Counties with the highest unemployment in Utah
Despite a relatively low unemployment rate just shy of 4%, as compared to the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Utah using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in April 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Economists forecast a waning risk of recession and predict that the U.S. may instead be headed for an incremental slowdown in growth known as a "soft landing." Still, layoffs among major U.S. employers like Amazon to Tesla have sparked concern among Americans. What's more, unemployment has spiked in nearly half the country's states, which often indicates a looming recession, an economist told Business Insider. And with sky-high prices after a period of record inflation, savings and unemployment payments may not cover basic expenses for jobless Americans for long.
For comparison, the Great Recession of 2007-09 sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
Still, as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—little changed from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state vary, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Utah.
#29. Morgan County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,185 people (139 unemployed)
#28. Cache County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 72,219 people (1,620 unemployed)
#27. Millard County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,681 people (155 unemployed)
#26. Juab County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,602 people (161 unemployed)
#25. Summit County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,645 people (659 unemployed)
#24. Beaver County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,074 people (77 unemployed)
#23. Box Elder County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,916 people (730 unemployed)
#22. Iron County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,352 people (750 unemployed)
#21. Rich County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,170 people (30 unemployed)
#20. Kane County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,165 people (109 unemployed)
#19. Wasatch County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,442 people (486 unemployed)
#18. Davis County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 191,417 people (4,913 unemployed)
#17. Grand County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,217 people (194 unemployed)
#16. Utah County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 355,392 people (9,614 unemployed)
#15. Sanpete County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,292 people (402 unemployed)
#14. Washington County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 92,484 people (2,598 unemployed)
#13. Salt Lake County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 690,061 people (19,423 unemployed)
#12. Weber County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 140,692 people (4,055 unemployed)
#11. Duchesne County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,600 people (268 unemployed)
#10. Sevier County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,540 people (326 unemployed)
#9. Emery County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,711 people (151 unemployed)
#8. Tooele County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,986 people (1,239 unemployed)
#7. Uintah County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,196 people (500 unemployed)
#6. San Juan County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,840 people (202 unemployed)
#5. Carbon County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,422 people (296 unemployed)
#4. Daggett County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 407 people (15 unemployed)
#3. Wayne County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,664 people (62 unemployed)
#2. Piute County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 515 people (26 unemployed)
#1. Garfield County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 4.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,872 people (149 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
