Utah County is a county A county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area located in the U.S. state A U.S. state is any one of 50 subnational entities of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. However, state citizenship is very flexible, and no government approval is required to of Utah The State of Utah (pronounced /ˈjuːtɔː/ or /ˈjuːtɑː/ ) is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80 percent of Utah's 2,736,424 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering around Salt Lake City. In contrast, vast expanses of the state are nearly uninhabited,. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish Spanish , sometimes called Castilian (castellano), is a Romance language that originated in northern Spain, and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile and evolved into the principal language of government and trade. It was taken most notably to the Americas, and also to Africa and Asia Pacific with the expansion of the Spanish Empire between name (Yuta) for the Ute The Ute are an ethnically related group of American Indians now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah (3,500 members); Southern Ute in Colorado (1,500 members); and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico (2,000 members). The name Indians. The county seat A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there. Parts of the Canadian Maritimes also use the term shire town. In England, Wales and Ireland, the term and largest city is Provo Provo is the second largest city in Utah outside of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, and is located about 43 miles south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south. The Provo metropolitan area, which includes Orem and. The center of population Centers of population are usually computed by minimizing a population-weighted average of a distance metric. In other words, for some place P, the distance from P to a list of populated places is computed, and the distance to each populated place from P is weighted by the population of that place. The choice of P for which such a weighted average of Utah is located in Utah County, in the city of Lehi Lehi is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is named after Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon. The population was 19,028 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Utah is located in Lehi.[1]
Utah County is part of the Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area The Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Utah, anchored by the cities of Provo and Orem. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 376,774.
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Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about America's people and economy. It is the official ", the county has a total area of 2,141 square miles The square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared. For instance, 20 miles square (20×20 miles) is equal to 400 square miles (5,545 km² Square kilometre , symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of surface area, the square metre, one of the SI derived units. 1 km2 is equal to:), of which, 1,998 square miles (5,176 km²) of it is land and 143 square miles (369 km²) of it (6.66%) is water.
A partial view of Utah Valley Utah Valley is a valley in North Central Utah located in Utah County, and is considered part of the Wasatch Front. It contains Provo, Orem, and their suburbs, including Spanish Fork and American Fork. Utah Lake is a natural shallow fresh water lake in its center. All rivers in the valley flow into Utah Lake, which itself empties into the Jordan seen here from outside of SalemUtah Valley Utah Valley is a valley in North Central Utah located in Utah County, and is considered part of the Wasatch Front. It contains Provo, Orem, and their suburbs, including Spanish Fork and American Fork. Utah Lake is a natural shallow fresh water lake in its center. All rivers in the valley flow into Utah Lake, which itself empties into the Jordan lies at the center of the county, lined by the mountains of the Wasatch Front The Wasatch Front is an urban area in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north. Roughly 80% of Utah's population resides in this region on the east. Utah Lake Utah Lake, at 96,900 acres (392 km2), is the largest natural freshwater lake in the state of Utah and a remnant of the prehistoric Lake Bonneville, which covered much of the state. It drains via the Jordan River at its north end into Lake Bonneville's largest remnant, Great Salt Lake occupies a large part of the valley. The elevation ranges from 4,487 at the lake to 11,928 at the peak of Mount Nebo.
Adjacent Counties
- Salt Lake County, Utah Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of July 1, 2008, the population was estimated at 1,022,651, up from a 2000 Census figure of 898,387. It was named for the Great Salt Lake nearby. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City. It occupies a valley, Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding - (north)
- Tooele County, Utah Tooele County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 40,735 and by 2005 was estimated at 51,311. Its county seat and largest city is Tooele - (west)
- Wasatch County, Utah Wasatch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 15,215, and by 2005 was estimated at 18,974. It was named for a Ute Indian word meaning mountain pass or low place in the high mountains. Its county seat and largest city is Heber City.The county is governed by a county council with an appointed county - (east)
- Juab County, Utah Juab County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 8,238, and by 2005 had been estimated at 9,113. It was named from an Indian word meaning thirsty valley, or possibly only valley. Its county seat and largest city is Nephi - (south and west)
- Sanpete County, Utah Sanpete County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 22,763 and by 2005 was estimated at 24,044. It was possibly named for a Ute Indian chief named Sanpitch, which was corrupted to Sanpete. Its county seat is Manti and its largest city is Ephraim - (south central)
- Carbon County, Utah Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 20,422, and by 2005 had been estimated to have decreased to 19,437. It was named for the major coal deposits in the area. Its county seat and largest city is Price - (south on east)
- Duchesne County, Utah Duchesne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 14,371, and by 2005 had been estimated at 15,354. Its county seat is Duchesne and the largest city is Roosevelt - (southeast)
National protected areas Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental, cultural or similar value. The term protected area includes Marine Protected Areas, which refers to protected areas whose boundaries include some area of ocean. A large number of kinds of protected area exist, which vary by level of protection and by the
- Ashley National Forest Ashley National Forest is a national forest located in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming in the United States. The popular Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is located within the forest. Kings Peak, the highest peak in Utah, lies on the border between Ashley National Forest and Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The forest encompasses 1,3 (part)
- Manti-La Sal National Forest (part)
- Timpanogos Cave National Monument
- Uinta National Forest (part)
- Wasatch-Cache National Forest Wasatch-Cache National Forest is a United States National Forest located primarily in northern Utah , with smaller parts extending into southeastern Idaho (16.42%) and southwestern Wyoming (2.35%). The name is from the Ute word Wasatch for a low place in high mountains, and the French word Cache meaning to hide. It was originally a term that (part)
Government
The government is an elected county commission A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals. In certain counties in Georgia and New Hampshire however, a sole commissioner holds the authority of the commission made up of three commissioners Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission, in the sense of a mandate, whether individually or shared, notably as member of a collegial commission. Other elected officials include the county sheriff A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country, the county clerk Most counties in the U.S. have an elected county clerk whose responsibilities typically include election administration, the collection and filing of vital records such as birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses. A county clerk may also be the clerk to the local court system, with responsibilities for accepting and, and the county attorney A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position. The role of the county attorney can be similar to or complementary to that of a local State's Attorney, Commonwealth's Attorney or District Attorney.
Politics
Utah County has been referred to[who?] as "the most Republican The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by abolitionists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP. Today the party supports a center-right platform county in the most Republican state in the United States."[citation needed] Based on the most recent election neither of these claims is still true. In the 1992 presidential election The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush; Democrat Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot, George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993. Bush held a variety of political positions prior to his presidency, including Vice President of the United States in the administration of Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) and Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) under Gerald R. Ford received the most votes and Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the third-youngest president; only Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were younger when entering office. He became president at the end of the Cold War, and as he was born in the period after World War II, he is known as the was third in votes received.[citation needed] In the 2004 presidential election The United States held its 55th quadrennial presidential election on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the junior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. Foreign policy was the dominant theme throughout the election campaign, particularly Bush's, 85.99% voted for George W. Bush George Walker Bush ( /ˈdʒɔrdʒ ˈwɔːkər ˈbʊʃ/ ; born July 6, 1946) served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He was the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000 before being sworn in as President on January 20, 2001. Bush is the eldest son of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. After.[2] In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party candidates ran on a platform of change and reform, the county voted for John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election by a massive 58.9% margin over Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. The first African American to hold the office, Obama had previously been the junior United States Senator from Illinois, serving from January 2005 until November 2008, when he resigned after his election to the presidency, with McCain winning by 28.1% statewide.[3] Eight other Utah counties voted more strongly in favor of McCain.[4] Utah County is by far the most populous county in the country that regularly votes for Republican presidential nominees by such landslides.
Demographics
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 368,536 people, 99,937 households, and 80,749 families residing in the county. The population density was 184 people per square mile (71/km²). There were 104,315 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.36% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.58% Pacific Islander, 3.25% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. 7.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The top 5 Ethnic groups in Utah County are:[8]
By 2005 non-Hispanic whites were 87.7% of the county population. 0.4% of the population was African-American. The Native American population was holding steady at 0.6%, but it should be remembered with the county population growing quite fast, this meant the number of Native Americans was on the rise. Pacific Islanders were still 0.6% of the population. Latinos were now 8.4% of the population.[9]
In 2000 There were 99,937 households out of which 48.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.80% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.20% were non-families. 11.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.59 and the average family size was 3.86.
In the county, the population was spread out with 34.10% under the age of 18, 21.00% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 12.70% from 45 to 64, and 6.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,833, and the median income for a family was $50,196. Males had a median income of $37,878 versus $22,656 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,557. About 6.80% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 4.80% of those age 65 or over.
By 2006 the population had risen 26.1% to 464,760.
Happy Valley
About 88% of Utah County residents are LDS.[10] "Happy Valley" is a common nickname for the region (also known as Utah Valley). The term is sometimes used[who?] in a pejorative or ironic sense[citation needed].
Schools
Utah County has three school districts, Alpine, Provo, and Nebo.[11]. It also has two Universities: Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University.
In popular culture
- The 2007 film American Fork was filmed in that city.
- The film Brigham City was filmed in Mapleton, Utah. Despite the name of the film Richard Dutcher had Mapleton, not Brigham City, in mind in making the film.
- The 1984 film Footloose was filmed at various locations in Utah County: American Fork, Lehi, Orem, Payson, and Provo.
- The 1985 film Fletch is set in part in Provo. The dialogue makes frequent reference to the city.
- The book Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy' by Diana DiNitto mentions Utah County as one of the three most generous counties in philanthropic donations in the U.S. based on an article in Giving USA 2003 (the other two were: San Juan County, UT and Madison county, ID).[12]
Cities and towns
Utah Valley, Utah County as seen from Traverse Ridge in Lehi. Mount Timpanogos in the Wasatch Range is visible from much of Utah County.- Alpine, incorporated in 1855
- American Fork, incorporated in 1853
- Cedar Fort, incorporated in 1965
- Cedar Hills, incorporated in 1976
- Draper, incorporated in 1978 and annexed land in Utah County in 2004
- Eagle Mountain, incorporated in 1996
- Elk Ridge, incorporated in 1976
- Fairfield, incorporated in 2004
- Genola, incorporated in 1935
- Goshen, incorporated in 1910
- Highland, incorporated in 1977
- Lehi, incorporated in 1852
- Lindon, incorporated in 1924
- Mapleton, incorporated in 1948
- Orem, incorporated in 1919
- Payson, incorporated in 1853
- Pleasant Grove, incorporated in 1855
- Provo, incorporated in 1849
- Salem, incorporated in 1920
- Santaquin, incorporated in 1932
- Saratoga Springs, incorporated in 1997
- Spanish Fork, incorporated in 1855
- Springville, incorporated in 1853
- Vineyard, incorporated in 1989
- Woodland Hills, eligible for incorporation as a town (over 1,000 residents) in 2008[citation needed]
Unincorporated communities
External links
- Utah County Online
- Utah County Trolley An alternative to TRAX (in the preliminary stages).
- Utah County Jail Information about the Utah County Jail.
References
- ^ Population and Population Centers by State: 2000
- ^ Utah County General Election, Official Results, November 2, 2004
- ^ U.S. Election Atlas
- ^ State of Utah County Election Results, November 21, 2008
- ^ census.gov Utah population by county, 1900-90 accessed 2009-05-14
- ^ quickfacts.census.gov - Utah County accessed 2009-05-14
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Utah County, Utah, Ancestry & Family History
- ^ U.S.Census Bureau, State & County QuickFacts, Utah County, Utah
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.schools.utah.gov/pr/edinfo/default.htm
- ^ AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy, Giving USA 2003
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| Tooele County | Wasatch County | ||||||
| Utah County, Utah | |||||||
| Juab County | Sanpete County | Carbon County and Duchesne County |
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Coordinates: 40°07′N 111°40′W / 40.12°N 111.67°W
Categories: Utah counties | Utah County, Utah | Provo-Orem metropolitan area
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