Counties with the highest unemployment in Utah
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Utah using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in February 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of March 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—down slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Utah.
#29. Morgan County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,174 people (158 unemployed)
#28. Summit County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,611 people (760 unemployed)
#27. Cache County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 72,610 people (1,938 unemployed)
#26. Wasatch County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,396 people (551 unemployed)
#25. Millard County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,791 people (197 unemployed)
#24. Beaver County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 3,174 people (96 unemployed)
#23. Davis County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 190,832 people (5,640 unemployed)
#22. Box Elder County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,995 people (907 unemployed)
#21. Juab County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,633 people (212 unemployed)
#20. Iron County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,402 people (978 unemployed)
#19. Utah County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 356,760 people (11,346 unemployed)
#18. Salt Lake County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 696,278 people (23,197 unemployed)
#17. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 92,714 people (3,107 unemployed)
#16. Sanpete County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,541 people (524 unemployed)
#15. Weber County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 140,447 people (4,991 unemployed)
#14. Emery County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,737 people (176 unemployed)
#13. Tooele County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,222 people (1,439 unemployed)
#12. Uintah County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,137 people (569 unemployed)
#11. Duchesne County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,711 people (342 unemployed)
#10. Sevier County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,872 people (446 unemployed)
#9. Rich County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,169 people (50 unemployed)
#8. Kane County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,040 people (176 unemployed)
#7. Carbon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,530 people (382 unemployed)
#6. San Juan County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,809 people (343 unemployed)
#5. Daggett County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 372 people (24 unemployed)
#4. Piute County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 544 people (37 unemployed)
#3. Grand County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,549 people (535 unemployed)
#2. Wayne County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,521 people (129 unemployed)
#1. Garfield County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 14.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,540 people (359 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
