types in the American Communities Project, with 28% of the population under the age of 18. They are middle-income with a median household income of $63,600 annually. The Enclaves experience a relatively low rate of children in poverty, 13%, compared to the national average of 17%. The people here are fairly well educated, with 35% holding at least a bachelor’s degree. Likely due to the large LDS population, there is also less excessive drinking in these communities, 6 percentage points below the national average. They also experience significantly fewer instances of sexually transmitted infections, 197 cases per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 481 cases. The broadband access rate is equal to the national average of 87%. Voter turnout climbs to 72%, which is 4 points above the national rate.

Youth Population

28% Below age 18

Vol. 3 2020-2021

Deaths of Despair Across America

The American Communities Project is undertaking a 30-month study of Deaths of Despair in its 15 community types.

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