JUAB County, UT

Juab County is a county in western Utah, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 10,246. Its county seat and largest city is Nephi.

Juab County is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Salt Lake City–Provo–Orem, Utah Combined Statistical Area.

History

The area of future Juab County was inhabited by nomadic indigenous peoples before the Mormon settlement of Utah beginning in 1847. Soon thereafter, Mormons and others traveling through the area had somewhat established a road to California, leading SSW from Great Salt Lake City. It passed Salt Creek, flowing westward through a slough in the Wasatch Mountains. The area around this creek was often used as a stopping or camping spot by travelers, and by 1851 Mormon settlers had begun a settlement on the area. When the Utah Territory legislature created a county (by partitioning territory from Utah County) to oversee the growth and organization of the largely uninhabited and unarable area, this settlement (called Salt Creek) was the only real settlement worthy of the name, and it was designated as the county seat in a March 3, 1852 legislative act. The new county's description included considerable territory falling in present-day Nevada. The county name reportedly derived from a Native American word meaning thirsty valley, or possibly only valley.

The county's boundaries were altered in 1854, in 1855, and 1856. Also in 1856 the Territory legislature, acknowledging the upcoming establishment of Nevada Territory, removed from the boundary description of Juab county all territories west of 114 degrees longitude. Further boundary adjustments were made in 1861, in 1862, in 1866, in 1870, in 1888, and 1913. A small adjustment between Juab and Sanpete counties on March 8, 1919, created the current Juab County configuration.

Early settlers in Salt Creek devoted themselves to agriculture and livestock. However, by 1869 mining of precious metals had begun in the Tintic region. Mining towns including Diamond, Silver City, and Eureka appeared. By 1889 it was considered one of the nation's most productive mining areas. Mining continued as the dominant economic driver through mid-twentieth century, then subsided. Salt Creek grew apace, although in 1882 the town name (and US Post Office designation) was changed to "Nephi".

Politics and Government

Juab has traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

Geography

Juab County lies on the west side of Utah. Its west border abuts the east border of the state of Nevada. Its planar areas consist of rugged arid semi-arable fine-grain soil, interrupted with hills and low mountains. Its eastern border is loosely defined by the ridgeline of an arm of the Wasatch Mountains. The terrain generally slopes to the north, with its highest point on Mount Ibapah, a crest of the East Central Great Basin Range in northwest Juab County. The listed elevation of Mt. Ibapah is 12,087' (3684m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water. The county's shape bears resemblance to the shape of Massachusetts.

Airports

Highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Lakes

Demographics

As of July 1, 2018, the US Census Bureau estimates that there were 11,555 people and 3,557 housing units in the county. The population density was 3.12/sqmi (1.21/km²). There were 3,066 households. The racial makeup of the county was 96.4% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 1.5% from two or more races. 4.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2010, there were 3,093 households, out of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.50% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.40% were non-families. 17.30% of all households the householder lived alone. The average household size was 3.27 and the average family size was 3.74.

The county population contained 40.1% 19 and younger, 5.0% from 20 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.3 years. 51% of the population was male and 49% was female.

The median income for a household in the county was $56,976. The per capita income for the county was $18,503 and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

Education

The county is served by two school districts:

Communities

Cities

Towns

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Unincorporated communities

Former communities