| County: | Sevier County |
| State: | Utah |
| Founded Year: | 1865 |
| Founded Date: | January 16 |
| Seat Wl: | Richfield |
| Largest City Wl: | Richfield |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1918 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1911 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 7.8 |
| Area Percentage: | 0.4 |
| Coordinates: | 38.75°N -111.8°W |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 21522 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 11.3 |
| Time Zone: | Mountain |
| Web: | www.sevierutah.net |
| Ex Image: | Sevier County Courthouse, Richfield, Utah..jpg |
| Ex Image Cap: | Sevier County Courthouse in Richfield |
| District: | 2nd |
Sevier County is a county in Utah, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 21,522.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Richfield.[2]
Pando, a clonal quaking aspen stand, that, according to some sources, is the oldest (80,000 years) and largest (106 acres, 13 million pounds) organism on Earth, is located in this county.
Evidence of indigenous peoples residing in Sevier County up to 5,000 BP has been unearthed.[3] The Fremont culture of Native Americans occupied the area from about 2000 to 700 BP.[4] The Clear Creek site contains native petroglyphs from that period.
In Utah, the Numic- (or Shoshonean) speaking peoples of the Uto-Aztecan language family evolved into four distinct groups in the historical period: the Northern Shoshone, Goshute or Western Shoshone, Southern Paiute, and Ute peoples. This territory's central and eastern sections were occupied primarily by various bands of the Ute.[5]
The first modern sighting of the Sevier River was most likely by the Catholic fathers Silvestre Vélez de Escalante and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez, on their expedition to California in 1776.[6] The Old Spanish Trail was the route they mapped. Over the next century, this trail carried fur trappers, hunters, government officials, traders, and settlers.
Settlement of this area began when Richfield was first settled. Mormon settlers (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) arrived on June 15, 1864, most of whom had emigrated from Scandinavian countries. Because of the growth in this small community, the people soon petitioned Utah Territory officials about a separate county.[7]
On January 16, 1865, the Utah Territory legislature created the county, with the area annexed from Sanpete County. It was named for the Sevier River.[8] The county seat was Big Spring (later named Richfield). The county borders were adjusted in 1866, 1880, 1890, and in 1921. A clarification of boundary lines corresponding to government survey lines was completed in 1931, marking the present configuration of Sevier County.[9]
Although the county was in place by 1865, much of Sevier County was abandoned in the Black Hawk War in 1867. Attempts to resettle the area were not successful until 1870. By 1874, 753 residents lived in the area.[10]
Sevier County terrain consists of semi-arid but arable rolling areas punctuated by northeast–southwest mountain ridges, usually forested.[11] The highest point is Fish Lake Hightop in the Central Utah Plateau, at 11633feet ASL.[12] The county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.4%) is water.[13]
According to the 2020 United States census[14] and 2020 American Community Survey,[15] there were 21,522 people in Sevier County with a population density of 11.3 people per square mile (4.3/km2). Among non-Hispanic or Latino people, the racial makeup was 19,396 (90.1%) White, 65 (0.3%) African American, 313 (1.5%) Native American, 40 (0.2%) Asian, 49 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 49 (0.2%) from other races, and 557 (2.6%) from two or more races. 1,053 (4.9%) people were Hispanic or Latino.
There were 10,870 (50.51%) males and 10,652 (49.49%) females, and the population distribution by age was 6,449 (30.0%) under the age of 18, 11,325 (52.6%) from 18 to 64, and 3,748 (17.4%) who were at least 65 years old. The median age was 36.3 years.
There were 7,464 households in Sevier County with an average size of 2.88 of which 5,555 (74.4%) were families and 1,909 (25.6%) were non-families. Among all families, 4,491 (60.2%) were married couples, 362 (4.8%) were male householders with no spouse, and 702 (9.4%) were female householders with no spouse. Among all non-families, 1,640 (22.0%) were a single person living alone and 269 (3.6%) were two or more people living together. 2,777 (37.2%) of all households had children under the age of 18. 5,752 (77.1%) of households were owner-occupied while 1,712 (22.9%) were renter-occupied.
The median income for a Sevier County household was $55,361 and the median family income was $62,058, with a per-capita income of $24,041. The median income for males that were full-time employees was $50,183 and for females $36,000. 14.3% of the population and 12.3% of families were below the poverty line.
In terms of education attainment, out of the 13,469 people in Sevier County 25 years or older, 1,206 (9.0%) had not completed high school, 4,206 (31.2%) had a high school diploma or equivalency, 5,242 (38.9%) had some college or associate degree, 1,931 (14.3%) had a bachelor's degree, and 884 (6.6%) had a graduate or professional degree.
Interstate 70 runs through the county. As Richfield is about halfway between the major cities of Los Angeles, California and Denver, Colorado, it has built a hospitality industry, with motels and restaurants serving travelers.
Fremont Indian State Park is found in the Clear Creek Canyon, adjacent to I-70. It is noted for its archaeological remains from the ancient Native American Fremont culture. Its museum displays found artifacts.
Sevier County is traditionally Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).
| Name | Affiliation | First Elected | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | 24 | Derrin Owens | Republican | 2020[16] | |
| House of Representatives | 70 | Carl Albrecht | Republican | 2016[17] | |
| House of Representatives | 73 | Phil Lyman | Republican | 2018[18] | |
| Board of Education | 14 | Mark Huntsman | Nonpartisan | 2014[19] | |
All of the county is in the Sevier School District.[20]