Summit County is a county in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 42,357.^[1] Its county seat is Coalville,^[2] and the largest city is Park City.

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Summit County
County
Summit County Courthouse in Coalville
Location within the U.S. state of Utah
Utah's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40.88°N 110.97°W / 40.88; -110.97
Country	United States
State	Utah
Founded	1854 (created) 1861 (organized)
Named for	The summits of the mountains
Seat	Coalville
Largest city	Park City
Area
• Total	1,882 sq mi (4,870 km2)
• Land	1,872 sq mi (4,850 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	42,357
• Density	23/sq mi (8.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.co.summit.ut.us

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The county was created by the Utah Territory legislature on January 13, 1854, with its description containing a portion of the future state of Wyoming. It was not organized then but was attached to Great Salt Lake County for administrative and judicial purposes. The county government was completed by March 4, 1861, so its attachment to the other county was terminated. The county boundaries were altered in 1856 and in 1862. In 1868 the Wyoming Territory was created by the US government, effectively de-annexing all Summit County areas falling within the new territory. The boundaries were further altered in 1872 and 1880. Its final alteration occurred on January 7, 1918, when Daggett's creation took a portion of its eastern territory. Its boundary has remained unchanged since that creation.^[3] It is so named because it includes 39 of the highest mountain peaks in Utah.

The county's mean elevation is 8,388 feet (2,557 m) above sea level, which is the second-highest (after Taos County, New Mexico) of any county outside Colorado.^[4] Owing to its proximity to Salt Lake City, Park City has acquired a reputation as an upscale getaway, bringing new development to the area.

Summit County is part of the Heber, UT Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, UT Combined Statistical Area.

Summit County lies on the upper east side of Utah. Its northeast borders abut the south and west borders of the state of Wyoming. Its central and eastern portion consists largely of the east–west oriented Uinta Mountains, while its western portion runs to the east slopes of the north–south oriented Wasatch Mountains.^[5] The county's highest point is Gilbert Peak, on the border with Duchesne County, at 13,448 ft (4,099 m) ASL.^[6] The county has a total area of 1,882 square miles (4,870 km²), of which 1,872 square miles (4,850 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (0.5%) is water.^[7]

Summit County has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. Since the 1990s, it has become more competitive due to the influence of Democratic leaning Park City. Since then; Democrats have at times won a plurality or even a majority of the countywide votes. In 1996, Bill Clinton became the first Democrat to win the county since Lyndon Johnson's 44-state landslide in 1964 and only the second Democrat to carry it since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Although George W. Bush carried the county in 2000 and 2004, his performance there was worst in the state. In a 2006 US Senate race, Summit County was the only county carried by Democrat Pete Ashdown even as the Republican incumbent Orrin Hatch carried the state as a whole by a 2 to 1 margin. Likewise, in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Barack Obama carried the county by a 15.3% margin over John McCain, while McCain carried Utah by 28.1% over Obama.^[14] However, in the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney defeated Obama in the county, 51% to 46%.^[15] In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton defeated Republican Donald Trump, 50% to 35%.^[14] The county is no more Republican in gubernatorial politics. In both the 2012 and 2016 elections it was the only county to support the Democratic candidate over Gary Herbert.

In the 2016 Senate race, Summit County was the only county in Utah where a plurality voted for Democratic nominee Misty Snow against Republican incumbent Mike Lee. Snow was the first major-party transgender Senate candidate in United States history, making the county the first in the nation to vote for a transgender candidate for the Senate.

On the county level, most of the elected offices are held by Democrats, including four of the five seats on the newly created Summit County Council.^[24] -John Hanrahan, D; Claudia McMullin, D; Sally Elliott, D; Chris Robinson, D; David Ure, R

Summit County was one of only two counties (along with Grand County) to vote against Utah's same-sex marriage ban in 2004. In June 2010, Summit County became the sixth local government of Utah to prohibit discrimination in employment or housing based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.^[25]

There are three school districts covering sections of the county:^[26]

• North Summit School District
• Park City School District
• South Summit School District

Summit County also includs a local campus of Utah State University in Park City.^[27]

• List of counties in Utah
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Summit County, Utah
• Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act