Over the years, the only downside I have ever heard about Utah is that you will have a problem if you aren't Mormon. Color didn't seem to be the issue. I worked for a company that had an office in NYC and SLC and folks would come back from Utah saying they weren't accepted by the Mormans - to the extent of Mormon parents didn't want non-Mormon kids to play with their children.
I have run into blacks who've spent time out there and who told me that I would have a difficult time since I'm not Christian. Nothing about me being black.
I find Utah kinda interesting and considered applying for faculty positions out there, but I don't need the religious hassles. Personally, I don't have an issue w/Mormons - they strike me as hard working, family oriented, Americans, but I've heard this issue about non-Mormons too much not to give it some consideration.
I'm willing to be disabused of this notion by any Utah Mormons. I'm open.
I lived in Utah for five years. Mormons want their kids to marry Mormons, etc., just like Jews want their kids to marry Jews. If you are not a Mormon, you are not in the click in many parts of Utah, no doubt about it.
It really depends which part of the state you live in. I spent the first 24 years of my life there and know that certain cities are more accustomed to non-LDS people than others. The state is about 65% Mormon, so there are non-members there. It's not so much that there is bigotry against non-members as much as ignorance (and I don't mean that in a mean way). It's just really easy to live your whole life there with people who are exactly like you. In that kind of environment, anyone else would be identified as being "different."
The LDS population there is extremely tight-knit. It's part of the culture. Unfortunately, most of the activities are centered around the church. I think this is viewed by non-members as being non-inclusive. It's not meant to be that way as LDS people want to be kind to everyone, it's just sometimes an unfortunate side effect.
Also, I think a lot of LDS people are afraid of letting the outside world in because of the general decay of morals and values in America. It's not that there aren't great, decent, non-Mormons (my experience living outside of Utah is evidence of that), but I think a lot of LDS parents are concerned about wordly influences on their children.
Trust me when I say that the great majority of Utah Mormons (there are always exceptions) are well-meaning and would bend over backwards for anyone who needs help, friendship, etc. The trick is for non-Mormons in Utah is to not get so easily offended.
I'm a non-Mormon who has lived in Utah for over ten years now and have never found this to be even remotely true.