RANK #386 / 1001 NAT · POP 61,246
1YR FORECAST: -0.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +30%
Box Elder County, Utah, is known for the Golden Spike National Historical Park, where the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Located in Utah's northwest corner, it sits about an hour north of Salt Lake City, with Brigham City serving as its largest community and county seat. The county offers a mix of historic towns and rural communities, with diverse topography ranging from the Wellsville Mountains to the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding marshlands. Outdoor recreation is a significant draw, with opportunities for birdwatching at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, boating and fishing at Willard Bay State Park and Mantua Reservoir, and numerous hiking and biking trails.
Life in Box Elder County appeals to families and those seeking a more conservative, community-oriented lifestyle. Commuting to Ogden is feasible, with Brigham City just 25 minutes north by car. The Box Elder School District serves the entire county with above-average public schools. The economy is largely driven by manufacturing, which is the county's largest employment sector. Agriculture also plays an important role, with abundant fruit orchards, especially peaches, being a local highlight. Recent economic developments include investments in manufacturing, with companies expanding operations and creating jobs.
Box Elder County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +1.6% YoY, population +2.5%, wages +4.6%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Below national median
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 16.1x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Wonder Valley AI Data Center Project
O'Leary Digital
|
$7,500M | Planned |
|
Nucor Towers & Structures Production Plant
Nucor Towers & Structures, Inc.
|
$204M | Planned |
|
Rocket Solar Project
Rocket Solar, LLC (Enyo Renewable Energy affiliate)
|
$100M | Operating |
|
Steel Solar Project
DE Shaw Renewable Investments
|
$100M | Operating |
|
Lithium Extraction Plant
Lilac Solutions
|
$50M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 61/100, Box Elder County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +3.2%, and median household income stands at $84,550 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in UT.
Box Elder County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $403,600 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.21 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,116/month on average.
Box Elder County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +2.5% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +3.2% clip. Home values shifted +1.6% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.35% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Box Elder County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.