Weber County, Utah

Weber County (/ˈwiːbər/ WEE-bər) is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2010 census, the population was 231,236,[1] making it Utah's fourth-most populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Ogden,[2] the home of Weber State University. The county was named for the Weber River.

Weber County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Utah
Utah's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°18′N 111°55′W
Country United States
State Utah
FoundedJanuary 31, 1850 (created)
March 3, 1852 (organized)
Named forWeber River
SeatOgden
Largest cityOgden
Area
 • Total659 sq mi (1,710 km2)
 • Land576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Water83 sq mi (210 km2)  13%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total231,236
 • Estimate 
(2019)
260,213
 • Density350/sq mi (140/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.co.weber.ut.us

Weber 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 Weber Valley was visited by many trappers seeking beavers and muskrats along its streams. One of the first on record reached the area in 1824, traveling from Fort Bridger. He reported that the Bear River flowed into a salt bay. Peter Skene Ogden passed through in 1826, representing the Hudson's Bay Company. He traded in this area for several years, near present-day North Ogden. John C. Frémont explored the Weber Valley in 1843, and made maps of the area. The Fremont reports encouraged readers to seek their fortunes in the western frontier. Miles Goodyear was a fur trapper who constructed a way station on the Weber River in 1845. In 1847 he sold it to incoming Mormon pioneers. James Brown made the purchase, and changed the name of the site to Brownsville (it was later changed to Ogden).[3]

After the Mormon pioneers began filling out into the future state of Utah, the fledgling government (as of 1849 known as State of Deseret) began a system of government. On January 31, 1850 the legislature provided for the creation of six counties to generally cover the area, named in this order:

  • Weber (with Ogden as county seat)
  • Great Salt Lake
  • Utah
  • San Pete
  • Tuilla
  • Little Salt Lake[4]

The county boundaries were better-defined by the 1852 Utah Territory legislature. The borders were adjusted by subsequents acts in 1855, in 1856, and in 1862. The creation of Nevada Territory in 1862 also administratively reduced the county's territory by a significant degree, since its 1852 description had it running to the Sierra Nevada mountains in central California. A final adjustment in 1880 concerning the various lands in the Great Salt Lake area brought the county's borders to their present configuration.[5]

As of the 1852 description, the original Weber County stretched from California in the west, to the Oregon boundary on the north, to a point in middle Davis County in the south.[6] As Nevada and the State of Utah evolved, Weber County was trimmed so that it now occupies a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains.

Geography

The county extends from high in the Wasatch Range in the east into a portion of the Great Salt Lake to the west. The Weber and Ogden rivers and their tributaries run through its valleys.[7] The Weber County Surveyor's office divides the county into two regions, the "Lower Valley" and the "Upper Valley", divided by the ridge of the Wasatch front range south through the county. Lower Valley, adjacent to the Lake, is the county's more populous part. The Upper Valley consists mostly of the Ogden Valley, the watershed of the Ogden River. The county's highest elevation is Willard Peak in the Wasatch Mountains, at 9,763' (2976m) ASL.[8] The county has an area of 659 square miles (1,710 km2), of which 576 square miles (1,490 km2) is land and 83 square miles (210 km2) (13%) is water.[9] It is the second-smallest county in Utah by land area and third-smallest by total area.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas
  • Cache National Forest (part)
  • Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area
  • Weber Memorial Park
  • Willard Bay Upland Game Management Area (part)[7]

Lakes
  • Beus Pond (aka Beus Reservoir)
  • Bluebell Spring
  • Box Spring
  • Bybee Pond (aka Lybee Reservoir)
  • Causey Reservoir
  • Choke Spring
  • Cold Springs
  • Cutler Spring
  • Deseret Spring (aka Desert Spring)
  • Front Hollow Spring
  • Glassman Pond
  • Great Salt Lake (part)
  • Green Pond
  • Huntsville Reservoir
  • Lime Kiln Spring
  • Limestone Spring
  • Little Monte Springs
  • Lower Dry Bread Pond
  • Meadow Creek Pond
  • Monastery Spring
  • Norma Springs
  • Pineview Reservoir
  • The Horseshoe Bend
  • Twenty-First Street Pond
  • Utaba Reservoir

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18501,186—
18608,675631.5%
18707,858−9.4%
188012,34457.1%
189022,72384.1%
190025,23911.1%
191035,17939.4%
192043,66324.1%
193052,17219.5%
194056,7148.7%
195083,31946.9%
1960110,74432.9%
1970126,27814.0%
1980144,61614.5%
1990158,3309.5%
2000196,53324.1%
2010231,23617.7%
2019 (est.)260,213[10]12.5%
US Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2019[1]

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 231,236 people in the county, organized into 78,784 households and 57,867 families.[15] The population density was 351/sqmi (135/km2). There were 86,187 housing units at an average density of 131 per square mile (50/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 85.2% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 1.3% Asian, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 6.59% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. 16.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[15]

In the 2000 United States Census, there were 196,533 people in the county, organized into 65,698 households and 49,536 families. The population density was 341/sqmi (132/km2). There were 70,454 housing units at an average density of 122 per square mile (47/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.69% White, 1.40% Black or African American, 1.28% Asian, 0.77% Native American, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 6.59% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. 12.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

By 2005 80.4% of the population was non-Hispanic whites. 1.5% was African-Americans while 0.9% was Native American. Asians were 1.4% of the population. Latinos were 15.2% of the county population.

There were 78,748 households, out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.1% of all households had an individual who was 65 years of age or older and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.40.[15]

Ages
Weber County Age Breakdown
Age Range Number Percent
Under 5 years 20,837 9.0
5 to 9 years 19,667 8.5
10 to 14 years 18,375 7.9
15 to 19 years 17,261 7.5
20 to 24 years 17,636 7.6
25 to 29 years 19,131 8.3
30 to 34 years 17,469 7.6
35 to 39 years 14, 559 6.3
40 to 44 years 12,899 5.6
45 to 49 years 14,160 6.1
50 to 54 years 14,123 6.1
55 to 59 years 11,904 5.1
60 to 64 years 9,824 4.2
65 years and over 23,388 10.1

The median age was 30.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.0 males.[15]

Income and employment

As of the 2010 census, the median income for a household in the county was $62,036, and the median income for a family was $71,359. Males had a median income of $49,081 versus $34,954 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,275. 12.1% of the population and 8.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.4% of those under the age of 18 and 8.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.[15]

The 2000 census found, the median income for a household in the county was $44,014, and the median income for a family was $49,724. Males had a median income of $36,239 versus $24,719 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,246. 9.30% of the population and 6.90% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.10% of those under the age of 18 and 5.50% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

In the 2010 census, 67.0% of people over 16 were in labor and 33.0% were not in labor. The unemployment rate was 3.2%.[15]

Ancestry

As of 2017, the largest self-identified ancestry groups in Weber County, Utah were:[16]

  • English (21.6%)
  • German (10.5%)
  • "American" (7.5%)
  • Irish (6.1%)
  • Scottish (4.1%)
  • Danish (3.9%)
  • Italian (3.6%)
  • Dutch (3.1%)
  • Swedish (3.0%)
  • Welsh (1.9%)
  • Norwegian (1.9%)

Education

Institutions and organizations of education in Weber County:

Communities

Cities

Towns

Townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable residents

Politics

Weber County voters usually vote Republican. In no national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 58.5% 65,949 36.1% 40,695 5.3% 6,005
2016 46.8% 40,235 26.9% 23,131 26.3% 22,640
2012 71.1% 54,224 26.0% 19,841 2.9% 2,225
2008 62.0% 45,885 34.7% 25,666 3.3% 2,471
2004 70.4% 51,199 27.3% 19,862 2.2% 1,630
2000 62.6% 39,254 31.7% 19,890 5.7% 3,598
1996 48.8% 27,443 38.1% 21,404 13.2% 7,395
1992 39.3% 26,812 26.1% 17,795 34.6% 23,609
1988 64.0% 39,676 34.6% 21,431 1.5% 911
1984 70.4% 44,590 29.0% 18,346 0.6% 398
1980 70.0% 43,807 24.6% 15,404 5.4% 3,388
1976 58.3% 34,811 38.7% 23,111 3.0% 1,762
1972 68.2% 37,753 26.2% 14,503 5.6% 3,078
1968 52.8% 27,034 40.0% 20,465 7.2% 3,683
1964 40.5% 20,206 59.5% 29,666
1960 47.9% 22,293 52.1% 24,239 0.1% 31
1956 56.0% 22,542 44.1% 17,747
1952 51.1% 20,692 48.9% 19,795
1948 37.1% 12,445 62.2% 20,861 0.8% 253
1944 32.6% 9,518 67.3% 19,639 0.2% 48
1940 30.6% 7,946 69.4% 18,037 0.1% 24
1936 21.9% 4,989 77.1% 17,594 1.1% 243
1932 39.0% 8,019 56.2% 11,541 4.8% 989
1928 53.8% 9,934 45.3% 8,361 0.9% 173
1924 43.6% 7,382 23.5% 3,970 33.0% 5,579
1920 50.7% 7,122 37.3% 5,239 12.0% 1,684
1916 35.5% 4,720 61.1% 8,139 3.4% 454
1912 29.3% 3,171 27.6% 2,986 43.1% 4,661
1908 56.1% 5,881 37.8% 3,965 6.1% 644
1904 62.4% 6,331 30.6% 3,108 7.0% 714
1900 52.4% 4,585 46.7% 4,092 0.9% 82
1896 17.8% 1,373 82.2% 6,343

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. History - Buenaventura Park (accessed March 31, 2019)
  4. Richard C. Roberts & Richard W. Sadler, A History of Weber County (1997). Accessed 31 March 2019
  5. "Utah: Individual County Chronologies". Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  6. Fisher, Richard Swainson (1855). A new and complete statistical gazetteer of the United States of America. New York: J.H. Colton Co. p. 870. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  7. Weber County UT Google Maps (accessed 31 March 2019)
  8. "Utah County High Points/Weber County. Peakbagger.com (accessed 31 March 2019)". Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  10. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  11. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  13. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  15. Bureau, U. S. Census. "U.S. Census website". census.gov. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  16. Factfinder (US Census Bureau)
  17. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 31, 2018.

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