Utah Families Struggle with High Cost of Living, Urge Lawmakers to Act

Community leaders rally at the state capitol, calling for affordable housing, healthcare support, and stronger social services

Jan. 29, 2026 at 8:23pm

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A group of Utahns, including faith and community leaders, gathered at the Utah state capitol on Thursday to urge lawmakers to address the high cost of living in the state. They said too many families are being left behind as prices continue to rise, and they called on legislators to spend the current legislative session working on solutions to help Utahns afford to live, such as protecting social services, preserving programs that support people at home, and taking bold action on housing affordability.

Why it matters

The high cost of living in Utah, particularly for housing and healthcare, is squeezing many families and forcing multiple generations to live together. This issue threatens to weaken communities and reduce workforce participation if not addressed, making it a critical priority for state lawmakers.

The details

At the rally, speakers like Brandon Dew of the group United Today, Stronger Tomorrow pointed out that the cost of buying a home in Utah has skyrocketed, with the equivalent wage needed rising from $17 per hour in 1995 to $68 per hour today. Brittany Bringhurst, a Kaysville resident, said more families are having to have multiple generations living at home due to unaffordable housing and rising healthcare costs. Several Republican lawmakers in attendance discussed their efforts, including banning hidden fees, restricting harmful non-compete contracts, funding home energy efficiency upgrades, and providing rental assistance. However, opponents have urged lawmakers to forego another income tax cut and instead spend that money on social services and community needs.

  • The Utah legislative session started on January 23, 2026 and runs through March 6, 2026.

The players

United Today, Stronger Tomorrow

A group of Utahns that organized the rally at the state capitol to call on lawmakers to address the high cost of living.

Brandon Dew

A steering committee member of United Today, Stronger Tomorrow.

Brittany Bringhurst

A Kaysville resident who spoke at the rally about the challenges her family is facing due to unaffordable housing and rising healthcare costs.

Rep. Tyler Clancy

A Republican legislator from Provo who said he is focused on banning hidden 'junk' fees and restricting harmful non-compete contracts.

Rep. Clint Okerlund

A Republican legislator from Sandy who said he has asked for money to fund a study that could lead to the state helping people pay to make their homes more energy efficient.

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What they’re saying

“When housing is unaffordable and healthcare support is stripped away, families are squeezed from both sides. Caregiving becomes harder, workforce participation drops communities weaken.”

— Brittany Bringhurst, Kaysville resident (ksltv.com)

“Protect all social services. Preserve and strengthen programs that keep people cared for at home and in their communities. And take bold, serious action on housing affordability so that Utah remains a place where working families — not just the lucky few — can build a future.”

— Brittany Bringhurst, Kaysville resident (ksltv.com)

“There are many Utahns that will never need Medicaid, and won't ever struggle with housing. But we have many neighbors that do. And if we help those neighbors, it helps all of us and helps keep our bills down, too.”

— Rep. Jim Dunnigan, Taylorsville legislator (ksltv.com)

What’s next

Utah lawmakers will spend much of the next few weeks hammering out a state budget, with a focus on addressing the high cost of living issues raised at the rally. They are also considering an income tax cut, though some have urged them to instead spend that money on social services and community needs.

The takeaway

The rally highlights the growing affordability crisis facing many Utah families, with skyrocketing housing and healthcare costs squeezing household budgets. State lawmakers are under pressure to take bold, bipartisan action during the current legislative session to protect social services, preserve programs that support people at home, and make housing more affordable so that all Utahns, not just the wealthy, can build a future in the state.