Over the last 10 years, the U.S. Census showed that St. George's population had grown by 30.8%, from 72,897 people in 2010 to 95,342 in 2020. According to biggestuscities.com, St. George has grown 78.5% since 2000, growing faster than 88% of similarly-sized cities since 2000.

One big reason why St. George is growing fast is that it's family-friendly. There are now a ton of housing options for singles, couples, families and retirees, making the area the perfect place for growing families or couples thinking about taking the next step in home ownership. Plus, the crime rate is low.

Jordan Hess with the St. George Chamber of Commerce believes people were lured to the area after the Coronavirus pandemic made remote work common "because although our cost of living and our house prices are rising, they're still much lower than in California," It's estimated that 50% or more of incoming residents hail from California and other states.

I just got back to SLC from Washington County, where I attended the Parade of Homes with my fellow agent Amy. Trying to keep up with growth at the south end of the state is no different than keeping tabs on the population changes along the Wasatch Front—you have to see it to believe it.

There used to just be red dirt and off-road trails between St. George and Hurricane. But now, there's miles of asphalt and new home subdivisions. The airport that sat atop a mesa has been moved onto the flat land close to the Utah/Arizona border. The area has grown enough and has enough spiritual demand to now have two LDS Temples, with a coral-colored stone edifice being built on 15 acres in the Washington Fields area known as Red Cliffs.

Local developers are competing with those from out of state who want to get a piece of the action of senior and vacation housing. The last census showed that about a quarter of the city's residents are full-time seniors, but the part-time "snow birds" who come for the warm winters could be double that.

Short term rentals (less than 28 days) are not allowed in single family zones. Washington County voted in 2021 for a six month moratorium on short term rentals over concerns that the county's current policies regarding the regulation of vacation rentals were overly broad and lacking clarity.

The recent Parade of Homes featured several new housing options that allowed for primary residences with attached rentals. One featured home, already sold at Stucki Farms, was nine bedrooms with unique rental possibilities attached to it. And "Casitas" are common in St. George and Hurricane, which are accessory dwelling units on one level, usually behind a primary residence and used as short term rentals or a place for family to live separate from the main house.

I head south often as my Salt Lake clients are moving to work or retire and to golf! But wow, where is all the water going to come for this growth?!