This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Farmington • With a median income higher than the Utah average and an unemployment rate lower than the national average, Davis County is continuing to recover from the recession, Commission Chairman John Petroff Jr. said Tuesday.
But he added, "Even though we are doing better than average, we still need to do better. And we will."
In a State of the County address — the first for Davis County — Petroff said creating high-quality jobs and improving roads and transit services will continue to be top priorities. Commissioners work closely with the mayors of the county's 15 cities and state legislators to determine how transportation dollars are spent, he said, and several projects to help goods and people get around are either under construction or in the planning stages.
The state's low tax rates have made the area a prime location for expansion, according to Petroff. He said the Davis Unified Economic Development Group — which includes county and city leaders, real estate agents and others in the financial field — helps in the effort by identifying sites for various types of projects.
"They have helped Davis County be No. 1 in job growth on a percentage basis for the past year," Petroff said.
He also praised the nearly 900 Davis County employees, saying they provide services efficiently and work hard to sharpen their skills by getting certifications or continuing their education. Many are considered experts in their fields, he said.
Facts and statistics provided by Petroff include:
• Davis County, which is made up of 15 cities and Hill Air Force Base, covers 304 square miles and had approximately 312,000 residents as of 2011.
• The estimated median household income in 2010 was $64,840 in Davis County and $54,740 in Utah.
• The county unemployment rate as of December was 5.2 percent, one of the lowest in the nation.
"So what is the 'state' of Davis County? It is great," Petroff said "It is a wonderful place to live for a myriad of reasons but mostly because it is the home of some of the finest people anywhere."
Petroff, who spoke for about 10 minutes, has posted more information about the state of the county on http://www.co.davis.ut.us/.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC