List of counties in Utah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Counties of Utah
RI CA BE TE DA WB MN SL SU DG UN CC DU WA UT JU MD SP SE EM GR SJ WE PT BV RN GA KN WN
Location	State of Utah
Number	29
Populations	992 (Daggett) – 1,185,813 (Salt Lake)
Areas	299 square miles (770 km2) (Davis) – 7,820 square miles (20,300 km2) (San Juan)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, townships, unincorporated communities, Indian reservations, census designated places

Population density of Utah counties

Utah is a state in the western United States, and like many other states, it is divided into smaller areas called counties. There are 29 counties in Utah today. These counties help organize the state and manage local services for people living there.

The first counties in Utah were created a long time ago, in 1849, when Utah was known as the provisional State of Deseret. Seven counties were formed then: Davis, Iron, Sanpete, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, and Weber.

When the Territory of Utah was officially created in 1851, the first government leaders re-established these original counties. They also added three new ones: Juab, Millard, and Washington. Most other counties were added between 1854 and 1894. The last two counties, Daggett and Duchesne, were created after Utah became a state.

For example, Duchesne County was formed in 1913. Before that, it was an Indian reservation that opened for settlers in 1905. Daggett County was created in 1917 because it was very hard for people living there to travel to the nearest county seat due to mountains and bad roads.

Utah's Counties: A Closer Look

Based on information from 2022, Utah's total population was about 3.4 million people. Most of these people, over 75%, live in just four counties along an area called the Wasatch Front. These counties are Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber.

Salt Lake County is the largest county by population, with over 1.1 million people. It is followed by Utah County (about 719,000 people), Davis County (about 373,000 people), and Weber County (about 271,000 people). The county with the fewest people is Daggett County, with only 992 residents.

When it comes to land size, San Juan County is the largest, covering about 7,821 square miles (20,260 km²). Davis County is the smallest, with an area of about 304 square miles (790 km²).

Understanding FIPS Codes

The United States government uses a special code called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) to identify each state and county. Utah's FIPS code is 49. When you see a county's FIPS code, it starts with 49, like 49XXX. These codes help keep track of information, such as census data, for each county.

How Counties Are Grouped

Utah's laws divide counties into six different groups based on their population. This helps the state government make rules that fit different types of areas, whether they are big cities or small rural towns.

• First class: These counties have 1,000,000 people or more. Only Salt Lake County is in this group.
• Second class: These counties have between 175,000 and 1,000,000 people. There are four counties in this group.
• Third class: These counties have between 40,000 and 175,000 people. Five counties belong here.
• Fourth class: These counties have between 11,000 and 40,000 people. Ten counties are in this group.
• Fifth class: These counties have between 4,000 and 11,000 people. Five counties are in this group.
• Sixth class: These counties have fewer than 4,000 people. Four counties are in this group.

These groups help lawmakers create specific rules for different areas. For example, a law meant to help smaller, more rural areas might apply only to counties in the fourth, fifth, and sixth classes.

How Counties Are Governed

Utah counties can choose one of four ways to run their local government. Most counties, 23 out of 29, are managed by a standard three-member commission. A commission is a group of people elected to make decisions for the county.

Other counties have chosen different ways to govern:

• Cache County was the first to change in 1988. It now has a seven-member council and an elected county mayor.
• Grand County started using a seven-member council with a manager chosen by the council in 1992.
• Morgan County and Wasatch County also adopted this type of government later.
• Salt Lake County changed in 2001 to a nine-member council with an elected mayor.
• Summit County adopted a five-member council with an appointed manager in 2006.

List of Utah Counties

Here is a list of all 29 counties in Utah, including when they were created, where their name comes from, and their population and area.

County	FIPS code	County seat	Est.	Origin	Etymology	Population	Area	Map
Beaver County	001	Beaver	January 5, 1856	Part of Iron County	The many beavers in the area	&&&&&&&&&&&07233.&&&&&07,233	&&&&&&&&&&&02590.&&&&&02,590 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&06708.&&&&&06,708 km2)
Box Elder County	003	Brigham City	January 5, 1856	Part of Weber County	The many Box Elder trees in the area	&&&&&&&&&&062684.&&&&&062,684	&&&&&&&&&&&05746.&&&&&05,746 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&014882.&&&&&014,882 km2)
Cache County	005	Logan	January 5, 1857	Part of Weber County	Caches of furs made by Rocky Mountain Fur Company trappers	&&&&&&&&&0142393.&&&&&0142,393	&&&&&&&&&&&01165.&&&&&01,165 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&03017.&&&&&03,017 km2)
Carbon County	007	Price	March 8, 1894	Part of Emery County	The vast coal beds in the county	&&&&&&&&&&020609.&&&&&020,609	&&&&&&&&&&&01478.&&&&&01,478 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&03828.&&&&&03,828 km2)
Daggett County	009	Manila	January 7, 1918	Part of Summit and Uintah counties	Ellsworth Daggett (1810–1880), the first Utah Surveyor General	&&&&&&&&&&&&0992.&&&&&0992	&&&&&&&&&&&&0697.&&&&&0697 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01805.&&&&&01,805 km2)
Davis County	011	Farmington	October 5, 1850	Part of Deseret Great Salt Lake and Weber counties	Daniel C. Davis (1804–1850), Mormon Battalion captain	&&&&&&&&&0373207.&&&&&0373,207	&&&&&&&&&&&&0299.&&&&&0299 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0774.&&&&&0774 km2)
Duchesne County	013	Duchesne	January 4, 1915	Part of Wasatch County	Uncertain; 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	&&&&&&&&&&020477.&&&&&020,477	&&&&&&&&&&&03241.&&&&&03,241 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&08394.&&&&&08,394 km2)
Emery County	015	Castle Dale	February 12, 1880	Part of Sanpete County	George W. Emery (1830–1909), Governor of the Utah Territory from 1875–1880	&&&&&&&&&&010144.&&&&&010,144	&&&&&&&&&&&04462.&&&&&04,462 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&011557.&&&&&011,557 km2)
Garfield County	017	Panguitch	March 9, 1882	Part of Iron County	James A. Garfield (1831–1881), President of the United States in 1881	&&&&&&&&&&&05314.&&&&&05,314	&&&&&&&&&&&05083.&&&&&05,083 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&013165.&&&&&013,165 km2)
Grand County	019	Moab	March 13, 1890	Part of Emery County	The Grand River, since renamed to the Colorado River	&&&&&&&&&&&09706.&&&&&09,706	&&&&&&&&&&&03672.&&&&&03,672 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&09510.&&&&&09,510 km2)
Iron County	021	Parowan	January 31, 1850	Original county of State of Deseret	Iron mines west of Cedar City	&&&&&&&&&&064211.&&&&&064,211	&&&&&&&&&&&03297.&&&&&03,297 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&08539.&&&&&08,539 km2)
Juab County	023	Nephi	March 3, 1852	Original county of Territory of Utah	A Native American word translated "thirsty valley" or "flat plain"	&&&&&&&&&&013023.&&&&&013,023	&&&&&&&&&&&03392.&&&&&03,392 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&08785.&&&&&08,785 km2)
Kane County	025	Kanab	January 16, 1864	Part of Washington County	Thomas L. Kane (1822–1883), U.S. Army officer who spoke in favor of the Mormon migration and settlement of Utah	&&&&&&&&&&&08425.&&&&&08,425	&&&&&&&&&&&03990.&&&&&03,990 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&010334.&&&&&010,334 km2)
Millard County	027	Fillmore	October 4, 1851	Original county of Territory of Utah	Millard Fillmore (1800–1874), President of the United States from 1850 to 1853	&&&&&&&&&&013437.&&&&&013,437	&&&&&&&&&&&06572.&&&&&06,572 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&017021.&&&&&017,021 km2)
Morgan County	029	Morgan	January 17, 1862	Part of Davis, Great Salt Lake, Summit, and Weber counties	Jedediah Morgan Grant (1816–1856), an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints	&&&&&&&&&&013000.&&&&&013,000	&&&&&&&&&&&&0609.&&&&&0609 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01577.&&&&&01,577 km2)
Piute County	031	Junction	January 16, 1865	Part of Beaver County	The Piute tribe of Native Americans who lived in the area	&&&&&&&&&&&01550.&&&&&01,550	&&&&&&&&&&&&0758.&&&&&0758 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01963.&&&&&01,963 km2)
Rich County	033	Randolph	January 16, 1864	Part of Cache County	Charles C. Rich (1809–1883), an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints	&&&&&&&&&&&02670.&&&&&02,670	&&&&&&&&&&&01029.&&&&&01,029 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02665.&&&&&02,665 km2)
Salt Lake County	035	Salt Lake City	January 31, 1850	Original county of State of Deseret	The Great Salt Lake, the largest terminal lake in the Western Hemisphere	&&&&&&&&01185813.&&&&&01,185,813	&&&&&&&&&&&&0742.&&&&&0742 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01922.&&&&&01,922 km2)
San Juan County	037	Monticello	February 17, 1880	Parts of Kane, Iron, and Piute counties	Named for the San Juan River, a 400-mile (640 km) tributary of the Colorado river located in southern Colorado and Utah	&&&&&&&&&&014358.&&&&&014,358	&&&&&&&&&&&07820.&&&&&07,820 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&020254.&&&&&020,254 km2)
Sanpete County	039	Manti	January 31, 1850	Original county of State of Deseret	Uncertain, possibly from a Ute Chief named San Pitch	&&&&&&&&&&030277.&&&&&030,277	&&&&&&&&&&&01590.&&&&&01,590 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&04118.&&&&&04,118 km2)
Sevier County	041	Richfield	January 16, 1865	Part of Sanpete County	The Sevier River, a 280-mile (450 km) river in central Utah	&&&&&&&&&&022344.&&&&&022,344	&&&&&&&&&&&01911.&&&&&01,911 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&04949.&&&&&04,949 km2)
Summit County	043	Coalville	January 13, 1854	Part of Great Salt Lake and Green River counties	High elevations in the county, which includes 39 of Utah's highest peaks	&&&&&&&&&&042759.&&&&&042,759	&&&&&&&&&&&01872.&&&&&01,872 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&04848.&&&&&04,848 km2)
Tooele County	045	Tooele	January 31, 1850	Original county of State of Deseret	Uncertain, either from the Goshute Tribe Chief Tuilla or the Tules plant that grew in the marshes	&&&&&&&&&&082051.&&&&&082,051	&&&&&&&&&&&06941.&&&&&06,941 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&017977.&&&&&017,977 km2)
Uintah County	047	Vernal	February 18, 1880	Part of Sanpete, Summit, and Wasatch counties	The Uintah band of the Ute tribe who lived in the area	&&&&&&&&&&037747.&&&&&037,747	&&&&&&&&&&&04480.&&&&&04,480 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&011603.&&&&&011,603 km2)
Utah County	049	Provo	January 31, 1850	Original county of State of Deseret	Yuta, the Spanish name for the Ute tribe	&&&&&&&&&0719174.&&&&&0719,174	&&&&&&&&&&&02003.&&&&&02,003 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&05188.&&&&&05,188 km2)
Wasatch County	051	Heber City	January 17, 1862	Part of Great Salt Lake, Green River, Sanpete, Summit, and Utah counties	A Native American word meaning "mountain pass", also the name of the Wasatch Range	&&&&&&&&&&037144.&&&&&037,144	&&&&&&&&&&&01176.&&&&&01,176 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&03046.&&&&&03,046 km2)
Washington County	053	St. George	March 3, 1852	Original county of Territory of Utah	George Washington (1732–1799), President of the United States from 1789 to 1797	&&&&&&&&&0202452.&&&&&0202,452	&&&&&&&&&&&02426.&&&&&02,426 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&06283.&&&&&06,283 km2)
Wayne County	055	Loa	March 10, 1892	Part of Piute County	Wayne County, Tennessee	&&&&&&&&&&&02614.&&&&&02,614	&&&&&&&&&&&02461.&&&&&02,461 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&06374.&&&&&06,374 km2)
Weber County	057	Ogden	January 31, 1850	Original county of State of Deseret	The Weber River, a 125 miles (201 km) tributary of the Great Salt Lake	&&&&&&&&&0271926.&&&&&0271,926	&&&&&&&&&&&&0576.&&&&&0576 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01492.&&&&&01,492 km2)

Original Counties of Deseret

These were the first counties established in the State of Deseret:

• Great Salt Lake County – created January 31, 1850
• Iron County – created January 31, 1850
• Sanpete County – created January 31, 1850
• Tuilla County – created January 31, 1850
• Utah County – created January 31, 1850
• Weber County – created January 31, 1850
• Davis County – created October 5, 1850, from parts of Great Salt Lake County and Weber County

County Name Changes Over Time

Some counties have changed their names since they were first created:

• Tuilla County, Deseret was formed on January 31, 1850. It was later renamed Tooele County, Utah Territory on March 3, 1852.
• Great Salt Lake County, Utah Territory was created on March 3, 1852. Its name changed to Salt Lake County, Utah Territory on January 29, 1868.
• Richland County, Utah Territory was created on January 16, 1854. It was renamed Rich County, Utah Territory on January 29, 1868.

Former Counties of Utah

Over time, ten counties that were once part of the Utah Territory were either absorbed into other states or became part of existing Utah counties.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Condados de Utah para niños