Daggett County is a small, rural county in the far northeastern corner of Utah, bordering Wyoming and Colorado. It lies within the Uinta Mountains and the Green River basin, and includes much of the Flaming Gorge area along the Utah–Wyoming line. The county was created in 1917 from part of Uintah County and is named for mining engineer and surveyor Ellsworth Daggett, reflecting the region’s early ties to resource development and frontier-era settlement patterns. Daggett County is Utah’s least populous county, with a population of roughly 1,000 residents, and is characterized by widely spaced communities, large tracts of public land, and a landscape of forested mountains, high-desert valleys, and reservoir shorelines. The local economy is centered on government services, ranching, and recreation-related activity. The county seat and principal community is Manila.

Daggett County Local Demographic Profile

Daggett County is Utah’s smallest county by population and sits in the state’s far northeastern corner along the Wyoming border, encompassing communities such as Manila and the Flaming Gorge area. The county is part of the Uinta Basin/Uintah Mountains region and is characterized by large areas of public land and low settlement density.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Daggett County, Utah, Daggett County had a population of 935 (2020 decennial census).

Age & Gender

The U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov provides county-level profiles that include age distribution (e.g., share under 18, working-age, and 65+) and sex breakdown (male and female counts/percentages) for Daggett County. Consolidated age-by-group and sex shares are published in the county profile tables accessible through data.census.gov; for a commonly used summary view, see the QuickFacts demographic characteristics section for Daggett County.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial categories (e.g., White, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, Some Other Race, and Two or More Races) and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity are reported for Daggett County in U.S. Census Bureau profile tables. These figures are available via data.census.gov and summarized in the QuickFacts race and Hispanic origin sections for Daggett County.

Household & Housing Data

Household counts, average household size, housing unit totals, homeownership rates, and occupancy/vacancy measures for Daggett County are published in U.S. Census Bureau county profile tables. The most accessible county-level summaries appear in QuickFacts (Households and Housing sections), with additional detail available through data.census.gov (including ACS-based housing characteristics and tenure tables).

Local Government Reference

For local government and planning resources, visit the Daggett County official website.

Email Usage

Daggett County’s remote, sparsely populated setting in northeastern Utah limits network buildout options, so digital communication like email is shaped more by connectivity and device availability than by local usage surveys. Direct county-level email adoption rates are not published; proxy indicators from federal surveys are used instead.

Digital access indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) include household broadband subscription and computer ownership, which track the practical ability to use webmail or app-based email. Local service constraints are reflected in provider-reported coverage and technology mix reported on the FCC National Broadband Map, which is commonly used to identify rural gaps and limited competition.

Age distribution affects email adoption because older residents tend to use email more consistently for formal communication, while younger cohorts often rely more on messaging platforms; county age structure is available via ACS age tables. Gender distribution is generally not a primary driver of access; county sex composition is available through the same ACS profiles.

Mobile Phone Usage

Daggett County is a sparsely populated county in northeastern Utah along the Wyoming border, encompassing remote high-desert and mountain terrain around the Flaming Gorge area. Its very low population density, large expanses of public land, and long distances between settlements shape both mobile network buildout and day-to-day connectivity, with coverage often strongest along highways and in the county seat area (Manila) and weaker in rugged or lightly inhabited terrain.

Key distinction: network availability vs. adoption

  • Network availability describes where mobile signal (voice/data) exists and what technologies (4G/5G) are technically reachable in a location.
  • Household adoption describes whether residents actually subscribe to mobile service and use mobile data devices at home, including whether mobile service substitutes for fixed broadband.

County-specific adoption statistics for smartphones or mobile subscriptions are limited. The most consistent county-level adoption indicators come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and focus on household “internet subscription” types (including cellular data plans), rather than device ownership.

Mobile penetration and access indicators (available county-level measures)

Household internet subscription (includes cellular data plans).
The ACS provides county-level tables on whether households have an internet subscription and the type of subscription (e.g., cable, DSL, fiber, satellite, cellular data plan). These data can be used as an indirect indicator of mobile internet adoption at home—particularly the share of households reporting a cellular data plan as their internet subscription. The ACS does not directly measure “mobile penetration” as subscriptions per person or smartphone ownership at the county level in a single, universally comparable metric.

  • Primary source for county subscription types: the U.S. Census Bureau ACS “Computer and Internet Use” tables on data.census.gov (Daggett County, UT; tables under “Computer and Internet Use,” including subscription type).
  • Methodological reference: American Community Survey (ACS) documentation (sampling error can be substantial in very small counties).

Important limitations for Daggett County.

  • Small population produces wider confidence intervals in ACS estimates, and single-year estimates may be suppressed or unstable; multi-year (e.g., 5‑year) estimates are commonly used for rural counties.
  • ACS “cellular data plan” measures household subscription and does not equate to:
    • smartphone ownership,
    • number of lines per household,
    • coverage quality,
    • or mobility use while traveling.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network technology (4G/5G availability)

Availability (coverage) data.
Network availability is best characterized using the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mobile broadband availability maps, which report provider-submitted coverage by technology (e.g., LTE, 5G). These maps support county-level viewing but remain fundamentally spatial datasets; rugged terrain can cause real-world variation within mapped coverage areas.

4G/LTE.
Across rural Utah, 4G/LTE typically forms the baseline mobile broadband layer, with service most reliable near population clusters and major road corridors. In Daggett County specifically, the FCC map is the authoritative public reference for identifying which census blocks are reported served by LTE and by which providers.

5G.
In very low-density counties, reported 5G availability tends to be more limited and often concentrated in small pockets (near towns and along certain routes) compared with 4G/LTE. The FCC map distinguishes 5G technology availability, but countywide adoption of 5G-capable devices is not directly measured at the county level by federal statistical sources.

Usage patterns (behavior) vs. technology reach.

  • County-level public datasets generally capture subscription type (ACS) and availability (FCC) rather than granular behavioral patterns such as streaming prevalence, hotspot usage, or app-level activity.
  • In rural counties, ACS patterns can indicate whether households rely on cellular data plans as their primary home internet connection, which is a useful proxy for “mobile-first” household connectivity where fixed options are limited.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-level device-type ownership (smartphone vs. feature phone) is not routinely published in a standardized way for Daggett County. Available public datasets at the county level typically address:

  • whether a household has computing devices (desktop/laptop/tablet) and
  • whether it has an internet subscription type (including cellular data plan), rather than enumerating smartphone ownership rates.

Relevant device-related indicators that are available via ACS (county level):

  • household access to computing devices (desktop/laptop, smartphone, tablet—depending on ACS table structure and year),
  • household internet subscription type, including cellular data plan.

Source for these indicators: U.S. Census Bureau data portal (ACS “Computer and Internet Use” subject tables for Daggett County).

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Population density and settlement patterns.

  • Daggett County’s low density reduces the economic incentive for dense tower placement, affecting both coverage continuity and capacity. Service tends to be strongest near settled areas and transportation corridors.
  • Reference geography and county context: Daggett County government and Census QuickFacts (population and housing context; verify the county profile page for the most recent releases).

Terrain and land use.

  • Mountainous topography, valleys, and extensive public lands can block line-of-sight propagation and complicate backhaul deployment, contributing to patchy coverage away from main routes and communities. Availability maps show reported service areas but do not fully convey terrain-driven dead zones at fine scale.

Housing and seasonal population dynamics.

  • Areas with recreation-oriented housing and seasonal visitation (common around large reservoirs and outdoor destinations) can experience localized demand spikes. Public county-level statistics generally do not quantify mobile congestion or seasonal performance; FCC availability layers and provider engineering practices govern observed performance, but countywide public measures are limited.

Income, age, and education (adoption side).

  • Nationwide, mobile-only and cellular-plan reliance correlates with affordability constraints and limited fixed broadband options; however, Daggett County-specific causal statements require county-level tabulations (ACS) and are subject to small-sample uncertainty.
  • County-level demographic context can be drawn from Census QuickFacts and detailed ACS tables on data.census.gov.

What can be stated definitively with public data

  • Network availability: Best documented through the FCC National Broadband Map, which differentiates 4G/LTE and 5G availability by location and provider. This reflects reported service availability, not guaranteed performance.
  • Household adoption: Best approximated through ACS household internet subscription measures (including cellular data plans) on data.census.gov. These describe household subscription types, not physical coverage or device counts.
  • Device-type specificity: County-level public statistics on smartphone vs. feature phone ownership are limited; ACS provides broader household device and subscription indicators rather than a full inventory of phone types.

Social Media Trends

Daggett County is Utah’s least-populous county in the state’s northeast corner along the Wyoming border, with Manila as the county seat and recreation around Flaming Gorge Reservoir as a major regional draw. Its very small, rural population and long travel distances for services tend to increase reliance on digital channels for local updates, community coordination, and access to information, while also reflecting statewide and national usage patterns rather than supporting precise county-only platform estimates.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration: No major public dataset provides platform-by-platform “active user” penetration estimates specifically for Daggett County due to its very small population base and privacy thresholds.
  • Best-available benchmarks used for Daggett County context:

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

National patterns are the most reliable proxy for small counties:

  • 18–29: 84% use social media
  • 30–49: 81%
  • 50–64: 73%
  • 65+: 45%
    Source: Pew Research Center (2023).
    In rural counties like Daggett, the highest intensity typically remains among adults under 50, with older cohorts more concentrated on fewer platforms (notably Facebook) and using social for community information.

Gender breakdown

Pew reports small overall gender differences for “any social media use,” with larger gaps emerging on specific platforms:

Most-used platforms (percent using each, U.S. adults)

County-level shares are not published; the most defensible estimates use national platform penetration:

  • YouTube: 83%
  • Facebook: 68%
  • Instagram: 47%
  • Pinterest: 35%
  • TikTok: 33%
  • LinkedIn: 30%
  • WhatsApp: 29%
  • Snapchat: 27%
  • X (formerly Twitter): 22%
  • Reddit: 22%
    Source: Pew Research Center (2023).
    In rural Intermountain West communities, Facebook and YouTube commonly remain the broadest-reach platforms, with TikTok/Instagram more concentrated among younger adults.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Video-dominant consumption: YouTube’s high reach indicates video as a primary format for information and entertainment, aligning with broader U.S. behavior. Source: Pew (2023).
  • Community information utility: In sparsely populated counties, Facebook Groups/pages are widely used nationally for local announcements, events, buy/sell exchanges, and school/community updates, reflecting the platform’s older and broad adult reach. Source: Pew (2023).
  • Age-based platform segmentation: Younger adults show higher concentration on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, while older adults are more concentrated on Facebook and YouTube. Source: Pew demographic breakouts (2023).
  • Low-density geography effects: Long-distance travel for services and dispersed households increase reliance on asynchronous updates (posts, group messages, event listings) rather than frequent in-person touchpoints; engagement tends to cluster around community notices, weather/road conditions, and seasonal recreation activity tied to the Flaming Gorge area.

Family & Associates Records

Daggett County family and associate-related public records include vital records and court-recorded documents. Utah maintains birth and death certificates at the state level through the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics (Utah Vital Records and Statistics). County offices commonly support access by directing requesters to state procedures rather than issuing certified copies locally. Marriage and divorce are generally documented through county recording and district court case files; recorded marriage documents and related indexes may be available through the Daggett County Clerk/Auditor and Recorder functions (Daggett County, Utah (official site)). Adoption records are handled through Utah courts and state vital records systems and are typically not public.

Public databases relevant to family/associate research include recorded property documents, liens, and other instruments maintained by the county recorder, and some court docket information maintained by the Utah state courts (Utah State Courts). Access commonly occurs in person at county offices during business hours for recorded documents and local indexes, and online through state portals for vital records requests and some court information.

Privacy restrictions apply widely: birth records are restricted for a statutory period; death certificates have controlled access rules; adoption files are sealed; juvenile and many family court details are non-public or access-limited.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

Marriage records (licenses and certificates)

  • Marriage license application and license: Issued by the county clerk before the ceremony; documents authorization to marry.
  • Marriage certificate / marriage return: Completed by the officiant after the ceremony and returned for recording; documents that the marriage occurred.

Divorce records (decrees and case files)

  • Divorce decree: Final court order dissolving the marriage.
  • Divorce case file: Court pleadings, motions, findings, and orders associated with the case, subject to access rules.

Annulment records

  • Annulment decree: Court order declaring a marriage void or voidable.
  • Annulment case file: Court case materials associated with the annulment, subject to access rules.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Daggett County marriage records (county-level recording and certified copies)

  • Filing/recording: Marriage licenses are issued by the Daggett County Clerk; completed marriage returns are recorded by the county.
  • Access: Certified copies are typically obtained through the Daggett County Clerk/Auditor (the office handling county clerk functions in many Utah counties). Requests are commonly available in person and by mail; identification and fees are generally required for certified copies.

Utah vital records (state-level marriage verification and certificates)

  • Filing: Utah maintains a statewide vital records system for marriages.
  • Access: The Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics issues certified marriage certificates under state eligibility rules.
    Link: https://vitalrecords.utah.gov/

Daggett County divorce and annulment records (court records)

  • Filing: Divorces and annulments are filed in the Utah District Court for the county where the case is brought; Daggett County cases are handled within Utah’s district court system.
  • Access:
    • Public courthouse access to non-sealed civil case records is available through the district court clerk’s office in accordance with Utah court rules.
    • Online access to docket and many documents is provided through the Utah State Courts XChange system, subject to user fees and restrictions.
      Link: https://www.utcourts.gov/en/self-help/services/xchange.html
    • Some sensitive documents and data elements may be restricted or redacted even when the case is otherwise publicly viewable.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license / certificate

  • Full legal names of both parties
  • Date and place of marriage (county and venue details)
  • Ages and/or dates of birth (format varies by record and era)
  • Residences at time of application (often city/state)
  • Officiant’s name, title, and signature
  • Witness information (when required by the form in use)
  • License issue date and license/certificate number
  • Recording information and clerk certification (for certified copies)

Divorce decree

  • Names of the parties and case number
  • Date of decree and court location
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Orders regarding legal issues such as property division, debt allocation, child custody, parent-time, child support, and alimony (as applicable)
  • Judge’s signature and court seal/certification elements

Annulment decree

  • Names of the parties and case number
  • Date of decree and court location
  • Declaration that the marriage is annulled (void/voidable) and related legal findings
  • Orders addressing related matters (children, support, property) when applicable
  • Judge’s signature and court seal/certification elements

Privacy and legal restrictions

Marriage records

  • Utah places limits on who can receive certified vital records; access is generally restricted to the persons named on the record and certain legally authorized individuals, with identification requirements. Non-certified verification or informational copies may have different rules depending on the office and record type.
  • Some personal identifiers may be withheld or minimized on issued copies under state policy.

Divorce and annulment records

  • Court records are generally public unless sealed or classified as private/protected under Utah court rules (commonly involving minors, abuse/protective matters, certain confidential financial or health information, or judicial sealing orders).
  • Even in public cases, specific data elements may be redacted (for example, Social Security numbers, full financial account numbers, and certain addresses or identifying information) under court redaction requirements.

Education, Employment and Housing

Daggett County is Utah’s smallest county by population, located in the state’s far northeast corner along the Wyoming and Colorado borders and anchored by the Manila area near Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The county is predominantly rural with low population density, a relatively older age profile than Utah overall, and a community context shaped by natural-resource, recreation, and public-sector employment, with many services centralized in the county seat area.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Daggett County School District is the sole public district. The district’s in-county public schools are commonly listed as:

  • Manila Elementary School
  • Manila High School

School listings are reflected in district and state directories, including the Utah State Board of Education resources and district information pages.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratio: Public sources typically report small ratios in the low teens for Daggett County schools, reflecting very small enrollment; specific year-by-year ratios vary with cohort size. A consistent proxy source for cross-area ratios is the NCES school and district search (Common Core of Data).
  • Graduation rate: Utah reports cohort graduation rates at the state and (in many years) district level. For Daggett County’s very small class sizes, published rates can fluctuate substantially year to year due to small denominators; district-level reporting can be reviewed through Utah’s school performance and accountability reporting.

Note on data stability: In very small districts, a single student can materially change annual rates; multi-year averages are a more stable proxy when available.

Adult educational attainment

The most recent widely used county-level attainment measures are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). In Daggett County, high school completion is common, while bachelor’s-degree attainment is lower than Utah’s statewide average, consistent with many rural counties. County estimates and comparisons are available via data.census.gov (ACS tables on educational attainment).

Notable programs (STEM, CTE, AP)

In small rural Utah districts, program availability is typically structured around:

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings aligned with Utah’s statewide CTE pathways (often including trades, business, and applied technology components where staffing and enrollment support it).
  • Concurrent enrollment / dual credit through partnerships used statewide to expand access to college-level coursework where AP breadth is limited by cohort size.
  • Advanced Placement (AP): AP course availability is generally more limited in very small high schools; dual enrollment is a common proxy for advanced coursework access.

Program participation details are most consistently tracked through district course catalogs and Utah statewide CTE and concurrent enrollment reporting (see Utah CTE and related USBE program pages).

School safety measures and counseling resources

Utah public schools generally implement layered safety and student-support practices that typically include:

  • Controlled building access and visitor procedures, emergency operations planning, and required drills aligned with state guidance.
  • School counseling services (often shared across grades in small districts), with referral pathways for mental-health supports. State-level frameworks and resources are maintained by the Utah State Board of Education, including safety planning guidance and student services references; staffing levels in Daggett County can vary due to small enrollment.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent available)

County unemployment rates are reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Daggett County typically shows low single-digit unemployment in recent years, with month-to-month volatility due to small labor force size. The most recent annual and monthly estimates are available through BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (county series for Daggett County, Utah).

Major industries and employment sectors

Daggett County’s employment base is commonly concentrated in:

  • Local government and public services (county, schools, public safety, and related administration)
  • Leisure and hospitality / tourism-related activity tied to Flaming Gorge recreation and seasonal visitation
  • Construction and skilled trades (often influenced by seasonal demand and housing/maintenance needs)
  • Retail and basic services supporting residents and visitors
  • Natural resources and land-related work (including roles connected to surrounding public lands, water, and recreation infrastructure)

Industry mix and employment counts by sector are available from the Utah Department of Workforce Services (workforce information) and federal datasets such as the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Given the sector profile, the workforce commonly includes:

  • Education, healthcare support, and public administration occupations
  • Construction and maintenance trades
  • Service occupations (food service, lodging support, recreation services)
  • Transportation and material moving roles supporting local logistics and services
  • Management and office/administrative support in local government and small businesses

For standardized occupation group shares at the county level, ACS occupation tables via data.census.gov are the most common reference, with the same small-sample volatility considerations.

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

  • Commuting mode: Rural counties generally show high private-vehicle reliance and low transit use; carpooling is typically higher than metro Utah but varies by year.
  • Mean commute time: Daggett County commute times are typically modest-to-moderate, shaped by rural distances and limited congestion. The most recent county mean commute time is reported in ACS commuting tables (means and distributions) on data.census.gov.

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

Daggett County commonly exhibits a notable share of out-of-county commuting due to a small local job base, with travel to adjacent counties/states for specialized employment. “OnTheMap” origin-destination commuting flows from the Census Bureau provide a direct measure of in-county jobs versus resident workers employed elsewhere via LEHD OnTheMap.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

Daggett County is predominantly owner-occupied housing, with homeownership materially higher than large metros and a smaller rental market. The most recent owner/renter shares are reported by the ACS (tenure tables) on data.census.gov.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median home value: County median values are reported in the ACS (median value of owner-occupied housing units). In Daggett County, values are generally below Utah’s statewide median, though recent years across Utah have shown broad appreciation.
  • Trend: Recent Utah-wide housing cycles (rapid price increases from 2020–2022 followed by slower growth) are a reasonable proxy pattern; Daggett County’s small market can diverge due to limited sales volume. County-level value estimates and year-to-year change are best tracked through ACS time series on data.census.gov and supplemental housing price indices at broader geographies.

Typical rent prices

Median gross rent is available in ACS housing tables. Daggett County rents tend to be lower than metro Utah but can be constrained by limited rental inventory and seasonal demand related to recreation. The most recent median gross rent estimate is available via data.census.gov.

Housing types

Housing stock is largely characterized by:

  • Single-family detached homes and manufactured housing in rural settings
  • Large lots and ranch-style properties outside the Manila core
  • Limited multifamily inventory (few apartment complexes compared with urban counties) ACS housing-structure type tables provide the most consistent breakdown (1-unit detached, mobile homes, 2+ unit structures) via data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools and amenities)

Residential patterns are typically clustered around the Manila area, where schools, county services, and basic retail are most accessible. Outlying homes are often farther from daily amenities and rely on vehicle travel for groceries, healthcare services, and specialty retail. Proximity patterns reflect the county’s rural land use and the concentration of public facilities near the population center.

Property tax overview (rate and typical cost)

Utah property taxes are assessed using local levy rates applied to taxable value, with rates varying by taxing entities (county, school district, special districts). Daggett County’s effective property tax burden is generally comparable to other rural Utah counties but varies by locality and levy mix. Official county tax rates, annual notices, and levy information are maintained by the Utah State Tax Commission and county assessor/treasurer offices; statewide explanatory material is available through the Utah State Tax Commission. The most comparable “typical homeowner cost” proxy across counties is ACS median real estate taxes paid (owner-occupied), available on data.census.gov.

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