Piute County is a county in Utah, United States, on the upper Sevier River south of Richfield. It had a population of 1,438 at the 2020 census and covers 766 square miles (1,980 km2), of which 758 square miles are land, centred near 38°20′N 112°08′W.
Junction is the county seat, and its postal code is 84740. The county has four incorporated towns and a handful of unincorporated communities scattered along the Sevier River valley and the old mining canyons of the Tushar Mountains. It sits in the Mountain time zone.
Towns & Villages in Piute County
Piute County has four incorporated towns and several unincorporated places, most tied to a 19th-century mining or ranching origin. All four towns are legally classified as “towns” rather than “cities” under Utah law. Unincorporated communities carry no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junction | Town · seat | — | 84740 |
| Circleville | Town | — | 84723 |
| Marysvale | Town | — | 84750 |
| Kingston | Town | — | 84743 |
| Angle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenwich | Unincorp. | — | 84732 |
| Thompsonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pittsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
Several names on older lists — Alunite, Bullion Falls, Hoovers, Lower Kimberly, Upper Kimberly — mark former gold-mining camps in the Tushar Mountains that were active into the mid-20th century and no longer function as populated places; they are historical sites rather than current communities and are not carried into the table above.
ZIP Codes
- 84740 — Junction
- 84723 — Circleville
- 84750 — Marysvale
- 84743 — Kingston
- 84732 — Greenwich (also serves the surrounding rural area)
Angle, Thompsonville and Pittsburg have no dedicated ZIP code and are served by the nearest town’s post office.
Geography
Piute County lies in south-central Utah along the upper Sevier River, which runs north through the county before turning toward Sevier County. The Tushar Mountains rise along the county’s eastern side, topped by Delano Peak at 12,174 feet, while the lower Sevier River valley in the west holds most of the county’s towns and farmland. Piute Reservoir, built on the Sevier River, sits near the county’s northern edge.
Piute County borders Sevier County to the north, Wayne County to the east, Garfield County to the south, and Beaver County to the west.
Demographics
Piute County had 1,438 residents at the 2020 census, making it the second-least populous county in Utah. Circleville is the largest town, followed by Marysvale. Household income in the county runs well below the Utah median of $93,421, reflecting its small, aging, and largely rural population. Population density is under 2 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Ranching and farming along the Sevier River valley are the county’s traditional mainstays, alongside small-scale tourism tied to nearby Fishlake National Forest and the Piute State Wildlife Management Area. Historic gold and alunite mining once drove the local economy in the Tushar Mountains canyons above Marysvale, though large-scale mining ended decades ago. County government and the local school district are among the largest employers today.
History
Piute County was created by the Utah territorial legislature on January 16, 1865, and is named for the Paiute people who inhabited the region before settlement. Mormon pioneers founded Circleville and Junction in the 1860s along the Sevier River. From the late 1860s through the 1950s, mining camps in the canyons east of Marysvale produced gold, silver, and later uranium and alunite, briefly swelling the county’s population well above today’s figure before the camps emptied out.
Getting There
State Route 89 runs the length of the county along the Sevier River, connecting its towns to U.S. Route 50 and Interstate 70 to the north.
- Richfield — 20 miles north
- Beaver — 30 miles west
- Panguitch — 25 miles south
- Cedar City — 65 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Cedar City Regional Airport, about 65 miles southwest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Piute County?
It is in south-central Utah, along the upper Sevier River between Sevier and Garfield counties.
What is the population of Piute County?
1,438 people at the 2020 census, the second-lowest of Utah’s 29 counties.
How big is Piute County?
766 square miles (1,980 km2), of which 758 square miles are land.
What is the Piute County seat?
Junction is the county seat.
How many towns are in Piute County?
Four incorporated towns — Junction, Circleville, Marysvale and Kingston — plus a few small unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Piute County?
84740 (Junction), 84723 (Circleville), 84750 (Marysvale), 84743 (Kingston) and 84732 (Greenwich).
What mountains overlook Piute County?
The Tushar Mountains rise along the county’s east side, reaching 12,174 feet at Delano Peak above the old Marysvale mining canyons.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Utah.