Kane County, Utah

History

The county was created on January 16, 1864, by the old federal Utah Territory (1850–1896) territorial legislature, with areas partitioned off from earlier Washington County. It was named for Col. Thomas L. Kane (1822–1883), a friend of the Latter Day Saint (Mormons) settlers when they first arrived westward, led by patriarch Brigham Young (1801–1877), in the 1840s and 1850s. The county boundary was readjusted later, first in 1869, when a portion was returned back to Washington County; second in 1880, when San Juan County was partitioned off and created; and third, in 1883, when additional portions were partitioned from Kane and added to Iron and back to Washington counties.

Geography

Kane County lies on the south line of the state of Utah. Its south border abuts the northern border of the state of Arizona. The Colorado River, reformed as Lake Powell, forms its eastern border. Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument covers much of the county. A rugged and inhospitable country of deserts, mountains, and cliffs make up the terrain, with breathtaking scenery in every area. Parts of Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park extend into the northern and western portions of the county. The eastern part of the county is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The county has a total area of 4109 sqmi, of which 3990 sqmi is land and 118 sqmi (2.9%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Washington County – west
• Iron County – northwest
• Garfield County – north
• San Juan County – east
• Mohave County, Arizona – southwest
• Coconino County, Arizona – south

Protected areas

• Bryce Canyon National Park (part)
• Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
• Dixie National Forest (part)
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (part)
• Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument (part)
• Kodachrome Basin State Park
• Zion National Park (part)

Lakes

Source:

• Lake Powell (along east border)
• Navajo Lake

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

According to the 2020 United States census and 2020 American Community Survey, there were 7,667 people in Kane County with a population density of 1.9 people per square mile (0.7/km2). Among non-Hispanic or Latino people, the racial makeup was 6,924 (90.3%) White, 27 (0.4%) African American, 119 (1.6%) Native American, 59 (0.8%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 18 (0.2%) from other races, and 197 (2.6%) from two or more races. 322 (4.2%) people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 3,808 (49.67%) males and 3,859 (50.33%) females, and the population distribution by age was 1,752 (22.9%) under the age of 18, 3,950 (51.5%) from 18 to 64, and 1,965 (25.6%) who were at least 65 years old. The median age was 44.9 years.

There were 3,081 households in Kane County with an average size of 2.49 of which 1,987 (64.5%) were families and 1,094 (35.5%) were non-families. Among all families, 1,663 (54.0%) were married couples, 110 (3.6%) were male householders with no spouse, and 214 (6.9%) were female householders with no spouse. Among all non-families, 932 (30.2%) were a single person living alone and 162 (5.3%) were two or more people living together. 784 (25.4%) of all households had children under the age of 18. 2,409 (78.2%) of households were owner-occupied while 672 (21.8%) were renter-occupied.

The median income for a Kane County household was $49,486 and the median family income was $69,722, with a per-capita income of $28,142. The median income for males that were full-time employees was $41,368 and for females $34,986. 13.1% of the population and 6.0% of families were below the poverty line.

In terms of education attainment, out of the 5,600 people in Kane County 25 years or older, 480 (8.6%) had not completed high school, 1,391 (24.8%) had a high school diploma or equivalency, 2,066 (36.9%) had some college or associate degree, 1,114 (19.9%) had a bachelor's degree, and 549 (9.8%) had a graduate or professional degree.

Ancestry

The top 5 ethnic groups in Kane County are:

• English-30%
• German-10%
• Irish-9%
• Danish-5%
• Swedish-4%

Politics and government

Kane is one of the most reliably Republican counties in the nation. Of "straight-ticket" voters in the 2008 election, there were 992 Republicans and 326 Democrats. In the Utah gubernatorial election, 2004 nearly 70% of the county's vote went for Jon Huntsman, Jr. and in the 2008 election he received around 75% of the vote. Kane County is part of Utah's 2nd congressional district and thus was represented by moderate Democrat Jim Matheson for several years until 2013. The second district is now represented by Republican Celeste Maloy.

In Presidential elections, Kane County has only been won once by a Democratic candidate when Woodrow Wilson carried the county in 1916. It was the only county in Utah carried by Alf Landon, the Republican opponent who lost to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1936 Presidential election in the most lopsided Presidential election in over a century. It has solidly favored the Republican candidate since at least 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower received approximately 90% of the vote. In 1964, by over thirty-nine percent, the county went for Barry Goldwater, who lost the overall in the state by over nine percent. Since 1920, only in the Democratic landslides of 1936, 1940, and 1964 did the Democratic candidate for president receive even 30% of the county's vote.

Communities

City

• Kanab (county seat)

Towns

• Alton
• Big Water
• Glendale
• Orderville

Unincorporated communities

• Bullfrog
• Duck Creek Village
• Mount Carmel
• Mount Carmel Junction

Ghost towns

• Johnson
• Paria

Education

There is one school district, Kane School District.

Utah State University also has a local campus in Kanab.

References

References

1. [https://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/utah/kane-ut/summits/dianas-throne/ Diana's Throne]
2. "Kane County, Utah". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
5. "[[Newberry Library]]. Individual County Chronologies – Kane County UT (accessed March 25, 2019)".
6. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kane+County,+UT/@37.2716631,-112.3306018,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8735c28810e12069:0x71305695d98bc788!8m2!3d37.293251!4d-112.4291464 ''Kane County UT'' Google Maps (accessed 25 March 2019)]
7. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau.
8. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. (June 25, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau.
11. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". US Census Bureau.
12. "State & County QuickFacts". [[United States Census Bureau]].
13. [https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 Population and Housing State Data. Utah]
14. United States Census Bureau. "2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC)".
15. United States Census Bureau. "American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2009–2022)".
16. "Senator Owens Utah Senate".
17. Rep. Monson, Logan. https://house.utleg.gov/rep/MONSOL/. accessed July 23, 2025
18. "Mark Huntsman".
19. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections".
20. "2020 CENSUS – SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Kane County, UT". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
21. University, Utah State. "Locations {{!}} Statewide Campuses".