Mormons in Utah had access to free education and cheap housing. These things are huge. I know a bunch of Mormons and Formons (former Mormons) who moved there because of a free Brigham Young University education and stayed to work at (and help found and build) local startups because housing was cheap.
Edit: perhaps not "free" education but as-near-as, for any American. That free education was only available to Mormons.
Edit: perhaps not "free" education but as-near-as, for any American. That free education was only available to Mormons.