Most rural counties in Utah
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. Stacker compiled a list of the most rural counties in Utah using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 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
