Best counties to raise a family in Utah

Written by:
September 1, 2023
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Best counties to raise a family in Utah

For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists.

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in Utah using data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.

The list features counties that boast some of the top schools and fun, family-friendly activities for every season. Keep reading to explore the best counties to raise a family. Maybe you'll find one that suits your brood.

#25. Grand County, Utah

- Population: 9,630
- Median home value: $336,700 (65% own)
- Median rent: $926 (35% own)
- Median household income: $51,433
- Top public schools: Grand County High School (grade B minus), Helen M. Knight School (grade C), Grand County Middle School (grade C)
- Top private schools: Castle Valley Academy (grade C+)
- Top places to live: Moab (grade B minus), Castle Valley (grade C)

#24. Duchesne County, Utah

- Population: 19,651
- Median home value: $194,900 (77% own)
- Median rent: $852 (23% own)
- Median household income: $66,463
- Top public schools: Altamont School (grade B), Altamont High School (grade B minus), Kings Peak School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Second Nature Wilderness Family Therapy (grade unavailable), Utah State University Child Development Lab (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Roosevelt (grade B minus), Altamont (grade B), Bluebell (grade C+)

#23. Garfield County, Utah

- Population: 5,061
- Median home value: $196,900 (77% own)
- Median rent: $702 (23% own)
- Median household income: $45,724
- Top public schools: Escalante Elementary School (grade B+), Panguitch High School (grade B), Panguitch Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Turn-About Ranch (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Henrieville (grade B), Cannonville (grade B), Boulder (grade B)

#22. Uintah County, Utah

- Population: 35,488
- Median home value: $207,700 (74% own)
- Median rent: $726 (26% own)
- Median household income: $61,293
- Top public schools: Discovery School (grade B minus), Terra Academy (grade B minus), Maeser School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Uintah Basin Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Vernal (grade B minus), Naples (grade B minus), Maeser (grade C+)

#21. Carbon County, Utah

- Population: 20,208
- Median home value: $156,800 (69% own)
- Median rent: $744 (31% own)
- Median household income: $51,725
- Top public schools: Creekview School (grade B+), Castle Heights School (grade B+), Wellington School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Carbonville (grade B minus), Helper (grade B minus), Price (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade C+

#20. Emery County, Utah

- Population: 9,839
- Median home value: $149,900 (77% own)
- Median rent: $619 (23% own)
- Median household income: $61,234
- Top public schools: Ferron School (grade B+), Huntington Elementary School (grade B), Castle Dale School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Second Chances In Southern Utah (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Castle Dale (grade B minus), Orangeville (grade B minus), Green River (grade B minus)

#19. Kane County, Utah

- Population: 7,635
- Median home value: $241,000 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,050 (24% own)
- Median household income: $56,395
- Top public schools: Kanab Elementary School (grade B+), Kanab Middle School (grade B+), Valley Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Kanab (grade B+), Big Water (grade B+), Orderville (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

#18. Sanpete County, Utah

- Population: 28,458
- Median home value: $221,200 (78% own)
- Median rent: $839 (22% own)
- Median household income: $60,186
- Top public schools: Ephraim School (grade A minus), Fountain Green School (grade B+), Fairview School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Wasatch Academy (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Ephraim (grade B+), Manti (grade B), Gunnison (grade B minus)

#17. Tooele County, Utah

- Population: 71,340
- Median home value: $269,700 (83% own)
- Median rent: $1,004 (17% own)
- Median household income: $87,557
- Top public schools: Scholar Academy (grade B), Stansbury Park School (grade B minus), Stansbury High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: St. Marguerite Catholic School (grade A), Alpine Academy Therapeutic Schools (grade unavailable), Dugway Proving Ground Child Development Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Erda (grade B+), Stansbury Park (grade B), Wendover (grade B minus)

#16. Sevier County, Utah

- Population: 21,471
- Median home value: $201,200 (79% own)
- Median rent: $702 (21% own)
- Median household income: $60,262
- Top public schools: Monroe School (grade B+), Richfield High School (grade B), Pahvant School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Sorenson's Ranch School (grade unavailable), High Top Ranch School (grade unavailable), Storm Ridge Ranch School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Richfield (grade B), Glenwood (grade A minus), Monroe (grade B)

#15. Juab County, Utah

- Population: 11,648
- Median home value: $283,000 (78% own)
- Median rent: $830 (22% own)
- Median household income: $74,741
- Top public schools: Eureka School (grade B+), Juab High School (grade B), Nebo View School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Nephi (grade B), Rocky Ridge (grade B minus), Mona (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade C+

#14. Iron County, Utah

- Population: 55,839
- Median home value: $248,100 (66% own)
- Median rent: $863 (34% own)
- Median household income: $56,308
- Top public schools: SUU SUCCESS Academy (grade A), Parowan School (grade B+), Iron Springs School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Life Quest Girls Academy (grade unavailable), Moonridge Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Cedar City (grade B+), Enoch (grade B), Parowan (grade C)

#13. San Juan County, Utah

- Population: 14,610
- Median home value: $137,700 (80% own)
- Median rent: $772 (20% own)
- Median household income: $52,400
- Top public schools: Monticello High School (grade B+), Monticello School (grade B+), San Juan High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Blanding (grade B+), Monticello (grade B), Spanish Valley (grade C+)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

#12. Box Elder County, Utah

- Population: 56,891
- Median home value: $250,500 (76% own)
- Median rent: $854 (24% own)
- Median household income: $67,486
- Top public schools: Discovery School (grade A minus), Box Elder High School (grade B+), Garland School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Triumph Academy (grade unavailable), Utah State University Brigham City Child Development Laboratory (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Willard (grade B+), Perry (grade B+), Brigham City (grade B+)

#11. Washington County, Utah

- Population: 176,533
- Median home value: $343,700 (70% own)
- Median rent: $1,177 (30% own)
- Median household income: $65,040
- Top public schools: George Washington Academy (grade A), UT SUCCESS Academy (grade A), Crimson View School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Liahona Academy (grade B+), Cinnamon Hills Youth Crisis Center (grade unavailable), Coral Sands Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Washington (grade B+), Santa Clara (grade B+), St. George (grade B)

#10. Millard County, Utah

- Population: 12,860
- Median home value: $182,100 (73% own)
- Median rent: $802 (27% own)
- Median household income: $66,304
- Top public schools: Delta Middle School (grade B+), Fillmore Middle School (grade B), Delta North School (grade B)
- Top private schools: White River Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Delta (grade B), Fillmore (grade B+), Oak City (grade B)

#9. Beaver County, Utah

- Population: 6,962
- Median home value: $221,500 (83% own)
- Median rent: $929 (17% own)
- Median household income: $74,569
- Top public schools: Minersville School (grade A), Belknap School (grade A), Minersville School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Beaver (grade B), Milford (grade B), Minersville (grade C+)
- Top places to live: grade B

#8. Morgan County, Utah

- Population: 12,162
- Median home value: $453,900 (87% own)
- Median rent: $1,301 (13% own)
- Median household income: $112,721
- Top public schools: Mountain Green School (grade A minus), Morgan Elementary School (grade B+), Morgan Middle School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Morgan (grade A minus), Enterprise (grade B), Mountain Green (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

#7. Weber County, Utah

- Population: 259,390
- Median home value: $282,800 (74% own)
- Median rent: $1,028 (26% own)
- Median household income: $74,345
- Top public schools: No. Ut. Academy of Math Engineering & Science Ogden (grade A), Taylor Canyon School (grade B+), Lomond View School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Saint Joseph Catholic High School (grade A+), St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School (grade A+), Oakgrove School (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: Pleasant View (grade B+), South Ogden (grade B+), North Ogden (grade B+)

#6. Summit County, Utah

- Population: 42,156
- Median home value: $734,900 (79% own)
- Median rent: $1,634 (21% own)
- Median household income: $116,351
- Top public schools: Park City High School (grade A), Jeremy Ranch School (grade A), North Summit Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Park City Day School (grade unavailable), Little Miners Montessori School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Park City (grade A), Snyderville (grade A), Summit Park (grade A)

#5. Wasatch County, Utah

- Population: 34,028
- Median home value: $490,500 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,487 (23% own)
- Median household income: $94,044
- Top public schools: Midway School (grade A minus), Soldier Hollow Charter School (grade A minus), Old Mill School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Daniels Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Heber (grade A minus), Midway (grade B+), Daniel (grade B minus)

#4. Salt Lake County, Utah

- Population: 1,173,331
- Median home value: $367,300 (67% own)
- Median rent: $1,258 (33% own)
- Median household income: $82,206
- Top public schools: Salt Lake Arts Academy (grade A+), Beehive Science & Technology Academy (grade A+), Skyline High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Waterford School (grade A+), Rowland Hall (grade A+), Judge Memorial Catholic High School (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Greater Avenues (grade A+), East Liberty Park (grade A+), Central City/Liberty-Wells (grade A+)

#3. Utah County, Utah

- Population: 648,265
- Median home value: $367,200 (69% own)
- Median rent: $1,199 (31% own)
- Median household income: $82,893
- Top public schools: Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy (grade A+), Utah County Academy of Sciences (UCAS) (grade A+), Lincoln Academy (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Liahona Preparatory Academy (grade A), American Heritage School (grade A), Arches Academy (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Highland (grade A), Cedar Hills (grade A), Alpine (grade A)

#2. Cache County, Utah

- Population: 131,703
- Median home value: $283,800 (64% own)
- Median rent: $914 (36% own)
- Median household income: $65,670
- Top public schools: Edith Bowen Laboratory School (grade A+), InTech Collegiate Academy (grade A), Spring Creek Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Logan River Academy (grade unavailable), Uinta Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: River Heights (grade A+), North Logan (grade A), Providence (grade A)

#1. Davis County, Utah

- Population: 358,831
- Median home value: $351,400 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,238 (23% own)
- Median household income: $92,765
- Top public schools: No. Ut. Academy for Math Engineering & Science (grade A+), Jefferson Academy (grade A+), Davis High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Layton Christian Academy (grade A minus), Dorius Academy (grade B+), Academy at Solstice (grade A)
- Top places to live: Kaysville (grade A), Bountiful (grade A), Centerville (grade A)

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