Rich County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,264, making it the third-least populous county in Utah. Its county seat is Randolph, and the largest town is Garden City. The county was created in 1864. It was named for an early LDS apostle, Charles C. Rich. The Southern half of Bear Lake and the Bear Lake Valley lie on the northern edge of the county. The Bear River Valley lies in most of the eastern portion of the county. The elevation of these valleys is close to 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and the rest of the county is covered by mountains, including the Bear River Range. Because of the high elevation the climate is cold in winter and mild in summer, and the population is limited. There are only four significant settlements in Rich County.
Visitors to Rich County are probably on their way to Bear Lake, the county’s largest natural resource. In 1827 and 1828 the early trappers held a Rendezvous, a large gathering to trade furs for supplies, on the south shore. The Bannock and Shoshone Indians lived throughout the area when in 1864 Charles C. Rich was sent by Brigham Young to begin a settlement. It is possible that the name of the county came from Mr. Rich. Also the name could have come from the rich soil in the area. It became known as Richland County and was later shortened to Rich County in 1868.
Bear Lake is known around the state for Bear Lake Raspberries. When visiting you can visit any of the restaurants and ask for a Raspberry milkshake. One of the local folk tales centers on the Bear Lake Monster, who is rarely heard but often seen. There are many comfortable places to stay in the county, such as resorts, public beaches, and summer homes. While there are many campsites in the area, Rendezvous Beach provides camping at or near the spot where the early trappers held their own Rendezvous mentioned above. If you’re going to camp you might want to avoid wintertime since the town of Woodruff is known state wide for its very cold winters (with the state record for coldest temperature at –50F). While Bear Lake is important to the county, even more valuable are the productive farms and livestock that can be seen throughout the county while driving the highways.
Rich County was believed to have first been visited by European-descended explorers in 1811, when trapper Joseph Miller discovered the Bear River. In 1827, the first annual rendezvous of trappers occurred on the south shore of Bear Lake, a tradition which is still marked today. The site is also preserved as part of Bear Lake State Park. The Oregon Trail, a heavily-traveled route to the Northwest Territories, passed through the upper part of the future county (as defined by its original description). Apparently many emigrants traveling to the NW Territories also traveled around the south end of Bear Lake instead of hewing to the more heavily-traveled route through present-day Idaho, although this addition to the Oregon Trail is usually not shown on maps of the route. The Utah Territory had been initially settled by Mormon pioneers beginning in 1847, but no Mormons moved into the Rich County area until after 1862. The US Congress passed the Homestead Act of 1862, opening this area to settlement. Mormon leader Brigham Young, fearing this would lead to an influx of non-Mormons, called members of his flock to move to the area and begin its settlement. The first settlement within the county’s present boundary was Round Valley in 1863; located southwest of Lake town (settled 1864), it is now a ghost town. Randolph was settled in 1870.
Originally created as Richland County on January 16, 1864, the name was shortened to Rich on January 29, 1868, by the 17th Utah Territorial Legislature. The boundary as originally defined extended beyond Utah into southwestern Wyoming and southeast Idaho. However, on July 25, 1868, the Wyoming Territory was created by the federal government, and all of the Rich County area east of the 111-degree line of longitude became part of the new territory and thus was lost to Rich. The 1870 census for Rich County, Utah Territory enumerates a total of 1,672 residents in the eight Idaho communities of Bennington, Bloomington, Fish Haven, Liberty, Montpelier, Ovid, Paris and St. Charles. Utah Territory adjusted the county’s boundary on February 16, 1872, by moving a small portion previous Summit County into Rich. The final adjustment to county boundaries was made on January 5, 1875, when Idaho Territory took the eight aforementioned communities and others in the Bear Lake Valley to form Bear Lake County.
Economy in Rich County, Utah
Rich County has an unemployment rate of 3.4%. The US average is 3.9%. Rich County has seen the job market increase by 1.0% over the last year. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 48.5%, which is higher than the US average of 33.5%.
Tax Rates for Rich County
• The Sales Tax Rate for Rich County is 6.7%. The US average is 7.3%.
• The Income Tax Rate for Rich County is 5.0%. The US average is 4.6%.
• Tax Rates can have a big impact when Comparing Cost of Living.
Income and Salaries for Rich County
• The average income of a Rich County resident is $23,018 a year. The US average is $28,555 a year.
• The Median household income of a Rich County resident is $50,573 a year. The US average is $53,482 a year.
In 2017 there were 213 households in the city, with an average size of 4.56 people per household. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%, with a median rent of $575/month. The median house has 6.3 rooms, and has a value of $123,800. The median income for households in Randolph, Utah is $55,208, while the mean household income is $71,821.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Randolph Utah was:
• White: 98.92%
• Two or more races: 0.77%
• Black or African American: 0.31%
• Native American: 0.00%
• Asian: 0.00%
• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.00%
• Other race: 0.00%
Randolph Utah
100.00% of Randolph Utah residents speak only English, while 0.00% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.00% of the population.
Randolph Utah Poverty
• Overall Poverty Rate: 9.18%
• Male Poverty Rate: 9.26%
• Female Poverty Rate: 9.06%
The race most likely to be in poverty in Randolph Utah is Hispanic, with 100.00% below the poverty level. The race least likely to be in poverty in Randolph Ut is White, with 7.95% below the poverty level. The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.00%. Among those working part-time, it was 0.00%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 13.20%.
Randolph Utah Marital Status
Marriage Rates
• Overall Marriage Rate: 57.3
• Male Marriage Rate: 48.3%
• Female Marriage Rate: 67.8%
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
The mission of the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force is to promote a collaborated multi-agency effort through local, state and federal agencies, to identify, investigate and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations operating in the Utah County area, with emphasis on heroin (currently an epidemic in our area), methamphetamine and clandestine lab, target and apprehend street to mid-level drug traffickers and increase efforts in the investigation and arrests of individuals and organizations involved in the distribution of opiate based prescription pills and target gang activity involved in drug distribution and any violent crimes.”
Lawyers in Rich County Utah
Here are some of the areas of law that the attorneys at Ascent Law LLC practice for their clients in Rich County Utah:
The Utah County Major Crimes Task Force is a group of officers brought together and assigned to address problems in a certain area. These groups of officers are considered specialists and have the expertise that they can contribute to solve whatever problem the Task Force is assigned to address. The Utah County Major Crimes Task Force is made up of individuals from multiple agencies assigned to address the problems of drugs, gangs and violent crimes occurring in Utah County. The Task Force Board of Directors is made up of representatives (usually the Agency head) of each agency involved in and contributing to the Task Force and Utah County Attorney, with the Chairman of the board being Chief Gary Giles with the Orem Police Department. The Utah County Major Crimes Task Force is comprised of fourteen local Police Agencies within Utah County to include State, Local and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies.
Drug crimes are extensive throughout Utah. They are one of the most common crimes charged by prosecutors throughout the state’s justice and district courts. A Utah drug crimes lawyer at our firm can defend you against any alleged illegal or prescription drug crimes including drug production, drug distribution, and drug possession. Utah prosecutors are avid about getting you convicted for a drug offense and they show little mercy. If you have been accused of violating a drug law you can bet that the state wants to see you in jail. That is why hiring a dedicated and aggressive Utah Drug Crimes Lawyer such as those at Law Firm is so important. Laws in Utah surrounding illicit drugs are harsh and range from Class B misdemeanors all the way up to first degree felonies and each subsequent conviction tends to increase the sentence by one degree. Furthermore, special rules apply which result in more stringent sentences if a drug crime was committed on, in, or around various types of premises such as schools, libraries, and even movie theaters. You need the protection of experienced and energetic advocates. In addition to the many consequences that attend a criminal conviction for a drug crime, one of the worst collateral consequences of a conviction for possessing drug paraphernalia or illicit drugs is the loss of your Utah driving privileges.
On a first offense you will lose your Utah driver’s license and/or driving privileges for six months. Yes, that is a longer suspension than if you are convicted of a first time DUI. What’s more, your case does not have to have anything to do with a vehicle. You did not have to be driving; the drugs or paraphernalia did not have to be found in a car, etc. The only thing that has to happen for you to lose your license is for you to simply have had drugs or paraphernalia in your possession and you were convicted of that type of crime. You could have been smoking week in your basement, it doesn’t matter. Protecting your license is another reason why it is important to have a Utah drug crimes lawyer on your side. Some district courts in Utah offer drug courts. Drug courts are specialized courts presided over by a district court judge. They offer drug crime felony defendants a second chance to keep their records clean of drug charges. If an individual qualifies for a drug court program he will be required to undergo some serious supervision, random drug tests, drug counseling, group therapy, random search and seizures and some other requirements. Each district court and district attorney’s office has its own set of requirements and qualifications to be able to get into a drug court.
Adjacent counties
• Bear Lake County, Idaho – north
• Lincoln County, Wyoming – northeast
• Uinta County, Wyoming – southeast
• Summit County – south
• Morgan County – southwest
• Weber County – west
• Cache County – west
• Franklin County, Idaho – northwest
Protected areas
• Cache National Forest
• Bear Lake State Park
• Rendezvous Beach State Park
• Bear Lake Marina State Park
• East Side State Park
Lakes
• Bear Lake
• Blue Grass Pond
• Dry Lake
• Neponset Reservoir
Bear Lake, with 110 square miles of surface area and pristine water quality, is a Mecca for water sports. Activities include sail-boating, swimming, skiing, and scuba diving. Resorts in the area provide access to golfing and tennis. Due to Bear Lake’s isolation, a fragile lake ecosystem has evolved and resulted in great fishing. Fish-story sized Mackinaw and lake trout are sought by avid fishermen along with white fish. The famous Bonneville Cisco is harvested in mid January by dipping the fish from the lake in nets, often through holes cut through the ice. The western edge of Rich County contains some 50,000 acres of the Cache National Forest and the eastern edge borders the Crawford Mountains.
High mountain recreational opportunities span the seasons. Winter offers cross country skiing and snowmobiling. Spring features high mountain valleys full of wildflowers. Summer and fall hiking, camping and backpacking and horseback riding opportunities abound for the novice or the more experienced. Deep, long canyons show fall colors at their best with aspen, pine, maple combinations. Hunting opportunities include elk and deer, along with moose and antelope. Other small games are hunted as well. In addition, Rich County’s heritage is steeped in agriculture and Mormon pioneer folklore. Large cattle ranches provide a peek at the old west. Cowboys, horses and rodeos spaced throughout the summer are part of the lifestyle. Each small Rich County town provides a unique look at the turn of the century Mormon architecture.
Types of Jobs
• Private Sector, wages or salary: 64%
• Government Sector: 21%
• Unincorporated, Self-Employed: 12%
• Homemaker, Unpaid: 3%
• Cost of Living Index for Rich County: 80.8
• Median Resident Age: 34.3 Years
Major Industries
• Agriculture & Forestry,
• Educational Services,
• Lodging & Food Services,
• Construction,
• Mining,
• Health Care,
• Government,
• Repair & Maintenance,
• Retail Services,
• Social Services
Rich County UT Cities, Towns, & Neighborhoods
• Garden
• Garden City
• Lake town
• Randolph
• Woodruff
Other Populated Places in Rich County
• Fays Trailer Park
• Lakota
• Meadowville
• Old Limber Pine
• Pikesville
• Sage Creek Junction
Rich County Utah Court Directory
The Utah trial court system consists of District Courts, Juvenile Courts, and Justice Courts. Below is a directory of court locations in Rich County.
District Courts in Rich County Utah
• 1st District Court – Rich County
Rich County Courthouse
20 South Main, Randolph, UT 84064
Phone: 435-793-2415
Fax: 435-793-2410
Juvenile Courts in Rich County
• 1st District Juvenile Court – Rich County
135 North 100 West, Logan, UT 84321
Phone: 435-750-1261
Rich County juvenile cases are heard at the 1st District courts building in Logan, in Cache County.
Justice Courts in Rich County Utah
• Rich County Justice Court
PO Box 218, Randolph, UT 84064
Phone: 435-739-2415
Fax: 435-739-2410
Lawyer in Rich County Utah Free Consultation
It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a legal question or a case in Rich County Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC (801) 676-5506 for your free consultation. We want to help you.
8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C
West Jordan, Utah
84088 United States
Telephone: (801) 676-5506
Recent Posts
