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List of counties in Utah

There are 29 counties in the U.S. state of Utah. There were originally seven counties established under the provisional State of Deseret in 1849: Davis, Iron, Sanpete, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, and Weber.[1] The Territory of Utah was created in 1851 with the first territorial legislature meeting from 1851–1852. The first legislature re-created the original counties from the State of Deseret under territorial law as well as establishing three additional counties: Juab, Millard, and Washington. All other counties were established between 1854 and 1894 by the Utah Territorial Legislature under territorial law except for the last two counties formed, Daggett and Duchesne. They were created by popular vote and by gubernatorial proclamation after Utah became a state.[2] Present-day Duchesne County encompassed an Indian reservation that was created in 1861. The reservation was opened to homesteaders in 1905 and the county was created in 1913.[3] Due to dangerous roads, mountainous terrain, and bad weather preventing travel via a direct route, 19th century residents in present-day Daggett County had to travel 400 to 800 miles (640 to 1,290 km) on both stage and rail to conduct business in Vernal, the county seat for Uintah County a mere 50 miles (80 km) away. In 1917, all Uintah County residents voted to create Daggett County.[4]

Counties of Utah
LocationState of Utah
Number29
Populations992 (Daggett) – 1,185,813 (Salt Lake)
Areas299 square miles (770 km2) (Davis) – 7,820 square miles (20,300 km2) (San Juan)
Government
Subdivisions
Population density of Utah counties

Based on 2022 United States Census data, the population of Utah was 3,417,734. Just over 75% of Utah's population is concentrated along four Wasatch Front counties: Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber. Salt Lake County was the largest county in the state with a population of 1,185,813, followed by Utah County with 719,174, Davis County with 373,207 and Weber County with 271,926. Daggett County was the least populated with 992 people. The largest county in land area is San Juan County with 7,821 square miles (20,260 km2) and Davis County is the smallest with 304 square miles (790 km2).[5]

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each county.[6] Utah's FIPS code is 49, which when combined with any county code would be written as 49XXX. In the FIPS code column in the table below, each FIPS code links to the most current census data for that county.[7]

The Utah Code (Title 17, Chapter 50, Part 5) divides the counties into six classes by population:[8]

  • First class: Population of 1,000,000 or more. Only one county - Salt Lake - is first class.
  • Second class: Population between 175,000 and 1,000,000. Four counties.
  • Third class: Population between 40,000 and 175,000. Five counties.
  • Fourth class: Population between 11,000 and 40,000. Ten counties.
  • Fifth class: Population between 4,000 and 11,000. Five counties.
  • Sixth class: Population below 4,000. Four counties.

The county classes, for example, are used in the Utah legislature in crafting of legislation to distinguish between more urban and rural areas, such as important yet subtle distinctions in how revenue can be distributed. Usually, a bill intended to benefit rural counties would target the counties of the fourth, fifth and sixth class.[9]

Under Utah Code (Title 17, Chapter 52a, Part 2), Utah counties are permitted to choose one of four forms of county government:[10] a three-member full-time commission; a five or seven member expanded commission; a three to nine member (odd-numbered) part-time council with a full-time elected county mayor or a three to nine member (odd-numbered) part-time council with a full-time manager appointed by the council. 23 out of 29 counties are ruled by the standard three-member commission. Of the other six, Cache County was the first change in 1988 to a seven-member council with an elected mayor. Grand County adopted a seven-member council with appointed manager in 1992, followed by Morgan County in 1999 and Wasatch County in 2003. In 1998, Salt Lake County residents approved adopting a nine-member council with elected mayor that began work in 2001.[11] Summit County adopted a five-member council with an appointed manager in 2006.[12]

Counties

County
FIPS code[7]County seat[2][13]Est.[2][13]Origin[2]Etymology[14]Population[15]Area[16]Map


Beaver County001BeaverJanuary 5, 1856Part of Iron County[17]The many beavers in the area[18]7,2332,590 sq mi
(6,708 km2)


Box Elder County003Brigham CityJanuary 5, 1856Part of Weber CountyThe many Box Elder trees in the area[19]62,6845,746 sq mi
(14,882 km2)
Cache County005LoganJanuary 5, 1857Part of Weber County[17]Caches of furs made by Rocky Mountain Fur Company trappers[20]142,3931,165 sq mi
(3,017 km2)


Carbon County007PriceMarch 8, 1894Part of Emery CountyThe vast coal beds in the county[21]20,6091,478 sq mi
(3,828 km2)
Daggett County009ManilaJanuary 7, 1918Part of Summit and Uintah countiesEllsworth Daggett (1810–1880), the first Utah Surveyor General[22]992697 sq mi
(1,805 km2)


Davis County011FarmingtonOctober 5, 1850Part of Deseret Great Salt Lake and Weber countiesDaniel C. Davis (1804–1850), Mormon Battalion captain[23]373,207299 sq mi
(774 km2)


Duchesne County013DuchesneJanuary 4, 1915Part of Wasatch CountyUncertain; likely origins are a Ute word translated "dark canyon", the French and Indian War site of Fort Duquesne (the county's initial settlement was also a fortress), the corrupted name of an area Indian chief, the name of Society of the Sacred Heart founder Rose Philippine Duchesne, the name of French geographer André Duchesne, or the name of French fur trapper and explorer Du Chasne[24]20,4773,241 sq mi
(8,394 km2)


Emery County015Castle DaleFebruary 12, 1880Part of Sanpete County[25]George W. Emery (1830–1909), Governor of the Utah Territory from 1875–1880[26]10,1444,462 sq mi
(11,557 km2)


Garfield County017PanguitchMarch 9, 1882Part of Iron CountyJames A. Garfield (1831–1881), President of the United States in 1881[27]5,3145,083 sq mi
(13,165 km2)
Grand County019MoabMarch 13, 1890Part of Emery CountyThe Grand River, since renamed to the Colorado River[28]9,7063,672 sq mi
(9,510 km2)


Iron County021ParowanJanuary 31, 1850Original county of State of DeseretIron mines west of Cedar City[29]64,2113,297 sq mi
(8,539 km2)
Juab County023NephiMarch 3, 1852Original county of Territory of UtahA Native American word translated "thirsty valley" or "flat plain"[30]13,0233,392 sq mi
(8,785 km2)


Kane County025KanabJanuary 16, 1864Part of Washington CountyThomas L. Kane (1822–1883), U.S. Army officer who spoke in favor of the Mormon migration and settlement of Utah[31]8,4253,990 sq mi
(10,334 km2)


Millard County027FillmoreOctober 4, 1851Original county of Territory of UtahMillard Fillmore (1800–1874), President of the United States from 1850 to 1853[32]13,4376,572 sq mi
(17,021 km2)


Morgan County029MorganJanuary 17, 1862Part of Davis, Great Salt Lake, Summit, and Weber counties[33]Jedediah Morgan Grant (1816–1856), an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[34]13,000609 sq mi
(1,577 km2)


Piute County031JunctionJanuary 16, 1865Part of Beaver CountyThe Piute tribe of Native Americans who lived in the area[35]1,550758 sq mi
(1,963 km2)


Rich County033RandolphJanuary 16, 1864Part of Cache CountyCharles C. Rich (1809–1883), an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[36]2,6701,029 sq mi
(2,665 km2)


Salt Lake County035Salt Lake CityJanuary 31, 1850Original county of State of DeseretThe Great Salt Lake, the largest terminal lake in the Western Hemisphere[37]1,185,813742 sq mi
(1,922 km2)
San Juan County037MonticelloFebruary 17, 1880Parts of Kane, Iron, and Piute countiesNamed for the San Juan River, a 400-mile (640 km) tributary of the Colorado river located in southern Colorado and Utah[38]14,3587,820 sq mi
(20,254 km2)


Sanpete County039MantiJanuary 31, 1850Original county of State of DeseretUncertain, possibly from a Ute Chief named San Pitch[39]30,2771,590 sq mi
(4,118 km2)
Sevier County041RichfieldJanuary 16, 1865Part of Sanpete CountyThe Sevier River, a 280-mile (450 km) river in central Utah[40]22,3441,911 sq mi
(4,949 km2)


Summit County043CoalvilleJanuary 13, 1854Part of Great Salt Lake and Green River counties[41]High elevations in the county, which includes 39 of Utah's highest peaks[42]42,7591,872 sq mi
(4,848 km2)


Tooele County045TooeleJanuary 31, 1850Original county of State of DeseretUncertain, either from the Goshute Tribe Chief Tuilla or the Tules plant that grew in the marshes[43]82,0516,941 sq mi
(17,977 km2)


Uintah County047VernalFebruary 18, 1880Part of Sanpete, Summit, and Wasatch counties[44]The Uintah band of the Ute tribe who lived in the area[45]37,7474,480 sq mi
(11,603 km2)


Utah County049ProvoJanuary 31, 1850Original county of State of DeseretYuta, the Spanish name for the Ute tribe[46]719,1742,003 sq mi
(5,188 km2)
Wasatch County051Heber CityJanuary 17, 1862Part of Great Salt Lake, Green River, Sanpete, Summit, and Utah counties[47]A Native American word meaning "mountain pass", also the name of the Wasatch Range[48]37,1441,176 sq mi
(3,046 km2)


Washington County053St. GeorgeMarch 3, 1852Original county of Territory of UtahGeorge Washington (1732–1799), President of the United States from 1789 to 1797[49]202,4522,426 sq mi
(6,283 km2)


Wayne County055LoaMarch 10, 1892Part of Piute CountyWayne County, Tennessee[50]2,6142,461 sq mi
(6,374 km2)


Weber County057OgdenJanuary 31, 1850Original county of State of DeseretThe Weber River, a 125 miles (201 km) tributary of the Great Salt Lake[51]271,926576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)

State of Deseret counties

County name changes

Former counties

There were ten counties in the Territory of Utah that were absorbed by other states or other Utah counties.

County[2]Established[2]Superseded[2]EtymologyPresent location[2]
Carson CountyJanuary 17, 1854March 2, 1861Named for Kit Carson, an American frontiersman[52]Nevada
Cedar CountyJanuary 5, 1856January 17, 1862Named for the numerous cedar trees growing in the area (which are actually juniper trees)[53][54]Utah County
Desert CountyMarch 3, 1852January 17, 1862Named for the surrounding desertBox Elder County, Tooele County and Nevada
Greasewood CountyJanuary 5, 1856January 17, 1862Named for the greasewood plant growing in the area[55]Box Elder County
Green River CountyMarch 3, 1852February 16, 1872Named for the Green River, a 730-mile (1,170 km) tributary of the Colorado River that runs through Wyoming, Colorado and Utah[56]Cache, Weber, Morgan, Davis, Wasatch, Summit, Duchesne, Carbon, and Utah Counties, and Wyoming and Colorado
Humboldt CountyJanuary 5, 1856March 2, 1861Named for the Humboldt River, a 300-mile (480 km) river in Nevada and longest river in the Great Basin[57]Nevada
Malad CountyJanuary 5, 1856January 17, 1862Named for the Malad River, the name being French for "sickly"[58]Box Elder County
Rio Virgen CountyFebruary 18, 1869February 16, 1872Named for the Virgin River (el Rio de la Virgen[59]), a 160-mile-long (260 km) tributary of the Colorado River located in southern Utah and Nevada[60]Washington County, Nevada and Arizona
St. Mary's CountyJanuary 5, 1856January 17, 1862Named after the Mary's River, which was later renamed to the Humboldt River[61]Nevada
Shambip CountyJanuary 12, 1856January 17, 1862Goshute Native American Tribe word for Rush Lake[62]Tooele County

References

Bibliography

  • Van Cott, John W. (1990). Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. ISBN 978-0-87480-345-7.

External links

Media related to Counties of Utah at Wikimedia Commons

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