Editing Garfield County, Utah

{{Short description|County in Utah, United States}}
{{For|counties with a similar name|Garfield County (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Garfield County
 | state                = Utah
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1882
 | founded date         = March 9
 | seat wl              = Panguitch
 | largest city wl      = Panguitch
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 5208
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 5175
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 33
 | area percentage      = 0.6
 | coordinates          = {{coord|37.87|-111.44|display=inline,title|type:adm2nd_region:US-UT_source:UScensus1990}}
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 5083 {{loss}}
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 
 | density_sq_mi        = 0.98
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | web                  = garfield.utah.gov
 | named for            = [[James A. Garfield]]
 | ex image             = Garfield County, Utah courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Garfield County Courthouse in Panguitch, December 2006
 | district             = 2nd }}

'''Garfield County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in south central [[Utah]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census]] the population was 5,083,<ref>{{cite web|title=Garfield County, Utah|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Garfield_County,_Utah?g=050XX00US49017|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 30, 2023}}</ref> making it the fifth-least populous county in Utah; with about one inhabitant per square mile, it is also the least densely populated county in Utah. Its [[county seat]] and largest city is [[Panguitch, Utah|Panguitch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref>

==History==
The [[Utah Territory]] legislature created the county on March 9, 1882, with areas partitioned from [[Iron County, Utah|Iron County]]. It was named for [[James A. Garfield]], the twentieth [[President of the United States]], who had died six months earlier.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|publisher=Govt. Print. Off.|author=Gannett, Henry|year=1905|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n133 134]}}</ref> The border with Iron County was adjusted in 1884, and Garfield County's boundaries have remained intact since then.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/UT_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm |title=&#91;&#91;Newberry Library&#93;&#93; - Individual County Chronologies/Garfield County UT (accessed March 28, 2019) |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306153326/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/UT_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
The [[Colorado River]], flowing southwestward through a deep gorge, forms the eastern boundary. The [[Dirty Devil River]] flows southward through the east end of the county to discharge into Colorado at the county's border. Westward, the cliffs of tributary canyons give way to the barren stretches of the [[San Rafael Desert]], beyond which a variety of mountains, plateaus, and canyons make up the terrain. Most of [[Bryce Canyon National Park]] lies in the southwestern part of the county, and the northern half of the [[Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument]] occupies the middle of the county. A large portion of [[Capitol Reef National Park]] lies in the east-central part of the county. A very small part of [[Canyonlands National Park]] lies in the northeast corner of the county. The terrain of Garfield County is arid, rough, and carved with erosion.<ref name=GCU>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Garfield+County,+UT/@37.668584,-111.8346804,188241m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x873579cb0256258d:0x4596798e600a43d!8m2!3d37.8400344!4d-111.2845025 ''Garfield County UT'' Google Maps (accessed 28 March 2019)]</ref> The county terrain generally slopes to the south and to the east. The county's highest point is Mount Ellen, in the Henry Mountains,<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mt+Ellen+Peak/@38.1208171,-110.823354,3476m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8749e22f5b487549:0x527ac84a7f4beccb!8m2!3d38.1208179!4d-110.8145992 ''Mount Ellen Peak'' Google Maps (accessed 28 March 2019)]</ref> near the county's north border, at {{convert|11,522|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=13209 |title=Utah County High Points/Garfield County. Peakbagger (accessed 29 March 2019) |access-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090116/https://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=13209 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|5208|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|5175|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|33|sqmi}} (0.6%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_49.txt|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=March 27, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the fifth-largest county in Utah by area, and is about the same size as the state of [[Connecticut]].

===Airports===

Source:<ref name=GCU/>

* Bryce Canyon Airport (BCE)

===Major highways===

Source:<ref name=GCU/>

{{div col}}
* [[File:US 89.svg|25px]] US Highway 89
* Utah Highway 12
* Utah Highway 22
* Utah Highway 63
* Utah Highway 95
* Utah Highway 143
* Utah Highway 276
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Wayne County, Utah|Wayne County]] - northeast
* [[San Juan County, Utah|San Juan County]] - east
* [[Kane County, Utah|Kane County]] - south
* [[Iron County, Utah|Iron County]] - west
* [[Beaver County, Utah|Beaver County]] - northwest
* [[Piute County, Utah|Piute County]] - north
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===

Source:<ref name=GCU/>

{{div col}}
* [[Bryce Canyon National Park]] (part)
* [[Canyonlands National Park]] (part)
* [[Capitol Reef National Park]] (part)
* Carcass Canyon Wilderness Study Area
* [[Dixie National Forest]] (part)
* [[Escalante Petrified Forest State Park]]
* [[Fishlake National Forest]] (part)
* [[Glen Canyon National Recreation Area]] (part)
* [[Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument]] (part)
* Mammoth Cave (US Forest Service)
{{div col end}}

===Lakes===

Source:<ref name=GCU/>

* [[Lake Powell]] (part)
* Panguitch Lake
* Wide Hollow Reservoir

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 2457
|1900= 3400
|1910= 3660
|1920= 4768
|1930= 4642
|1940= 5253
|1950= 4151
|1960= 3577
|1970= 3157
|1980= 3673
|1990= 3980
|2000= 4735
|2010= 5172
|2020= 5083
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=US Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=March 27, 2015}}</ref><br>1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=March 27, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ut190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=March 27, 2015}}</ref><br>1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=March 27, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=QF>{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/49/49017.html|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 29, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606220317/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/49/49017.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> 2020<ref>[https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah]</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
According to the [[2020 United States census]]<ref name="2020CensusDHC">{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2023/dec/2020-census-dhc.html|title=2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC)|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=November 3, 2024}}</ref> and [[American Community Survey|2020 American Community Survey]],<ref name="2020ACS">{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.2020.html|title=American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2009-2022)|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=November 3, 2024}}</ref> there were 5,083 people in Garfield County with a [[population density]] of 1.0 people per square mile (0.4/km<sup>2</sup>). Among non-[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] people, the racial makeup was 4,446 (87.5%) [[White Americans|White]], 5 (0.1%) [[African Americans|African American]], 90 (1.8%) [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 30 (0.6%) [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 7 (0.1%) [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 3 (0.1%) from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 118 (2.3%) from [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]]. 384 (7.6%) people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 2,619 (51.52%) males and 2,464 (48.48%) females, and the population distribution by age was 1,202 (23.6%) under the age of 18, 2,682 (52.8%) from 18 to 64, and 1,199 (23.6%) who were at least 65 years old. The median age was 43.3 years.

There were 1,881 households in Garfield County with an average size of 2.70 of which 1,323 (70.3%) were families and 558 (29.7%) were non-families. Among all families, 1,100 (58.5%) were [[Marriage|married couples]], 83 (4.4%) were male householders with no spouse, and 140 (7.4%) were female householders with no spouse. Among all non-families, 479 (25.5%) were a single person living alone and 79 (4.2%) were two or more people living together. 528 (28.1%) of all households had children under the age of 18. 1,504 (80.0%) of households were [[Owner-occupancy|owner-occupied]] while 377 (20.0%) were [[Renting|renter-occupied]].

The median income for a Garfield County household was $44,279 and the median family income was $65,266, with a [[per-capita income]] of $23,926. The median income for males that were [[Full-time job|full-time employees]] was $49,904 and for females $34,773. 16.4% of the population and 11.3% of families were below the [[Poverty threshold|poverty line]].

In terms of education attainment, out of the 3,484 people in Garfield County 25 years or older, 221 (6.3%) had [[High school dropouts in the United States|not completed high school]], 1,067 (30.6%) had a [[high school diploma]] or equivalency, 1,312 (37.7%) had some college or [[associate degree]], 648 (18.6%) had a [[bachelor's degree]], and 236 (6.8%) had a [[Postgraduate education|graduate]] or [[professional degree]].

===Ancestry===
{{as of|2010}} the largest self-identified ancestry groups in Garfield County are:
* English - 46.2%
* German - 14.8%
* Irish - 10.1%
* Danish - 6.6%
* Scottish - 4.9%
* Welsh - 3.9%
* Scotch-Irish - 2.5%
* Swedish - 2.3%
* Norwegian - 2.2%<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US49017|title=American FactFinder - Results|website=factfinder.census.gov|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213040514/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US49017|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Politics and government==
Garfield County has traditionally voted Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

{| class="wikitable"
|+State elected offices
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;" |Position
!District
! style="text-align:center;" |Name
! valign="bottom" |Affiliation
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;" |First elected
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
|[[Utah Senate|Senate]]
|24
| style="text-align:center;" |[[Derrin Owens]]
| style="text-align:center;" |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;" |2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Senator Owens Utah Senate|url=https://senate.utah.gov/sen/OWENSD/|access-date=November 16, 2021|website=senate.utah.gov}}</ref>
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
|[[Utah House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
|73
| style="text-align:center;" |[[Phil Lyman]]
| style="text-align:center;" |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;" |2018<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rep. Lyman, Phil|url=https://house.utah.gov/rep/LYMANP/|access-date=November 15, 2021|website=Utah House of Representatives|language=en-US|archive-date=November 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115182904/https://house.utah.gov/rep/LYMANP/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| style="background-color:lightgrey" |&nbsp;
|Board of Education
|14
| style="text-align:center;" |Mark Huntsman
| style="text-align:center;" |Nonpartisan
| style="text-align:center;" |2014<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mark Huntsman|url=https://www.schools.utah.gov/board/members/utah/markhuntsman|access-date=November 15, 2021|website=www.schools.utah.gov|archive-date=November 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115183003/https://www.schools.utah.gov/board/members/utah/markhuntsman|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|}

{{PresHead|place=Garfield County, Utah|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,211|541|76|Utah}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,158|514|60|Utah}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,606|358|399|Utah}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,832|308|42|Utah}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,710|405|67|Utah}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,848|264|50|Utah}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,719|178|71|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,330|283|234|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,235|309|439|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,470|370|15|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,609|315|11|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,578|375|62|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|1,163|539|74|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,290|242|71|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,033|314|140|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|821|658|0|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,083|471|0|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,115|353|0|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,065|477|0|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|924|642|1|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|842|559|1|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|1,030|814|0|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|842|928|2|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|1,125|493|26|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,024|325|5|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|823|308|52|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,023|393|15|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|516|843|17|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1912|Republican|673|249|153|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|722|290|42|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|679|252|37|Utah}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|649|395|0|Utah}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Democratic|249|615|0|Utah}}

==Communities==

Source:<ref name=GCU/>

{{stack|[[File:Garfield County Utah incorporated and unincorporated areas.svg|thumb|Communities in Garfield County, Utah]]}}

=== Cities ===
* [[Escalante, Utah|Escalante]]
* [[Panguitch, Utah|Panguitch]] (county seat)

===Towns===
* [[Antimony, Utah|Antimony]]
* [[Bryce Canyon City, Utah|Bryce Canyon City]]
* [[Boulder, Utah|Boulder]]
* [[Cannonville, Utah|Cannonville]]
* [[Hatch, Utah|Hatch]]
* [[Henrieville, Utah|Henrieville]]
* [[Tropic, Utah|Tropic]]

===Unincorporated communities===

* [[Hillsdale, Utah|Hillsdale]]
* [[Ticaboo, Utah|Ticaboo]]
* [[Widtsoe, Utah|Widtsoe]]

==Education==
All portions of the county are in the [[Garfield School District (Utah)|Garfield School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st49_ut/schooldistrict_maps/c49017_garfield/DC20SD_C49017.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Garfield County, UT|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-09-28}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st49_ut/schooldistrict_maps/c49017_garfield/DC20SD_C49017_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==See also==
* {{portal-inline|Utah}}
* [[List of counties in Utah]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Garfield County, Utah]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==Further reading==
* (1994) [https://web.archive.org/web/20240207080031/https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/g/GARFIELD_COUNTY.shtml "Garfield County"] article in the [https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/ ''Utah History Encyclopedia.''] The article was written by Miriam B. Murphy and the Encyclopedia was published by the University of Utah Press. ISBN 9780874804256. Archived from [https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/g/GARFIELD_COUNTY.shtml the original] on February 7, 2024, and retrieved on April 25, 2024.

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline|Garfield County, Utah}}
* {{official website|http://garfield.utah.gov}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Garfield County
|North     = [[Piute County, Utah|Piute County]]
|Northeast = [[Wayne County, Utah|Wayne County]]
|East      = [[San Juan County, Utah|San Juan County]]
|South     = [[Kane County, Utah|Kane County]]
|West      = [[Iron County, Utah|Iron County]]
|Northwest = [[Beaver County, Utah|Beaver County]]
}}

{{Garfield County, Utah}}
{{Utah}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Garfield County, Utah| ]]
[[Category:1882 establishments in Utah Territory]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1882]]