Utah is divided into 29 counties, administrative subdivisions that help deliver local services across the state. For a concise directory and official resources, see county listings and general information about Utah.
Overview
Counties in Utah serve as primary units of local government. They manage law enforcement, court administration support, public records, property assessment, road maintenance, land use planning, and certain health and human services. County governments typically employ elected officers—such as a sheriff, recorder, assessor and treasurer—and are led by boards or commissions that set budgets and policy for unincorporated areas.
List of counties
The state contains the following 29 counties:
- Beaver
- Box Elder
- Cache
- Carbon
- Daggett
- Davis
- Duchesne
- Emery
- Garfield
- Grand
- Iron
- Juab
- Kane
- Millard
- Morgan
- Piute
- Rich
- Salt Lake
- San Juan
- Sanpete
- Sevier
- Summit
- Tooele
- Uintah
- Utah
- Wasatch
- Washington
- Wayne
- Weber
History and geography
Utah’s counties were created over the 19th and early 20th centuries as settlement expanded during territorial times and after statehood. They range widely in character: some are densely populated urban counties that form metropolitan areas, while others are large, sparsely populated regions with extensive public lands. The state’s varied landscape—mountain ranges, plateaus, deserts and the Great Salt Lake—influences county economies and transportation patterns.
Uses and notable facts
Counties provide essential civic functions for residents and businesses and act as partners with state and federal agencies on issues such as land management, emergency response and public health. Salt Lake County is the state’s most populous county, while several counties include national parks, monuments and other federal lands that drive tourism and recreation. Understanding county boundaries is important for voting districts, property records, and local planning.