Jennifer Flores and her husband Julio Lopez, and their son, Jadiel, 3, laugh while eating in Rancho Markets in West Valley City Photo: Laura Seitz, Deseret News
WEST VALLEY CITY — For the first time, minority populations are the majority in West Valley City.
Estimates released late Wednesday from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the states second largest city has more than half of its residents identify as Hispanic or non-white which makes it the first in the state to become home to mostly racial minorities.
The one year snapshot of census data shows no single ethnic group is responsible for the shift and the city has been trending toward this for the last three years.
City Councilman Jake Fitisemanu believes West Valley has drawn newcomers and retained longtime residents because it’s a good community to live in and has had steady job growth over the last three years.
The state itself is also becoming increasingly diverse. The data shows one in five Utahns is a minority.
Read more on the report here.