RANK #819 / 1001 NAT · POP 370,924
1YR FORECAST: +0.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +23%
Antelope Island State Park, home to free-roaming bison and stunning Great Salt Lake views, is a defining feature of Davis County, Utah. Located just north of Salt Lake City, the county offers a blend of suburban living and natural amenities. Commute times to Salt Lake City are generally short, aided by Interstate 15 and the FrontRunner commuter rail. The community feel is often described as family-friendly and safe, with access to over 500 miles of trails for hiking and biking, numerous parks, and fishing ponds. The county's location between the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake provides diverse outdoor recreation opportunities, from mountain trails to beaches on Bridger Bay.
Life in Davis County is characterized by a focus on family and community, with highly-rated public schools. Many residents commute to jobs in nearby Salt Lake City or within the county. The economy is driven by sectors such as defense, with Hill Air Force Base being a major employer, alongside small manufacturing, distribution, and service industries. The county has seen consistent economic growth, with an increase in GDP and a low unemployment rate, reflecting a resilient local economy.
Davis County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +2.3% YoY, population +1.1%, wages +1.8%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Above national median
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 21.7x — 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 →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Davis County scores just 18/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #819 of 1001 counties. Job growth at -0.5% and median household income of $110,884 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Davis County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $505,500 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.22 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,621/month on average.
Davis County's population is growing — up +1.1% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of -0.5%). Home values shifted +2.3% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.14% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Davis County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.