Most rural counties in Utah
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. compiled a list of the most rural counties in Utah using data from the . 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 2020 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, #1,189 nationwide
- Population density: 1,544.2 people / square mile (1.1 million residents)
--- #29 lowest density county in state, #3,047 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, #2,808 nationwide
- Population density: 1,174.0 people / square mile (350,761 residents)
--- #28 lowest density county in state, #3,015 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, #1,719 nationwide
- Population density: 443.1 people / square mile (255,284 residents)
--- #27 lowest density county in state, #2,852 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, #286 nationwide
- Population density: 310.2 people / square mile (621,506 residents)
--- #26 lowest density county in state, #2,742 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, #529 nationwide
- Population density: 108.5 people / square mile (126,336 residents)
--- #25 lowest density county in state, #2,313 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, #225 nationwide
- Population density: 70.9 people / square mile (172,127 residents)
--- #24 lowest density county in state, #1,988 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, #521 nationwide
- Population density: 28.1 people / square mile (33,053 residents)
--- #23 lowest density county in state, #1,158 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, #305 nationwide
- Population density: 22.3 people / square mile (41,680 residents)
--- #22 lowest density county in state, #971 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, #407 nationwide
- Population density: 13.8 people / square mile (20,401 residents)
--- #18 lowest density county in state, #701 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, #155 nationwide
- Population density: 16.1 people / square mile (53,148 residents)
--- #19 lowest density county in state, #772 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, #380 nationwide
- Population density: 19.1 people / square mile (30,421 residents)
--- #20 lowest density county in state, #859 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, #1,590 nationwide
- Population density: 19.6 people / square mile (11,950 residents)
--- #21 lowest density county in state, #879 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, #101 nationwide
- Population density: 8.0 people / square mile (35,736 residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #489 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, #64 nationwide
- Population density: 9.6 people / square mile (54,953 residents)
--- #15 lowest density county in state, #560 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, #46 nationwide
- Population density: 10.0 people / square mile (69,740 residents)
--- #16 lowest density county in state, #578 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, #299 nationwide
- Population density: 11.2 people / square mile (21,475 residents)
--- #17 lowest density county in state, #610 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, #137 nationwide
- Population density: 2.6 people / square mile (9,698 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #211 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, #148 nationwide
- Population density: 3.4 people / square mile (11,623 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #267 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, #158 nationwide
- Population density: 6.2 people / square mile (19,950 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #418 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, #207 nationwide
- Population density: 2.5 people / square mile (6,594 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #199 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, #102 nationwide
- Population density: 2.3 people / square mile (10,099 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #179 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, #120 nationwide
- Population density: 1.9 people / square mile (7,658 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #145 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, #51 nationwide
- Population density: 2.0 people / square mile (12,963 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #151 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, #38 nationwide
- Population density: 2.0 people / square mile (15,295 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #150 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, #1,160 nationwide
- Population density: 2.5 people / square mile (1,870 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #191 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, #643 nationwide
- Population density: 2.3 people / square mile (2,415 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #186 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, #221 nationwide
- Population density: 1.1 people / square mile (2,698 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, #73 nationwide
- Population density: 1.0 people / square mile (5,000 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #62 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, #1,331 nationwide
- Population density: 0.8 people / square mile (590 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #53 nationwide
