Aurora, Utah
Encyclopedia
Aurora is a city in Sevier County
, Utah
, United States
. The population was 947 at the 2000 census.
Aurora is predominantly supported by agriculture, coal mining, and the service sector. Most residents commute to one of the neighboring communities to work. Children are schooled in Salina
at one of the three public schools. Current growth in the community is attributed to the growth of business and industry in the region.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
. Aurora's settling came under the direction of Brigham Young
. He called on families to settle South Central Utah. Originally named Willow Bend, the name was changed to Aurora due to the presence of the Northern Lights
. The city was moved west two to three miles along the Rocky Ford Canal to avoid the spring flooding accompanied life along the Sevier. This location also enabled significant cultivation of the foothills. Those families that settled the region often left comfortable surroundings of Northern Utah to settle what one original resident described as a desolate region without a green tree in sight. Over time however, settlers planted crops, trees, and utilized irrigation to create a very beautiful and livable community.
Nestled in the fertile Sevier Valley, Aurora slowly grew as greater numbers of settlers moved west. While growth occurred more rapidly in the accompanying communities of Salina
and Richfield
, Aurora grew largely due to the settling of children of many of the large families in the city. Most current residents are able to track their lineage to one of the four founding families of the city.
of 2000, there were 947 people, 303 households, and 269 families residing in the city. The population density
was 936.1 people per square mile (362.0/km²). There were 321 housing units at an average density of 317.3 per square mile (122.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.68% White, 0.53% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races
, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.
There were 303 households out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 83.8% were married couples
living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.2% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,911, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $20,156 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,920. About 3.5% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Sevier County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,842 people, 6,081 households, and 4,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 947 at the 2000 census.
Aurora is predominantly supported by agriculture, coal mining, and the service sector. Most residents commute to one of the neighboring communities to work. Children are schooled in Salina
Salina, Utah
Salina is a city in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,393 at the 2000 census.-History:The first permanent settlers moved into the area in 1864 at the direction of leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
at one of the three public schools. Current growth in the community is attributed to the growth of business and industry in the region.
Geography
Aurora is located at 38°55′16"N 111°56′11"W (38.921241, -111.936427).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
History
Aurora was founded in 1875 by Ezra White (or Ezra Curtis, according to some accounts) and three other families along the banks of the Sevier RiverSevier River
The Sevier River , extending , is the longest Utah river entirely in the state and drains an extended chain of mountain farming valleys to the intermittent Sevier Lake...
. Aurora's settling came under the direction of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
. He called on families to settle South Central Utah. Originally named Willow Bend, the name was changed to Aurora due to the presence of the Northern Lights
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
. The city was moved west two to three miles along the Rocky Ford Canal to avoid the spring flooding accompanied life along the Sevier. This location also enabled significant cultivation of the foothills. Those families that settled the region often left comfortable surroundings of Northern Utah to settle what one original resident described as a desolate region without a green tree in sight. Over time however, settlers planted crops, trees, and utilized irrigation to create a very beautiful and livable community.
Nestled in the fertile Sevier Valley, Aurora slowly grew as greater numbers of settlers moved west. While growth occurred more rapidly in the accompanying communities of Salina
Salina, Utah
Salina is a city in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,393 at the 2000 census.-History:The first permanent settlers moved into the area in 1864 at the direction of leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and Richfield
Richfield, Utah
Richfield is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Utah, in the United States, and is the largest city in southern-central Utah. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,551. It lies in the Mormon Corridor, just off of Interstate 70 about 40 miles east of its junction with...
, Aurora grew largely due to the settling of children of many of the large families in the city. Most current residents are able to track their lineage to one of the four founding families of the city.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 947 people, 303 households, and 269 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 936.1 people per square mile (362.0/km²). There were 321 housing units at an average density of 317.3 per square mile (122.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.68% White, 0.53% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.
There were 303 households out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 83.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.2% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,911, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $20,156 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,920. About 3.5% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.