Best Counties in Utah — 2026 Rankings
29 of 29 counties scored across 12 dimensions
29
29 scored
54/100
composite score
74.2/100
35.3—74.2
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Utah
Utah Surpasses the National Median for Livability
Utah maintains a composite livability score of 53.9, placing it notably above the national median of 50.0. With data available for all 29 counties, the state demonstrates a consistent level of quality of life that outpaces much of the country.
Low Taxes and High Incomes Power Growth
The state excels in fiscal policy with a high Tax Score of 84.7, indicating one of the lowest tax burdens in the nation. This financial ease is bolstered by a strong Income Score of 71.1, ensuring residents enjoy high earning potential alongside their savings.
Rising Costs Create Affordability Headwinds
Affordability is Utah's primary struggle, as evidenced by a low Cost Score of 33.1. While the state performs well in health and environmental risk with scores of 62.5 and 63.8 respectively, the high cost of living in metro areas like Salt Lake County creates a significant financial barrier.
Rural Strongholds Daggett and Rich Lead the Rankings
Daggett County earns the state's highest composite score at 74.2 by balancing manageable costs with low taxes. Rich County follows closely at 73.3, while Wayne County ranks third at 71.8, both leveraging elite tax scores above 96.0 to maintain their lead.
Best for Professionals Seeking Stability and Low Taxes
Utah is an ideal destination for high-earning professionals and families who can navigate the state's high cost of living to take advantage of its superior tax climate. Its blend of economic opportunity and solid health metrics makes it one of the most competitive states in the West.
All County Rankings in Utah
Search, sort, and filter all 29 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 29 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daggett County | 74.2 | 87.7 | 73.3 | 34.6 | 97.5 | 72.2 | 44.9 | 96.3 | 86 | 38.8 | 28 | ||
| 2 | Rich County | 73.3 | 98.6 | 62.2 | 79.8 | 75.4 | 71 | 71.3 | 99.2 | 7 | 47.8 | 31.9 | ||
| 3 | Wayne County | 71.8 | 96.2 | 50.9 | 66.5 | 97.5 | 44.7 | 78.5 | 98.2 | 25.9 | 39.1 | 31.7 | ||
| 4 | Emery County | 70.1 | 76.1 | 82.6 | 66.3 | 97.5 | 47.7 | 43.3 | 93 | 35.1 | 31 | 25.6 | ||
| 5 | Piute County | 68.2 | 92 | 70.1 | 6.9 | 97.5 | 26.8 | 71.7 | 99.1 | 18.8 | 39.5 | 26.3 | ||
| 6 | Garfield County | 66.8 | 95.1 | 70.7 | 44.2 | 61.9 | 63.4 | 66.7 | 62.4 | 18.5 | 42.5 | 27.5 | ||
| 7 | Kane County | 58.8 | 92.7 | 23.9 | 77.3 | 50.1 | 68.2 | 76.3 | 60.4 | 31.6 | 39.6 | 32.5 | ||
| 8 | San Juan County | 58.3 | 49.4 | 74.6 | 24.8 | 85.1 | 23.2 | 63.1 | 73.2 | 22.8 | 40.1 | 34.1 | ||
| 9 | Beaver County | 57.5 | 94.4 | 24.4 | 89 | 57.7 | 50.2 | 52 | 89.7 | 86 | 32 | 25.9 | ||
| 10 | Morgan County | 57.5 | 81.3 | 6.7 | 99 | 67 | 91.9 | 39 | 96.6 | 42.4 | 29.1 | 24.1 | ||
| 11 | Juab County | 56.5 | 89.6 | 29.8 | 91.9 | 41.2 | 68.7 | 47 | 84.7 | 86 | 32.9 | 29 | ||
| 12 | Wasatch County | 55.9 | 90.8 | 2.7 | 98.2 | 66.7 | 84.9 | 42.3 | 66.5 | 20.9 | 36 | 28.9 | ||
| 13 | Sanpete County | 54.6 | 84.7 | 32.6 | 60.1 | 74.7 | 52.5 | 31.5 | 61.4 | 42.2 | 37.4 | 27.4 | ||
| 14 | Millard County | 53.5 | 82.3 | 37.7 | 68.5 | 43.5 | 47.2 | 66.8 | 77.9 | 7.7 | 34 | 29.6 | ||
| 15 | Summit County | 52.6 | 96.3 | 1.9 | 99.6 | 32.6 | 84.1 | 65.8 | 39.9 | 34.2 | 38.5 | 27.2 | ||
| 16 | Cache County | 51.3 | 86.9 | 16 | 81.9 | 53.5 | 74.2 | 34.4 | 33.5 | 55.2 | 33.6 | 27.1 | ||
| 17 | Utah County | 49.6 | 90.1 | 6.3 | 94.6 | 43.7 | 83.2 | 37.9 | 4.7 | 64.4 | 37.2 | 30.4 | ||
| 18 | Carbon County | 49.2 | 69.4 | 57 | 22.2 | 43.3 | 38.7 | 35.8 | 91.3 | 55.4 | 36.6 | 26.9 | ||
| 19 | Davis County | 49.1 | 81.5 | 6.1 | 97 | 35.4 | 89 | 44.4 | 12.2 | 68.2 | 39.5 | 37.4 | ||
| 20 | Grand County | 48.5 | 92.8 | 38.5 | 46.7 | 18.1 | 60.7 | 41.5 | 89.8 | 26.8 | 40.8 | 21.3 | ||
| 21 | Sevier County | 47.4 | 80.3 | 38.1 | 75.1 | 31.5 | 56.5 | 16.1 | 77.3 | 86 | 38.5 | 25.7 | ||
| 22 | Iron County | 46.9 | 92.6 | 23.1 | 56 | 42.1 | 66.5 | 24.1 | 38.6 | 30.2 | 37.7 | 26.1 | ||
| 23 | Washington County | 46.8 | 90.8 | 11.3 | 79.1 | 37.8 | 72.2 | 38.5 | 7.2 | 35.1 | 48.5 | 20.3 | ||
| 24 | Uintah County | 45.5 | 82.2 | 34 | 66 | 36.3 | 43.8 | 13.3 | 96.1 | 86 | 26.1 | 27.8 | 23.1 | |
| 25 | Box Elder County | 44.6 | 84.7 | 21.1 | 81.3 | 27.9 | 72.3 | 18.4 | 44.1 | 55.4 | 32.2 | 26.4 |
Daggett County
Rich County
Wayne County
Emery County
Piute County
Garfield County
Kane County
San Juan County
Beaver County
Morgan County
Juab County
Wasatch County
Sanpete County
Millard County
Summit County
Cache County
Utah County
Carbon County
Davis County
Grand County
Sevier County
Iron County
Washington County
Uintah County
Box Elder County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Utah
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Utah.
What is the best county in Utah?
Daggett County is the top-ranked county in Utah with a CountyScore of 74.2/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Utah?
Utah has 29 counties in total. Of those, 29 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Utah?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Utah is 54/100. The national average is 50/100, so Utah counties score 4 points above the national average.
How does Utah compare to other states?
Utah's average county score of 54/100 is 4 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Utah counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Utah.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.