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Advisory board hears data showing large local income gaps; staff urges 'starter housing' to retain young families
Summary
Staff presented area median income and median household income differences across Summit County and argued that small, detached 'starter homes' may help retain younger households amid projected job growth and demographic imbalances.
Jeff (county staff member) presented county labor and demographic data to the Summit County Economic Development Advisory Board on March 20, noting that the area median income (AMI) for a family of four in Summit County is about $153,000 and that AMI varies substantially by community within the county.
Jeff reported illustrative figures for median household or area incomes by place: Park City close to the county AMI (about $152,150), Francis about $109,634, Kamas about $104,152, Oakley about $106,233, Coalville about $85,988, and the unincorporated Snyderville Basin notably higher (Jeff cited about $174,872). He said those uneven income distributions are skewing AMI upward and masking local affordability challenges.
Jeff also said Summit County is projected to add more than 6,000 jobs over the next 10 years while the county’s population projection may decline (Jeff said the county could lose about 230 residents in that period). He said that gap — large job growth alongside constrained housing options — risks leaving employers unable to fill positions in construction, hospitality and other sectors.
On housing types, Jeff said he supports Governor Cox’s emphasis on starter housing and described 'starter housing' as predominantly detached units in the 800–1,150-square-foot range, often with small shared green spaces or "pocket neighborhood" designs. Board members raised concerns that older homeowners (baby boomers) often outbid younger buyers for limited starter units unless deed restrictions or income limits are applied.
Board members discussed deed-restricted units in the county: Jeff said there are more than 1,100 deed-restricted units in the county (not including Park City, which he said has about 650 deed-restricted units). He and other board members discussed deed-restriction mechanisms and the possibility of income-targeted deed restrictions to preserve units for first-time buyers.
Jeff emphasized that preserving a working-age population will require a combination of housing supply, subsidy and targeted regulations, and board members volunteered to help present county data to local councils and planning commissions.
