Best overall
Juab County
Overall score 75.6
Economy 86.2 / Affordability 48.5
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Utah
Compare counties in Utah by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 29 Utah counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Utah
Put Utah counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Utah rankings
Open the full Utah ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Utah county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Beaver County
Family score 81.3
Schools 90.3 / Safety 86.6
Best value
Juab County
Value score 73.0
Affordability 48.5 / Taxes 78.9
Most affordable
Beaver County
Affordability 56
Typical home $312,684
Best schools
Summit County
Schools 96.4
Safety 85.9 / Economy 89.3
Safest
Tooele County
Safety 96.5
Schools 52.6 / Peace 87.9
Low taxes
Rich County
Taxes 89.3
Affordability 10.6 / Typical home $587,240
Peace & quiet
Grand County
Peace & Quiet 94.8
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Utah
View full- 1Juab County
Typical home $451,649
75.6
Overall
- 2Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
74.4
Overall
- 3Morgan County
Typical home $743,323
74.3
Overall
- 4Tooele County
Typical home $478,644
71.4
Overall
- 5Sevier County
Typical home $330,959
70.5
Overall
Best counties for families in Utah
View full- 1Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
81.3
Family
- 2Morgan County
Typical home $743,323
78.2
Family
- 3Juab County
Typical home $451,649
77.5
Family
- 4Sevier County
Typical home $330,959
77.0
Family
- 5Kane County
Typical home $421,816
75.2
Family
Best value counties in Utah
View full- 1Juab County
Typical home $451,649
73.0
Value
- 2Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
72.8
Value
- 3Tooele County
Typical home $478,644
71.7
Value
- 4Sevier County
Typical home $330,959
68.5
Value
- 5Emery County
Typical home $296,392
68.3
Value
Most affordable counties in Utah
View full- 1Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
56
Afford.
- 2Emery County
Typical home $296,392
55.2
Afford.
- 3Sevier County
Typical home $330,959
48.9
Afford.
- 4Juab County
Typical home $451,649
48.5
Afford.
- 5Garfield County
Typical home $253,584
48.5
Afford.
Best school counties in Utah
View full- 1Summit County
Typical home $1,326,103
96.4
Schools
- 2Cache County
Typical home $467,957
96
Schools
- 3Morgan County
Typical home $743,323
95.8
Schools
- 4Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
90.3
Schools
- 5Kane County
Typical home $421,816
89.3
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Utah
View full- 1Rich County
Typical home $587,240
89.3
Taxes
- 2Wayne County
Typical home $446,681
84.5
Taxes
- 3Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
84.2
Taxes
- 4Piute County
Typical home $264,800
81.8
Taxes
- 5Daggett County
Typical home $354,107
81
Taxes
Quietest counties in Utah
View full- 1Grand County
Typical home $579,672
94.8
Quiet
- 2Millard County
Typical home $342,863
94.3
Quiet
- 3Beaver County
Typical home $312,684
94.1
Quiet
- 4Box Elder County
Typical home $454,737
93.6
Quiet
- 5Juab County
Typical home $451,649
93.1
Quiet
Safest counties in Utah
View full- 1Tooele County
Typical home $478,644
96.5
Safety
- 2Juab County
Typical home $451,649
93.9
Safety
- 3Box Elder County
Typical home $454,737
93.4
Safety
- 4Sevier County
Typical home $330,959
93.2
Safety
- 5Weber County
Typical home $462,492
92.5
Safety
Popular Utah county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Utah
The best county in Utah depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Utah
For best overall counties in Utah, Juab County, Beaver County, and Morgan County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Utah
For families, Beaver County, Morgan County, and Juab County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Utah
For affordability-focused movers, Beaver County, Emery County, and Sevier County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Utah
For school-first households, Summit County, Cache County, and Morgan County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Utah
For lower tax-pressure searches, Rich County, Wayne County, and Beaver County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Utah
For quieter-living searches, Grand County, Millard County, and Beaver County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Utah
Compare county scale carefully in Utah; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Utah
What is the best county to live in Utah?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Juab County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Utah for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Beaver County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Utah?
Beaver County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Utah counties score well for schools or taxes?
Summit County currently leads the school-score view, while Rich County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Utah counties
Showing all 29 Utah counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juab County FIPS 49023 | 75.6 | 86.2 | 48.5 | 76.4 | 93.9 | 78.9 | 93.1 | $451,649 | $101,786 |
| 2 | Beaver County FIPS 49001 | 74.4 | 65 | 56 | 90.3 | 86.6 | 84.2 | 94.1 | $312,684 | $79,360 |
| 3 | Morgan County FIPS 49029 | 74.3 | 91.8 | 30.5 | 95.8 | 85 | 73 | 91 | $743,323 | $130,929 |
| 4 | Tooele County FIPS 49045 | 71.4 | 92 | 47.3 | 52.6 | 96.5 | 72.2 | 87.9 | $478,644 | $106,587 |
| 5 | Sevier County FIPS 49041 | 70.5 | 66.1 | 48.9 | 79 | 93.2 | 72.8 | 93 | $330,959 | $74,884 |
| 6 | Box Elder County FIPS 49003 | 69.7 | 79.7 | 34.4 | 74.3 | 93.4 | 75.9 | 93.6 | $454,737 | $84,550 |
| 7 | Summit County FIPS 49043 | 69 | 89.3 | 10.3 | 96.4 | 85.9 | 80.1 | 79 | $1,326,103 | $138,114 |
| 8 | Kane County FIPS 49025 | 68.1 | 71.7 | 26.3 | 89.3 | 90.3 | 79.3 | 85.6 | $421,816 | $77,092 |
| 9 | Utah County FIPS 49049 | 68 | 87.4 | 27.7 | 87.4 | 71.9 | 75.6 | 68.2 | $543,536 | $100,671 |
| 10 | Rich County FIPS 49033 | 67.9 | 83.4 | 10.6 | 89.3 | 90.2 | 89.3 | 80.6 | $587,240 | $79,009 |
| 11 | Sanpete County FIPS 49039 | 67.7 | 73.7 | 31 | 78.9 | 90.7 | 76.6 | 89 | $385,224 | $70,083 |
| 12 | Cache County FIPS 49005 | 67.1 | 78 | 24.5 | 96 | 68.2 | 75.2 | 89.5 | $467,957 | $81,665 |
| 13 | Davis County FIPS 49011 | 66.8 | 86.8 | 35.3 | 83.4 | 74.1 | 73.4 | 22.8 | $560,307 | $110,884 |
| 14 | Millard County FIPS 49027 | 66.7 | 80.3 | 47.7 | 66.7 | 58.7 | 78.4 | 94.3 | $342,863 | $73,639 |
| 15 | Wasatch County FIPS 49051 | 66 | 89.4 | 15.9 | 74 | 87.6 | 74 | 85.7 | $948,347 | $117,608 |
| 16 | Emery County FIPS 49015 | 65.8 | 62.8 | 55.2 | 64.6 | 73.7 | 77.8 | 90.6 | $296,392 | $74,291 |
| 17 | Iron County FIPS 49021 | 65.4 | 73.1 | 20 | 79.4 | 91.6 | 78.2 | 93.1 | $409,490 | $66,247 |
| 18 | Uintah County FIPS 49047 | 63.3 | 76.9 | 42.7 | 45.5 | 79.5 | 77.4 | 92.1 | $352,589 | $73,746 |
| 19 | Daggett County FIPS 49009 | 60.9 | 59.3 | 30.6 | 62.6 | 91.8 | 81 | 81.5 | $354,107 | $66,000 |
| 20 | Washington County FIPS 49053 | 60.4 | 79.1 | 15.2 | 80 | 60.2 | 75 | 86.4 | $529,491 | $80,632 |
| 21 | Weber County FIPS 49057 | 58.9 | 79.9 | 36 | 31.1 | 92.5 | 67.2 | 61.4 | $462,492 | $90,005 |
| 22 | Garfield County FIPS 49017 | 58.6 | 44 | 48.5 | 77.7 | 51.9 | 78.3 | 85.7 | $253,584 | $61,875 |
| 23 | Wayne County FIPS 49055 | 56.8 | 53.5 | 21.8 | 80.3 | 61.9 | 84.5 | 84 | $446,681 | $76,607 |
| 24 | Carbon County FIPS 49007 | 55.6 | 45.6 | 42.5 | 40.8 | 90.7 | 72.4 | 90.8 | $279,605 | $58,377 |
| 25 | Duchesne County FIPS 49013 | 55.1 | 77.1 | 42 | 26.8 | 54.4 | 74.4 | 86.5 | $365,470 | $78,445 |
| 26 | Piute County FIPS 49031 | 54.3 | 51.8 | 34.9 | 65.9 | 50.2 | 81.8 | 74.1 | $264,800 | $48,393 |
| 27 | Grand County FIPS 49019 | 49.4 | 58 | 14.6 | 35.6 | 80.9 | 72.7 | 94.8 | $579,672 | $67,106 |
| 28 | San Juan County FIPS 49037 | 47.2 | 56.1 | 34.6 | 5.8 | 80.1 | 70 | 86.2 | $356,378 | $64,481 |
| 29 | Salt Lake County FIPS 49035 | 46.7 | 81.8 | 20.9 | 52.6 | 16.1 | 69.6 | 23.1 | $573,292 | $97,494 |