Summit County, Utah
Encyclopedia
Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Utah
, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City
Metropolitan Statistical Area
as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden
–Clearfield
Combined Statistical Area. The county is so named because it includes 39 of the highest mountain peaks in Utah. Its mean elevation
is 8388 feet (2,556.7 m) above sea level, which is the second-highest of any county outside of Colorado
. Its county seat
is Coalville
and the largest city is Park City
. Owing to its proximity to Salt Lake City, Park City has acquired a reputation as an upscale getaway, bringing new development to the area.
, the county has a total area of 1882 mi2, of which 1871 mi2 is land and 11 mi2 (0.58%) is water.
of 2000, there were 29,736 people, 10,332 households, and 7,501 families residing in the county. The population density
was 16 people per square mile (/km2). There were 17,489 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.80% White
, 0.24% Black
or African American
, 0.31% Native American
, 0.96% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
, 5.43% from other races
, and 1.21% from two or more races. 8.09% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 10,332 households out of which 40.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.50% were married couples
living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.30.
The median income for a household in the county was $64,962, and the median income for a family was $72,510. Males had a median income of $47,236 versus $28,621 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $33,767. Only 42.9% are natives of Utah. 5.40% of the population and 3.00% of families were below the poverty line.
According to a 2000 survey by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, Summit County is much more diverse in religious belief than Utah as a whole. Fully two in five people (44.2%) of the population claim no religion at all while among those that do, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) make up the largest group at 36.8% (compared with some 66% statewide), followed by Roman Catholics
at 10.6%.
narrowly won Summit County in 2000 and 2004, it was his worst performance in the state. In the 2006 Senate race for example, Summit County was the only county carried by Democrat Pete Ashdown even as the Republican incumbent Orrin Hatch carried the state as a whole by a 2 to 1 margin. Likewise, in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election
, Barack Obama
carried the county by a 15.3% margin over John McCain
, with McCain carrying the Beehive State by 28.1% over Obama.
On the county level, most of the elected offices are held by Democrats; including four of the five seats on the newly-created Summit County Council. -John Hanrahan, D; Claudia McMullin, D; Sally Elliott, D; Chris Robinson, D; David Ure, R
Summit County was one of only two counties (along with Grand County
) to vote against Utah's same-sex marriage ban in 2004. It was also one of three Utah counties to vote for Democrat
Barack Obama
in the 2008 presidential election
. It also has the second smallest proportion of Mormons of any county in Utah after Grand County.
In June 2010, Summit County became the sixth local government of Utah to prohibit discrimination
in employment
or housing
based on a person's sexual orientation
or gender identity
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states 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. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Salt Lake City metropolitan area
The Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in north central Utah, anchored by Salt Lake City. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 968,858. As of July 1, 2009 the U.S...
as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
–Clearfield
Clearfield, Utah
Clearfield is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. The population was 25,974 at the 2000 census. The city grew drastically during the 1940s, with the formation of Hill Air Force Base, and in the 1950s with the nation-wide increase in suburb and "bedroom" community populations and has been...
Combined Statistical Area. The county is so named because it includes 39 of the highest mountain peaks in Utah. Its mean elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
is 8388 feet (2,556.7 m) above sea level, which is the second-highest of any county outside of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Coalville
Coalville, Utah
Coalville is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,382 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Summit County...
and the largest city is Park City
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
. Owing to its proximity to Salt Lake City, Park City has acquired a reputation as an upscale getaway, bringing new development to the area.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States 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...
, the county has a total area of 1882 mi2, of which 1871 mi2 is land and 11 mi2 (0.58%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Rich County, UtahRich County, UtahRich County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. The southern half of Bear Lake and the Bear Lake Valley lie on the northern edge of the county. The Bear River Valley lies in most of the eastern portion of the county. The elevation of these valleys is close to , and the rest of the county...
- (north) - Morgan County, UtahMorgan County, UtahMorgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 9,469. It was named for Jedediah Morgan Grant, father of Heber J. Grant, who served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
- (northwest) - Salt Lake County, UtahSalt Lake County, UtahSalt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
- (westside) - Wasatch County, UtahWasatch County, UtahWasatch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. 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 manager.Wasatch County is...
- (south) - Duchesne County, UtahDuchesne County, UtahDuchesne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 18,607, a 29.5% increase over the 2000 figure of 14,371. Its county seat is Duchesne and the largest city is Roosevelt.-Geography:...
- (south) - Daggett County, UtahDaggett County, UtahDaggett County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 1,059 at the 2010 census. It was named for Ellsworth Daggett, the first surveyor-general of Utah. Its county seat and only municipality is Manila. There is one other small community, Dutch...
- (east) - Sweetwater County, Wyoming - (northeast)
- Uinta County, WyomingUinta County, Wyoming-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,742 people, 6,823 households, and 5,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 8,011 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
- (north)
National protected areas
- Ashley National ForestAshley National ForestAshley National Forest is a national forest located in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Within the Forest’s bounds are of vast forests, lakes, and mountains, with elevations ranging from . The Forest covers portions of Utah; Duchesne; Uintah; Daggett; and Summit counties in Utah and...
(part) - Wasatch National ForestWasatch National ForestWasatch National Forest was established as the Wasatch Forest Reserve by the U.S. Forest Service in Utah on August 16, 1906 with to the east of Salt Lake City and Provo. It became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 Grantsville National Forest and Salt Lake National Forest were...
(part)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 29,736 people, 10,332 households, and 7,501 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 16 people per square mile (/km2). There were 17,489 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.80% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.24% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.31% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.96% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.43% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.21% from two or more races. 8.09% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 10,332 households out of which 40.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.50% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.30.
The median income for a household in the county was $64,962, and the median income for a family was $72,510. Males had a median income of $47,236 versus $28,621 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $33,767. Only 42.9% are natives of Utah. 5.40% of the population and 3.00% of families were below the poverty line.
According to a 2000 survey by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, Summit County is much more diverse in religious belief than Utah as a whole. Fully two in five people (44.2%) of the population claim no religion at all while among those that do, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) make up the largest group at 36.8% (compared with some 66% statewide), followed by Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
at 10.6%.
Politics
Residents of Summit County have in recent elections given a significantly higher percentage of their vote to Democrats than voters in the rest of Utah. Although George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
narrowly won Summit County in 2000 and 2004, it was his worst performance in the state. In the 2006 Senate race for example, Summit County was the only county carried by Democrat Pete Ashdown even as the Republican incumbent Orrin Hatch carried the state as a whole by a 2 to 1 margin. Likewise, in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
carried the county by a 15.3% margin over John McCain
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....
, with McCain carrying the Beehive State by 28.1% over Obama.
On the county level, most of the elected offices are held by Democrats; including four of the five seats on the newly-created Summit County Council. -John Hanrahan, D; Claudia McMullin, D; Sally Elliott, D; Chris Robinson, D; David Ure, R
Summit County was one of only two counties (along with Grand County
Grand County, Utah
Grand County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 8,485, and by 2005 had been estimated at 8,743. It was named for the Colorado River, which at the time of statehood was known as the Grand River. Its county seat and largest city is Moab.-Geography:According...
) to vote against Utah's same-sex marriage ban in 2004. It was also one of three Utah counties to vote for Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. It also has the second smallest proportion of Mormons of any county in Utah after Grand County.
In June 2010, Summit County became the sixth local government of Utah to prohibit discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
in employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
or housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
based on a person's sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
or gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
.
Cities
- CoalvilleCoalville, UtahCoalville is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,382 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Summit County...
- KamasKamas, UtahKamas is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,274 at the 2000 census....
- OakleyOakley, UtahOakley is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 948 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakley is located at ....
- Park CityPark City, UtahPark City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
Census-designated places
- North Snyderville BasinNorth Snyderville Basin, UtahNorth Snyderville Basin is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,821 at the 2000 census.-Geography:North Snyderville Basin is located at ....
- SamakSamak, UtahSamak is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 161 at the 2000 census. The name is simply the reversal of the name of the nearby city of Kamas.-Geography:Samak is located at ....
- South Snyderville BasinSouth Snyderville Basin, UtahSouth Snyderville Basin is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,636 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Snyderville Basin is located at ....
- Summit ParkSummit Park, UtahSummit Park is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 6,597 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Summit Park is located at ....
- WoodlandWoodland, UtahWoodland is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 335 at the 2000 census.Woodland was first settled in 1874.-Geography:Woodland is located at ....