lds-enclaves

Community Snapshot

Based around Utah and the Mountain West, these 41 counties are the centers of the nation’s Mormon population.

The LDS Enclaves are one of the youngest types in the American Communities Project (ACP), with 28% of the population under the age of 18. They are middle-income with an average median of $63,700 annually. The Enclaves experience a relatively low rate of children in poverty, 12% compared to the national average of 16%. The people here are fairly well educated, with just over 33% holding at least a bachelor’s degree. Likely due to the large LDS population, there is also less excessive drinking in these communities, 8 percentage points below the national average. They also experience significantly fewer instances of sexually transmitted infections, 152 cases per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 551 cases. Safety is pronounced in these communities as well, with reported violent crimes per 100,000 people, averaging less than one-third of the national average.

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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