Apartment construction makes makes W. Jordan fastest-growing

West Jordan has become the fastest-growing city in Utah, according to new data in a report from nationwide self-storage search website StorageCafé from its analysis of 489 cities across the country. Storage Café is part of property management software company Yardi.

According to Storage Café’s report, West Jordan has seen a 33 percent growth in housing inventory since 2005, fueled primarily by a boom in multifamily construction. The city has seen a massive 97 percent jump in apartment development, pushing the total inventory to roughly 3,200 units in the city.

But despite the rapid growth, challenges remain in West Jordan — things like affordability and the “missing middle.” Missing middle housing refers to small-scale multifamily housing that can range from duplexes and townhouses to smaller apartment building that are compatible with walkable neighborhoods.

In addition to apartments, single-family housing is also on the rise in West Jordan, growing by over 32 percent to meet the needs of families moving into the area. Local single-family inventory now stands at more than 27,400 units.

According to the report, some progress has been made in addressing the missing middle housing crisis, which is critical for affordability. However, despite a 19 percent increase, middle housing stock remains drastically low, accounting for only about 18 percent of West Jordan’s total housing inventory.

With a median household income of $95,400, West Jordan has managed to ease some affordability pressures, but rising home prices remain a major concern. Already 58 percent above the national average, home prices in West Jordan have skyrocketed by 217 percent in the past 20 years — the ninth-biggest jump among the cities that StorageCafé analyzed.

Although down 9 percent since 2005 — likely due to sky-high prices — homeownership remains highly sought after in West Jordan. Owner-occupied homes still account for 72 percent of the local housing stock.

StorageCafé authors also found that the challenging homebuying market is driving a rise in rentership. Renter-occupied homes have grown by 28 percent and now make up 25 percent of the total housing inventory.