St. George is a city located in Washington County, Utah. As of the 2000
census, the city had a total population of 49,663. It is the county seat of
Washington County6.
St. George is the population and commercial center of Utah's Dixie, a region
so named when Mormon pioneers grew cotton in the area. It's one of the
warmest parts of the state of Utah, in sharp contrast to nearby Cedar City,
which is considerably cooler. St. George's trademark is its geology -- red
bluffs frame the northern part of the city, and the eastern edges of the
Mojave Desert are visible to the south. Zion National Park can be seen to
the east, and large mountains are nearby to the north and southeast.
The city began booming in the mid-1980s, first as a retirement hotspot
and tourist gateway to Utah's Color Country, then as a major transportation
center. Many companies, including Wal-Mart, have distribution centers in the
St. George area. The city is on the I-15 corridor, just a few hours' drive
from the western terminus of I-70, as well as access to the I-10 and I-40
corridors via nearby US 93.
St. George is home to Dixie State College, a four-year institution.
Community growth has led to planning of a new regional airport for St.
George, as well as a beltway around the western, northern, and southern
parts of the urban area.
Geography
St. George is located at 37°5'43" North, 113°34'41" West (37.095279,
-113.578151).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
168.0 km˛ (64.9 mi˛). 166.8 km˛ (64.4 mi˛) of it is land and 1.2 km˛ (0.5
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 0.72% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 49,663 people, 17,367 households, and
13,042 families residing in the city. The population density is 297.7/km˛
(771.2/mi˛). There are 21,083 housing units at an average density of 126.4/km˛
(327.4/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 92.27% White, 0.24% African
American, 1.64% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.59% Pacific Islander, 2.87%
from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. 6.72% of the population
are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 17,367 households out of which 34.2% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 63.6% are married couples living together, 8.6% have
a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% are non-families.
19.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.81 and the average family size is 3.21.
In the city the population is spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18,
13.7% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100
females there are 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,505, and the median
income for a family is $41,788. Males have a median income of $31,106 versus
$20,861 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,022. 11.6% of
the population and 7.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 14.4% are under the age of 18 and 4.4% are
65 or older.
