Census Data for South Salt Lake
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave South Salt Lake a population of 25,529 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave South Salt Lake a population of 23,617 people.
The city of South Salt Lake is located in Salt Lake County. The 2010 Census gave Salt Lake County; a population of 1,029,655 people. This means that South Salt Lake had 2.29% of the county's total population, making it Salt Lake's 13th most populous community.
At the same time, Utah had a population of 2,763,885 people, meaning that South Salt Lake had 0.85% of the total population of Utah - making it the state's 31st most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for South Salt Lake has a total area of 6.94 square miles [18 km²].
Salt Lake County has a land area of 742 square miles [1,922.5 km²]. At 6.94 square miles [18 km²], South Salt Lake has 0.94% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like South Salt Lake, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for South Salt Lake reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of South Salt Lake might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 40° 42' 20" (or 40.71°)
- Lon: -111° 53' 55" (or -111.9°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, South Salt Lake had 9,160 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 23,617 people, this averages 2.58 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows South Salt Lake had a land area of 6.94 square miles [18 km²]. This translates to 1,319 Housing Units per square mile [509 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: South Salt Lake had 8,742 Housing Units, a population of 22,038 people and a land area of 6.91 square miles [17.9 km²]. This gives a density of 2.52 people per Housing Unit and 1,265 Housing Units per square mile [488.7 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for South Salt Lake and you need to be careful when comparing numbers between the censuses. More information about these differences can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Salt Lake County ...
The city of South Salt Lake<4> is located in Salt Lake County<5>.
The county had a population of 1,029,655 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 23,617 people, South Salt Lake represented 2.29% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of South Salt Lake has a population density of 3,401 people per square mile [1,313 people/km²], Salt Lake County averages 1,387 people per square mile [535 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Salt Lake County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for South Salt Lake, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of South Salt Lake. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for South Salt Lake or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of South Salt Lake, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for South Salt Lake.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 40.705653° (or 40°42'20" N)
- Lon: -111.898623° (or -111°53'55" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 40.707895° (or 40°42'28" N)
- Lon: -111.889068° (or -111°53'20" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 2,764 feet to the west<6> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2411941) to South Salt Lake. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of South Salt Lake. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 40.705760° (or 40°42'20" N)
- Lon: -111.897860° (or -111°53'52" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 214.5 feet to the west<7> of the point given by the GNIS for South Salt Lake. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for South Salt Lake.
Miscellaneous Information for South Salt Lake ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Salt Lake County or the city of South Salt Lake:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 49 (Utah)
- County Code: 035 (Salt Lake County)
- Place Code: 71070 (South Salt Lake)
- State & County Code: 49/035 (Utah / Salt Lake County)
- State & Place Code: 49/71070 (Utah / South Salt Lake)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- South Salt Lake is located in Census Region #4 (the West Region) and Division #8 (the Mountain Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for South Salt Lake.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for South Salt Lake: www.ssl.state.ut.us/
The official website for Salt Lake County: www.slco.org/
The official website for State of Utah: https://www.utah.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | South Salt Lake is also known as South Salt Lake City. For more information, please visit our Genealogy Helper Page for South Salt Lake. |
| <5> | If you're interested in how the shape of Utah's counties, including Salt Lake, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 107 degrees and a distance of 2,764 feet. |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 100 degrees and a distance of 214.5 feet. |