Sanpete County, Utah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sanpete County, Utah | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Utah |
|
 Utah's location in the USA |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1852 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Manti |
| Largest City | Ephraim |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,603 sq mi (4,151 km²) 1,588 sq mi (4,113 km²) 15 sq mi (38 km²), 0.91% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
22,763 |
| Website: www.sanpete.com | |
Sanpete County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 22,763 and by 2005 was estimated at 24,044. It was possibly named for a Ute Indian chief named San Pitch, which was corrupted to Sanpete. Its county seat is Manti and its largest city is Ephraim.6
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,151 km² (1,603 mi²). 4,113 km² (1,588 mi²) of it is land and 38 km² (15 mi²) of it (0.91%) is water. Sanpete is located in the geographical center of Utah.
Sanpete is bounded along its eastern side by the Wasatch Plateau (sometimes known as the Manti Mountains). The Wasatch Plateau rises to elevations of approximately 11,000 feet (3,300 m). Most of the Wasatch Plateau is encompassed by the Manti Division of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Runoff from the western slopes of these mountains provides water to the county's cities and agricultural areas. Central Sanpete is dominated by the Sanpete Valley (sometimes known as the Sanpitch or San Pitch Valley), where most of the county's cities are located. The western side of the valley is bounded by the lower and drier San Pitch Mountains, which also form part of the western boundary of the county. The San Pitch River, runs from north to south through Sanpete and empties into the Sevier River in southwestern Sanpete. This portion of the Sevier River Valley is known as Gunnison Valley.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Utah County, Utah - (north)
- Carbon County, Utah - (northeast)
- Emery County, Utah - (east)
- Sevier County, Utah - (south)
- Millard County, Utah - (southwest)
- Juab County, Utah - (northwest)
[edit] Industry and Economy
Sanpete County is a primarily agricultural region of the state and is dotted with small farming towns having a rural lifestyle. Small local-run businesses and restaurants comprise most of the job opportunities in the county. The only industry of any size in the county is the Norbest Turkey Processing Plant[1] in the town of Moroni. It and the Moroni Feed Co-op employ roughly 850 people. Numerous turkey pens and sheds dot the landscape, primarily around the northern towns. Alfalfa fields and other animal feed crops make up the bulk of the agricultural activity and economy of the county.
Sanpete County [2]is also the home of Snow College[3]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 22,763 people, 6,547 households, and 5,067 families residing in the county. The population density was 6/km² (14/mi²). There were 7,879 housing units at an average density of 2/km² (5/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.43% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.87% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.36% Pacific Islander, 4.06% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. 6.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,547 households out of which 43.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.00% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.60% were non-families. 17.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the county, the population was spread out with 33.20% under the age of 18, 16.40% from 18 to 24, 21.80% from 25 to 44, 17.80% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 102.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,042, and the median income for a family was $37,796. Males had a median income of $30,527 versus $19,974 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,442. About 10.40% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.90% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
White settlers first inhabited the Sanpete Valley in the late 1840s. Over the course of the 19th Century, many of the settlers came from Scandinavian countries, as documented in the Saga of the Sanpitch.
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Sanpete County, Utah Manti (county seat) |
|---|---|
| Cities and Towns |
Axtell | Centerfield | Chester | Ephraim | Fairview | Fayette | Fountain Green | Freedom | Gunnison | Indianola | Manti | Mayfield | Milburn Moroni | Mount Pleasant | Spring City | Sterling | Wales |
| Geography | |
| History |
Chief Wakara | Isaac Morley | Welcome Chapman | Saga of the Sanpitch |
| Other |
