Uintah County is a county in Utah, United States, centred on the town of Vernal in the state’s northeastern corner. It had a population of 35,620 at the 2020 census and covers 4,480 square miles (11,600 km2) of land centred near 40°08′N 109°31′W.
Vernal is the county seat, and its postal code is 84078. The county has 3 incorporated cities and towns and around a dozen unincorporated communities. Uintah County is in the Mountain time zone. Utah has no civil townships, so places here are organized directly under the county.
Towns & Villages in Uintah County
Uintah County has 3 incorporated places — Vernal (the seat), Ballard, and Naples — 7 census-designated places, and several smaller unincorporated communities scattered across the Uinta Basin, some tied to the county’s oil and gas fields. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no formal municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernal | City · seat | 10,079 | 84078 |
| Naples | City | 2,282 | 84078 |
| Ballard | Town | — | 84066 |
| Maeser | CDP | — | 84078 |
| Jensen | CDP | — | 84035 |
| Lapoint | CDP | — | 84039 |
| Fort Duchesne | CDP | — | 84026 |
| Randlett | CDP | — | 84063 |
| Bonanza | CDP | — | 84008 |
| Whiterocks | CDP | — | 84085 |
| Tridell | Unincorp. | — | 84076 |
| Gusher | Unincorp. | — | 84076 |
| Ouray | Unincorp. | — | 84026 |
| Dry Fork | Unincorp. | — | 84078 |
| Hayden | Unincorp. | — | 84078 |
| Leeton | Unincorp. | — | 84078 |
| Leota | Unincorp. | — | 84076 |
| Red Wash | Unincorp. | — | 84078 |
| Watson | Unincorp. | — | 84076 |
Several places share the Vernal (84078) or Fort Duchesne/Tridell ZIPs and have no separate delivery point of their own.
ZIP Codes
- 84078 — Vernal (also serves Dry Fork, Hayden, Leeton, Red Wash, Naples)
- 84066 — Ballard
- 84035 — Jensen
- 84039 — Lapoint
- 84026 — Fort Duchesne (also serves Ouray)
- 84063 — Randlett
- 84085 — Whiterocks
- 84076 — Tridell (also serves Gusher, Leota, Watson)
- 84008 — Bonanza
Vernal’s 84079 is a post-office-box-only ZIP with no residential delivery.
Geography
Uintah County sits on the eastern side of the Uinta Basin, in the northeast corner of Utah where the state meets Colorado. The Green River crosses the county’s northern and eastern reaches, cutting through Dinosaur National Monument, and the southern slopes of the Uinta Mountains rise along the county’s northern edge. Elevations range from around 4,700 feet along the Green River to over 12,000 feet in the high country to the north.
Uintah County borders Daggett County to the north, Moffat County, Colorado to the northeast, Rio Blanco County, Colorado to the east, Garfield County, Colorado to the southeast, Grand County to the south, Emery County to the southwest, and Carbon County and Duchesne County to the west.
Demographics
Uintah County had 35,620 residents at the 2020 census. Vernal (10,079) and Naples (2,282) are the two largest communities, together accounting for about a third of the county’s population. The county’s median household income has historically run well below the Utah median of $93,421, reflecting the boom-bust swings of an economy tied to oil and gas prices. Population density is about 8 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in the state outside its towns.
Economy & Local Life
Oil, natural gas, phosphate, and gilsonite extraction anchor the county’s economy; Uintah County has long ranked among Utah’s top natural-gas producers. Cattle and sheep ranching and alfalfa farming continue on land not given over to the oil fields. Tourism tied to Dinosaur National Monument and the Uinta Mountains brings visitors through Vernal, home to the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. The Ute Indian Tribe’s Uintah and Ouray Reservation covers a substantial share of the county’s southern and eastern land.
History
Uintah County was created by the Utah territorial legislature in 1880, taking its name from the part of the Ute Tribe that lived in the Uinta Basin. Vernal was settled in the 1870s and became the county seat. In 2008 the county produced roughly 272 billion cubic feet of natural gas, the highest output of any Utah county that year, underscoring how central energy extraction has been to the local economy for more than a century.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 40 and 191 cross the county, along with Utah State Routes 45, 88, and 121.
- Salt Lake City — 175 miles west
- Grand Junction, Colorado — 100 miles southeast
- Rock Springs, Wyoming — 95 miles north
- Price — 90 miles southwest
Vernal Regional Airport offers daily service to Denver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Uintah County?
It is in northeastern Utah, along the Colorado border in the Uinta Basin.
What is the population of Uintah County?
35,620 at the 2020 census.
How big is Uintah County?
4,480 square miles (11,600 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Uintah County?
Vernal.
How many towns are in Uintah County?
Three incorporated places — Vernal, Naples, and Ballard — plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Uintah County?
Nine, led by 84078 for Vernal.
What is Uintah County’s biggest industry?
Oil and natural gas extraction, historically the highest-producing sector of any county in Utah.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Utah.