Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,324.[1] Its county seat is Coalville,[2] and the largest city is Park City. The county was created in 1854 and later organized in 1861.[3] It is so named because it includes 39 of the highest mountain peaks in Utah.

The county's mean elevation is 8,388 feet (2,557 m) above sea level, which is the second-highest of any county outside Colorado.[4] Owing to its proximity to Salt Lake City, Park City has acquired a reputation as an upscale getaway, bringing new development to the area.

Summit County comprises the Summit Park, UT Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, UT Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,882 square miles (4,870 km2), of which 1,872 square miles (4,850 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (0.5%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 198 —
1870 2,512 1,168.7%
1880 4,921 95.9%
1890 7,733 57.1%
1900 9,439 22.1%
1910 8,200 −13.1%
1920 7,862 −4.1%
1930 9,527 21.2%
1940 8,714 −8.5%
1950 6,745 −22.6%
1960 5,673 −15.9%
1970 5,879 3.6%
1980 10,198 73.5%
1990 15,518 52.2%
2000 29,736 91.6%
2010 36,324 22.2%
Est. 2015 39,633 [6] 9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[11] 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 (6.2/km2). There were 17,489 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3.5/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 (LDS Church) make up the largest group at 36.8% (compared with some 66% statewide), followed by Roman Catholics at 10.6%.

Politics

Summit County vote
by party in presidential elections
Year GOP DEM Others
2012 50.5% 8,884 45.8% 8,072 2.9% 496
2008 41.2% 6,956 56.3% 9,532 2.5% 432
2004 51.8% 7,936 45.5% 6,977 2.7% 399
2000 50.8% 6,168 37.9% 4,601 11.3% 1,352
1996 41.5% 3,867 44.8% 4,177 13.7% 1,275
1992 34.7% 3,133 32.1% 3,013 37.2% 3,253
1988 59.7% 3,881 39.0% 2,536 1.3% 86
1984 71.8% 4,093 27.0% 1,539 1.2% 69
1980 65.4% 3,330 23.2% 1,184 1.9% 99
1976 61.5% 2,316 34.1% 1,282 4.4% 165
1972 69.9% 2,209 26.5% 836 3.6% 113
1968 62.4% 1,782 33.6% 961 4.0% 114
1964 47.1% 1,335 52.9% 1,497 0.0% 0

Summit County has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. In recent years, however, it has become more competitive, and Democrats have at times won a plurality or even a majority of the votes. Although George W. Bush carried the county in 2000 and 2004, his performance there was his worst in the state. In a 2006 U.S. Senate race, 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, while McCain carried Utah by 28.1% over Obama.[12] However, in the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney defeated Obama in the county, 51% to 46%.[13]

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.[14] -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. 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.[15]

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2013. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  3. ^ "Utah: Individual County Chronologies". Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2015. 
  4. ^ Mean County Elevation Lists
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2015. 
  6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved June 12, 2016. 
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 25, 2015. 
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 25, 2015. 
  9. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (June 25, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2015. 
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2015. 
  11. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  12. ^ U.S. Election Atlas
  13. ^ [1]
  14. ^ Summit County Democrats
  15. ^ Winters, Rosemary (2010-06-17), "Summit County bans anti-gay discrimination", Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved 2010-06-18 
 Morgan County Wyoming Rich County, Wyoming Uinta County Wyoming Sweetwater County
Salt Lake County Daggett County
  Summit County  
Wasatch County, Duchesne County
Municipalities and communities of Summit County, Utah, United States
Cities
Towns
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Ghost towns
Footnotes
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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Coordinates: 40°53′N 110°58′W / 40.88°N 110.97°W / 40.88; -110.97