Sanpete County is a county in Utah, United States, in the central part of the state, along the Sanpete Valley south of Utah County. It had a population of 28,437 at the 2020 census and covers 1,590 square miles (4,100 km2) of land, centred near 39°22′N 111°35′W.
Manti is the county seat, and its postal code is 84642. The county has 9 incorporated cities and about a dozen smaller unincorporated communities. Sanpete County observes Mountain Time and carries FIPS code 49039.
Towns & Villages in Sanpete County
Sanpete County is built around nine incorporated cities strung along US-89 through the Sanpete Valley, plus a scatter of small unincorporated places in the side canyons and on the valley floor. Under current Utah code, every incorporated place in the county is classified simply as a city. Unincorp. below marks places with no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manti | City · seat | — | 84642 |
| Ephraim | City | — | 84627 |
| Mount Pleasant | City | — | 84647 |
| Gunnison | City | — | 84634 |
| Moroni | City | — | 84646 |
| Fairview | City | — | 84629 |
| Spring City | City | — | 84662 |
| Centerfield | City | — | 84622 |
| Fountain Green | City | — | 84632 |
| Sterling | Unincorp. | — | 84665 |
| Mayfield | Unincorp. | — | 84643 |
| Fayette | Unincorp. | — | 84630 |
| Chester | Unincorp. | — | 84623 |
| Wales | Unincorp. | — | 84667 |
| Axtell | Unincorp. | — | 84621 |
| Indianola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Milburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Freedom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pigeon Hollow Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
Ephraim, home to Snow College, is the county’s largest city; Manti, its seat, is the smaller of the two historic Mormon pioneer towns anchoring the valley. West Ephraim and Manti Canyon are informal names for outlying subdivisions of Ephraim and Manti rather than separate communities, and are not listed separately above.
ZIP Codes
- 84642 — Manti (county seat)
- 84627 — Ephraim
- 84647 — Mount Pleasant
- 84634 — Gunnison
- 84646 — Moroni
- 84629 — Fairview
- 84662 — Spring City
- 84622 — Centerfield
- 84632 — Fountain Green
- 84665 — Sterling (also serves nearby ranch land)
- 84643 — Mayfield
- 84630 — Fayette
- 84623 — Chester
- 84667 — Wales
- 84621 — Axtell
Smaller unincorporated places such as Indianola, Milburn, Oak Creek and Freedom have no post office of their own and are served by the ZIP code of the nearest listed town.
Geography
Sanpete County sits in central Utah’s Sanpete Valley, a north-south agricultural basin flanked by the Wasatch Plateau to the east and the San Pitch Mountains to the west. South Tent Mountain, east of Ephraim, is the county’s highest point at 11,285 feet (3,440 m). The Sanpete River drains the valley north into the Sevier River system. Of the county’s 1,603 square miles, 1,590 square miles are land and 12 square miles are water.
Sanpete County borders Utah County to the north, Carbon County to the northeast, Emery County to the east, Sevier County to the south, Millard County to the southwest, and Juab County to the northwest.
Demographics
Sanpete County had 28,437 residents at the 2020 census, up from 27,822 a decade earlier. Ephraim and Mount Pleasant are the two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs below the Utah median of $93,421, reflecting the county’s agricultural and small-institution economic base. Population density is roughly 18 people per square mile, among the lower densities in the state’s settled valleys.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, livestock and turkey ranching anchor the local economy; Moroni Feed Company, a turkey producer and processor headquartered in Moroni, is one of the county’s largest employers. Snow College, a public two-year college founded in Ephraim in 1888, is another major employer and draws students from across the state. Small manufacturing, government employment and tourism tied to the Manti-La Sal National Forest round out the economic base.
History
Sanpete County was created on January 31, 1850, by Deseret’s provisional government, one of the earliest counties organized in Utah Territory. It is named for the Ute leader Sanpitch; the name derives from a Ute word meaning “people of the tules.” Manti, settled in 1849 by Mormon pioneers, is one of the oldest continuous settlements in Utah and was chosen as the county seat.
Getting There
US-89 runs the length of the county through the Sanpete Valley, connecting to I-15 to the west via UT-28 and UT-132.
- Provo — 45 miles north
- Salt Lake City — 100 miles north
- Richfield — 30 miles south
- Price — 40 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Provo Municipal Airport; Salt Lake City International Airport, about two hours north, offers wider connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sanpete County?
It is in central Utah, along the Sanpete Valley south of Utah County.
What is the population of Sanpete County?
28,437 at the 2020 census.
How big is Sanpete County?
1,603 square miles (4,150 km2) in total, of which 1,590 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Sanpete County?
Manti is the county seat.
How many towns are in Sanpete County?
Nine incorporated cities, plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Sanpete County?
Fifteen, from 84621 (Axtell) to 84667 (Wales); Manti’s is 84642.
What is Sanpete County known for?
Turkey ranching, Mormon pioneer history and Snow College in Ephraim.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Utah.