Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Utah
The combination of inflation and increased work-from-home opportunities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted migration patterns across the United States, the effects of which are still being felt in 2024, according to the latest Census Bureau data.
In the first year of the pandemic, migration out of densely populated, expensive cities like New York and San Francisco was especially notable. Many moved to Sun Belt states where the weather is warmer and the cost of living significantly lower.
But by the second year of the pandemic, it became clear that not everyone who was moving wanted to go far. A 2022 analysis of movement out of crowded cities from Stateline showed that many people leaving city centers moved to nearby suburbs in the same state. In Texas, for example, moves out of Houston rose 62% in the first month of the pandemic; meanwhile, the western suburb of Katy saw more new residents move in than any other part of the country.
According to the latest data from the Census Bureau, released in September 2023, 53.5% of people who moved in 2022 did so within the same county and an additional 24.3% remained in state, meaning more than three-quarters of movers stuck close to home.
Many young people in particular are remaining in the state, town, or even house that they grew up in. Before the pandemic, the number of younger adults living with their parents was on the rise and those patterns have continued. A late 2023 survey released by Lending Tree found that 57% of millennials and Gen Zers live in their hometowns.
Many people choose not to leave the state they were raised in for reasons ranging from wanting to be close to family, to not having the resources to leave, to sticking with a lower cost of living.
In order to determine where people stay put in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Utah using data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents who were born in the state according to the latest data, which is 2022 five-year estimates. The percentage of residents who were born in another state, a U.S. territory, and another country is also included.
Read on to find out where the most loyal Utah residents live.
#29. Summit County
- Population: 42,524
- Born in Utah: 17,507 (41.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 20,507 (48.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 636 (1.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,874 (9.1% of population)
#28. Grand County
- Population: 9,680
- Born in Utah: 4,310 (44.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,679 (48.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 62 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 629 (6.5% of population)
#27. Kane County
- Population: 7,814
- Born in Utah: 3,940 (50.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,658 (46.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 42 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 174 (2.2% of population)
#26. Wasatch County
- Population: 35,009
- Born in Utah: 18,350 (52.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 12,979 (37.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 776 (2.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,904 (8.3% of population)
#25. Washington County
- Population: 183,297
- Born in Utah: 96,715 (52.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 74,632 (40.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,525 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 10,425 (5.7% of population)
#24. San Juan County
- Population: 14,524
- Born in Utah: 7,866 (54.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,405 (44.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 13 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 240 (1.7% of population)
#23. Iron County
- Population: 58,068
- Born in Utah: 33,237 (57.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 21,680 (37.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 301 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,850 (4.9% of population)
#22. Salt Lake County
- Population: 1,180,643
- Born in Utah: 689,059 (58.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 326,112 (27.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 12,830 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 152,642 (12.9% of population)
#21. Utah County
- Population: 666,021
- Born in Utah: 409,109 (61.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 202,301 (30.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 6,631 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 47,980 (7.2% of population)
#20. Garfield County
- Population: 5,121
- Born in Utah: 3,284 (64.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,617 (31.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 12 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 208 (4.1% of population)
#19. Cache County
- Population: 134,428
- Born in Utah: 86,969 (64.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 38,145 (28.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,275 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 8,039 (6.0% of population)
#18. Weber County
- Population: 262,960
- Born in Utah: 172,024 (65.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 70,896 (27.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 3,501 (1.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 16,539 (6.3% of population)
#17. Davis County
- Population: 363,032
- Born in Utah: 240,076 (66.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 99,263 (27.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4,530 (1.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 19,163 (5.3% of population)
#16. Daggett County
- Population: 638
- Born in Utah: 426 (66.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 204 (32.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 8 (1.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 0 (0.0% of population)
#15. Uintah County
- Population: 35,951
- Born in Utah: 24,780 (68.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,287 (28.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 80 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 804 (2.2% of population)
#14. Rich County
- Population: 2,543
- Born in Utah: 1,759 (69.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 700 (27.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 80 (3.1% of population)
#13. Tooele County
- Population: 74,032
- Born in Utah: 52,234 (70.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 18,414 (24.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 667 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,717 (3.7% of population)
#12. Wayne County
- Population: 2,532
- Born in Utah: 1,804 (71.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 622 (24.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 101 (4.0% of population)
#11. Carbon County
- Population: 20,338
- Born in Utah: 14,717 (72.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,012 (24.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 152 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 457 (2.2% of population)
#10. Millard County
- Population: 13,027
- Born in Utah: 9,455 (72.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,758 (21.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 25 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 789 (6.1% of population)
#9. Box Elder County
- Population: 58,291
- Born in Utah: 43,110 (74.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 12,970 (22.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 514 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,697 (2.9% of population)
#8. Morgan County
- Population: 12,367
- Born in Utah: 9,216 (74.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,837 (22.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 97 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 217 (1.8% of population)
#7. Sanpete County
- Population: 28,816
- Born in Utah: 21,584 (74.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,610 (19.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 157 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,465 (5.1% of population)
#6. Sevier County
- Population: 21,667
- Born in Utah: 16,329 (75.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,879 (22.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 30 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 429 (2.0% of population)
#5. Duchesne County
- Population: 19,779
- Born in Utah: 15,224 (77.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,817 (19.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 101 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 637 (3.2% of population)
#4. Piute County
- Population: 1,764
- Born in Utah: 1,359 (77.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 358 (20.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 20 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 27 (1.5% of population)
#3. Beaver County
- Population: 7,102
- Born in Utah: 5,636 (79.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,000 (14.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 17 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 449 (6.3% of population)
#2. Emery County
- Population: 9,898
- Born in Utah: 7,897 (79.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,738 (17.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 9 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 254 (2.6% of population)
#1. Juab County
- Population: 11,943
- Born in Utah: 9,593 (80.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,113 (17.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 16 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 221 (1.9% of population)
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.
