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Moving to Duchesne, Utah

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Duchesne is a small city located in the heart of the Uintah Basin in northeastern Utah. The city has a population of just over 2,000 people and is the county seat of Duchesne County. It lies along State Route 87, approximately 70 miles east of the state capital, Salt Lake City.

The area was first inhabited by Native Americans and was part of the Ute tribe’s ancestral homeland. The city was founded in 1868 when three Mormon families moved to the area and established a settlement. They named it after Father Pierre-Jean DeSmet, a Jesuit missionary who visited the region in 1851 and baptized many Native Americans into Christianity.

Duchesne has long been an agricultural center for the region, raising cattle, sheep and crops such as corn, wheat, hay and alfalfa. Today, much of this farmland has been converted to residential housing developments or commercial businesses such as convenience stores and gas stations.

The town is home to several parks including Vernal City Park which offers camping facilities, picnic areas and playgrounds; Starvation Reservoir State Park which offers fishing opportunities; Steinaker State Park which features swimming beaches; and Big Sand Wash Reservoir which offers boating activities.

The economy in Duchesne relies heavily on energy production from oil shale reserves found beneath its surface. The city also houses several federal agencies including offices for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service (USFS) and US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Duchesne is served by two school districts: Duchesne School District for grades pre-K through 12th grade; and Uintah School District for grades 9th through 12th grade. The community also has several churches representing various denominations including Catholic, Baptist, LDS Church (Latter-day Saints) and Methodist Episcopal Churches.

In addition to its rich agricultural history, Duchesne is home to many recreational activities such as hunting & fishing trips; horseback riding; camping & hiking trips; biking trails; golf courses & country clubs; rock climbing walls; ATV trails; paintball facilities & more! There are also several historical sites nearby such as Starvation Reservoir State Park which features Ancient Puebloan ruins dating back thousands of years ago!

Duchesne may be small but it’s full of life! There’s something for everyone here – from outdoor recreation opportunities to local festivals like Frontier Day that celebrate our cultural heritage with rodeos & parades each June! With so much to offer it’s no wonder why so many people call Duchesne home.

Population: 1,408. Estimated population in July 2024: 1,481 (+5.2% change)
Males: 693 (49.2%), Females: 715 (50.8%)

Duchesne County

Zip code: 84021

Demographics

Median resident age: 28.5 years
Median household income: $32,426
Median house value: $82,000

Population by Race

Races in Duchesne:

  • White Non-Hispanic (95.0%)
  • Hispanic (2.8%)
  • American Indian (1.3%)
  • Two or more races (1.2%)

Ancestries: English (31.5%), German (15.9%), United States (12.4%), Scottish (6.8%), Irish (6.7%), Danish (6.4%).

Elevation: 5517 feet

Land area: 2.3 square miles

Map of Duchesne, UT

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Duchesne

  • High school or higher: 78.1%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.1%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 2.5%
  • Unemployed: 8.8%
  • Mean travel time to work: 25.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Duchesne city

  • Never married: 19.0%
  • Now married: 60.7%
  • Separated: 0.8%
  • Widowed: 7.1%
  • Divorced: 12.4%

0.7% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +100 (+7.6%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Duchesne:

  • UINTAH BASIN MEDICAL CENTER (about 29 miles; ROOSEVELT, UT)
  • CASTLEVIEW HOSPITAL (about 49 miles; PRICE, UT)
  • ASHLEY VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER (about 65 miles; VERNAL, UT)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Duchesne:

  • PROVO MUNI (about 92 miles; PROVO, UT; Abbreviation: PVU)
  • SALT LAKE CITY INTL (about 117 miles; SALT LAKE CITY, UT; Abbreviation: SLC)
  • HILL AFB (about 127 miles; OGDEN, UT; Abbreviation: HIF)

Other public-use airports nearest to Duchesne:

  • DUCHESNE MUNI (about 3 miles; DUCHESNE, UT; Abbreviation: U69)
  • ROOSEVELT MUNI (about 26 miles; ROOSEVELT, UT; Abbreviation: 74V)
  • CARBON COUNTY (about 46 miles; PRICE, UT; Abbreviation: PUC)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Duchesne:

  • UTAH VALLEY STATE COLLEGE (about 91 miles; OREM, UT; Full-time enrollment: 14,182)
  • BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY (about 94 miles; PROVO, UT; Full-time enrollment: 29,977)
  • SNOW COLLEGE (about 99 miles; EPHRAIM, UT; Full-time enrollment: 2,632)
  • UNIVERSITY OF UTAH (about 108 miles; SALT LAKE CITY, UT; Full-time enrollment: 19,866)
  • SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 110 miles; SALT LAKE CITY, UT; Full-time enrollment: 11,896)
  • UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX-UTAH CAMPUS (about 111 miles; SALT LAKE CITY, UT; Full-time enrollment: 2,021)
  • WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY (about 129 miles; OGDEN, UT; Full-time enrollment: 12,112)

Schools

Public high school in Duchesne:

  • DUCHESNE HIGH (Students: 299; Location: 95 N 200 W; Grades: 07 – 12)

Public primary/middle school in Duchesne:

  • DUCHESNE ELEM SCH (Students: 329; Location: 198 W 300 N; Grades: KG – 06)

Libraries

Library in Duchesne:

  • DAGGETT COUNTY BOOKMOBILE LIBRARY (Operating income: $11,517; Location: 130 SOUTH CENTER STREET, SUITE A; 23,126 books; 99 audio materials)

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