Most rural counties in Utah
Most rural counties in Utah
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land—702, in fact. Stacker compiled a list of the most rural counties in Utah using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2019 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
#29. Salt Lake County
- Rural area: 62.7% (465 square miles)
- Urban area: 37.3% (277 square miles)
- Total land area: 742 square miles
--- #25 largest county in state, #1,188 nationwide
- Population density: 1,527.2 people / square mile (1.1 million residents)
--- #29 lowest density county in state, #3,046 nationwide
#28. Davis County
- Rural area: 62.9% (188 square miles)
- Urban area: 37.1% (111 square miles)
- Total land area: 299 square miles
--- #29 largest county in state, #2,807 nationwide
- Population density: 1,157.3 people / square mile (345,767 residents)
--- #28 lowest density county in state, #3,013 nationwide
#27. Weber County
- Rural area: 83.5% (481 square miles)
- Urban area: 16.6% (95 square miles)
- Total land area: 576 square miles
--- #28 largest county in state, #1,718 nationwide
- Population density: 436.6 people / square mile (251,498 residents)
--- #27 lowest density county in state, #2,850 nationwide
#26. Utah County
- Rural area: 91.1% (1,824 square miles)
- Urban area: 9.0% (179 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,003 square miles
--- #16 largest county in state, #285 nationwide
- Population density: 302.2 people / square mile (605,490 residents)
--- #26 lowest density county in state, #2,737 nationwide
#25. Cache County
- Rural area: 96.2% (1,121 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.8% (44 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,165 square miles
--- #22 largest county in state, #528 nationwide
- Population density: 106.6 people / square mile (124,165 residents)
--- #25 lowest density county in state, #2,303 nationwide
#24. Washington County
- Rural area: 97.7% (2,370 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.3% (56 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,426 square miles
--- #15 largest county in state, #224 nationwide
- Population density: 68.3 people / square mile (165,811 residents)
--- #24 lowest density county in state, #1,955 nationwide
#23. Wasatch County
- Rural area: 98.9% (1,163 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.1% (13 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,176 square miles
--- #21 largest county in state, #520 nationwide
- Population density: 27.0 people / square mile (31,708 residents)
--- #23 lowest density county in state, #1,121 nationwide
#22. Summit County
- Rural area: 99.0% (1,854 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.0% (18 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,872 square miles
--- #18 largest county in state, #304 nationwide
- Population density: 22.0 people / square mile (41,103 residents)
--- #22 lowest density county in state, #957 nationwide
#21. Carbon County
- Rural area: 99.4% (1,469 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.6% (10 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,478 square miles
--- #20 largest county in state, #406 nationwide
- Population density: 13.7 people / square mile (20,308 residents)
--- #18 lowest density county in state, #699 nationwide
#20. Iron County
- Rural area: 99.4% (3,278 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.6% (19 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,297 square miles
--- #11 largest county in state, #154 nationwide
- Population density: 15.5 people / square mile (51,213 residents)
--- #19 lowest density county in state, #755 nationwide
#19. Sanpete County
- Rural area: 99.5% (1,582 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.5% (8 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,590 square miles
--- #19 largest county in state, #379 nationwide
- Population density: 18.8 people / square mile (29,850 residents)
--- #20 lowest density county in state, #847 nationwide
#18. Morgan County
- Rural area: 99.6% (607 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 609 square miles
--- #27 largest county in state, #1,589 nationwide
- Population density: 19.1 people / square mile (11,664 residents)
--- #21 lowest density county in state, #859 nationwide
#17. Uintah County
- Rural area: 99.6% (4,463 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (17 square miles)
- Total land area: 4,480 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #100 nationwide
- Population density: 8.1 people / square mile (36,084 residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #496 nationwide
#16. Box Elder County
- Rural area: 99.7% (5,726 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (20 square miles)
- Total land area: 5,746 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #63 nationwide
- Population density: 9.4 people / square mile (53,946 residents)
--- #15 lowest density county in state, #554 nationwide
#15. Tooele County
- Rural area: 99.7% (6,920 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (21 square miles)
- Total land area: 6,941 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #45 nationwide
- Population density: 9.7 people / square mile (67,397 residents)
--- #16 lowest density county in state, #567 nationwide
#14. Sevier County
- Rural area: 99.9% (1,908 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,911 square miles
--- #17 largest county in state, #298 nationwide
- Population density: 11.1 people / square mile (21,280 residents)
--- #17 lowest density county in state, #609 nationwide
#13. Grand County
- Rural area: 99.9% (3,667 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (4 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,672 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #136 nationwide
- Population density: 2.6 people / square mile (9,640 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #207 nationwide
#12. Juab County
- Rural area: 99.9% (3,388 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (4 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,392 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #147 nationwide
- Population density: 3.3 people / square mile (11,301 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #260 nationwide
#11. Duchesne County
- Rural area: 99.9% (3,238 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,241 square miles
--- #12 largest county in state, #157 nationwide
- Population density: 6.2 people / square mile (20,148 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #421 nationwide
#10. Beaver County
- Rural area: 99.9% (2,588 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,590 square miles
--- #13 largest county in state, #206 nationwide
- Population density: 2.5 people / square mile (6,517 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #195 nationwide
#9. Emery County
- Rural area: 99.9% (4,460 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 4,462 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #101 nationwide
- Population density: 2.3 people / square mile (10,117 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #176 nationwide
#8. Kane County
- Rural area: 99.9% (3,988 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,990 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #119 nationwide
- Population density: 1.9 people / square mile (7,484 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #142 nationwide
#7. Millard County
- Rural area: 100.0% (6,571 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 6,572 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #50 nationwide
- Population density: 2.0 people / square mile (12,854 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #148 nationwide
#6. San Juan County
- Rural area: 100.0% (7,818 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 7,820 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #37 nationwide
- Population density: 2.0 people / square mile (15,302 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #149 nationwide
#5. Piute County
- Rural area: 100.0% (758 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 758 square miles
--- #24 largest county in state, #1,159 nationwide
- Population density: 2.5 people / square mile (1,866 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #192 nationwide
#4. Rich County
- Rural area: 100.0% (1,029 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,029 square miles
--- #23 largest county in state, #642 nationwide
- Population density: 2.3 people / square mile (2,389 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #181 nationwide
#3. Wayne County
- Rural area: 100.0% (2,461 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,461 square miles
--- #14 largest county in state, #220 nationwide
- Population density: 1.1 people / square mile (2,689 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #79 nationwide
#2. Garfield County
- Rural area: 100.0% (5,175 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 5,175 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #72 nationwide
- Population density: 1.0 people / square mile (4,998 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #63 nationwide
#1. Daggett County
- Rural area: 100.0% (697 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 697 square miles
--- #26 largest county in state, #1,330 nationwide
- Population density: 0.9 people / square mile (613 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #55 nationwide
