Davis County
County
Davis County, Utah
Location within the U.S. state of Utah
Utah's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°01′N 112°07′W / 41.01°N 112.12°W / 41.01; -112.12
Country	United States
State	Utah
Founded	October 5, 1850
Named for	Daniel C. Davis
Seat	Farmington
Largest city	Layton
Area
• Total	634 sq mi (1,640 km2)
• Land	299 sq mi (770 km2)
• Water	335 sq mi (870 km2)  53%
Population  (2020)
• Total	362,679
• Density	570/sq mi (220/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 2nd
Website	www.daviscountyutah.gov

Davis County is a county in northern Utah, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 362,679,^[1] making it Utah's third-most populous county. Its county seat is Farmington,^[2] and its largest city by both population and area is Layton.

Davis County is part of the Ogden-Clearfield, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, UT Combined Statistical Area.

History

The legislature of the provisional State of Deseret defined the county in an October 5, 1850, act, which also designated Farmington as the seat due to its location midway between boundaries at the Weber River on the north and the Jordan River on the south. It was named for Daniel C. Davis,^[3] a captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county boundaries were altered in 1852, 1854, 1855, and in 1862. In 1880 the county gained part of the islands and waters of Great Salt Lake that had previously been attached to Salt Lake County. The county boundary has remained unchanged since that time.^[4]

During its first 50 years, Davis County grew slowly. With the advent of the Utah Central Rail Road in 1870, a transition to mechanized agriculture and a surge of commerce, banking, improved roads, new water systems, and electrification of homes began. However, by 1940, the population was barely 16,000.

With the establishment of Hill Air Force Base in northern Davis County and southern Weber County,^[5] there was a surge in civilian employment after World War II. The county doubled in population between 1940 and 1950 and doubled again between 1950 and 1960 as part of the nationwide suburb boom that was occurring at the time. By 1990 there were 188,000 residents, and in 2000, there were 239,000. As of 2020, the county population is above 360,000.

Geography

Davis County has an area of 634 square miles (1,640 km²), of which 299 square miles (770 km²) is land and 335 square miles (870 km²) (53%) is water.^[6] It is Utah's smallest county by land area and second smallest by total area.

The county lies generally between the Great Salt Lake on the west and the Wasatch Range on the east, which rises to a height of 9,707 feet (2,959 m) in the county at Thurston Peak.^[7]

The Great Salt Lake is surrounded by marshland and mudflats, and lies at an average elevation of approximately 4,200 feet (1,300 m), varying depending on the water level, which can lead to drastic changes in the lake size due to its shallowness. Davis County includes Antelope Island, the lake's largest island. The entire island is a state park, designated to protect natural scenery and especially wildlife on the island, which includes bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and a bison herd.

The inhabited portion of Davis County between the lake and the mountain range is called the Wasatch Front, a narrow stretch of land that restricts north–south transportation in the county.

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

^[8]

Lakes

^[8]

Climate

Eastern parts of Davis County experience a humid continental climate (Dsa), while western parts may experience a mediterranean climate (Csa). Summers are dry and hot and winters are cold and wet, but rarely frigid. Snow is frequent during winter, with up to 90 in (230 cm) annually on high bench areas in the east and at least 60 inches (150 cm) on the valley floor. Annual precipitation averages between 18 and 25 inches (460 and 640 mm) in the county, with spring being the wettest season and summer the driest. Summers are hot, with several days each year averaging above 95 °F (35 °C). However, the humidity is low, making for comparatively comfortable temperatures. In winter, temperatures sometimes drop below 0 °F (−18 °C), but rarely for extended periods of time. Compared to Salt Lake County to the south, the weather in Davis County is extreme. Lake-effect snows hit the southern portion of the county harder, and even in non-lake-effect storms, the lack of a rain shadow in Davis County (much of Salt Lake County lies in the rain shadow of the Oquirrh Mountains) means that storms often hit Davis County harder. In addition, canyon winds from the east can sometimes cause devastating wind damage, and wind gusts above 100 mph (160 km/h) have been reported. This occurs when a powerful high pressure system is over Wyoming, and is a frequent occurrence. Extreme wind events, however, seem to have declined in frequency in recent years.^[9]

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 306,479 people, 93,545 households, and 76,205 families in the county. The population density was 1,025 people per square mile (396 people/km²). There were 97,570 housing units at an average density of 320.95 units per square mile (123.92 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.04% White, 1.21% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.77% Asian, 0.59% Pacific Islander, 3.24% from other races, and 2.69% from two or more races. 8.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 93,545 households, out of which 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.99% were married couples living together, 9.59% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.54% were non-families. 15.23% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.27% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24 and the average family size was 3.63.

The county population contained 37.23% under the age of 20, 6.56% from 20 to 24, 28.13% from 25 to 44, 19.92% from 45 to 64, and 8.15% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.85 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.09 males.

Law and government

A three-member board of commissioners is the county's governing body. The commissioners are elected to staggered four-year terms. They are responsible for all county services and operations. They approve, adopt, and amend the budget; they also serve as the legislative body and regulate business licensing in the county's unincorporated areas. The county commissioners (as of 2021) are:

• Bob J. Stevenson, chair (term ends January 5, 2027)
• Randy B. Elliott, vice chair (term ends January 6, 2025)
• Lorene Miner Kamalu (term ends January 5, 2027)^[16]

Other elected offices include the County Attorney, Assessor, Clerk/Auditor, Sheriff, Recorder, Surveyor, and Treasurer.

• The assessor is responsible for the valuing of all real property in the county. The current assessor is Dale Peterson (as of March 2018).^[17]
• The clerk/auditor serves as the county's chief financial and budget officer. The current Clerk/Auditor is Curtis Koch (as of March 2018).^[18]
• The treasurer is responsible for collection and investing of county funds. The current Treasurer is Mark Altom (as of March 2019).^[19]

Davis County voters are traditionally Republican. In no national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).