Layton ( /ˈleɪʔɪn/) is a city in Davis County,

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

, United States. It is part of the Ogden-Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 81,773, with 2022 Census Bureau estimates showing an increase to 82,601. 2024 estimates place Layton's population at 87,392. Layton is the most populous city in Davis County and the ninth most populous in Utah. Layton has direct access to

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

, Ogden, Salt Lake City International Airport, Antelope Island, and the FrontRunner commuter rail. Layton City is a leader in economic development for the region, with immediate adjacency to

Hill Air Force Base Hill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force (USAF) base located in Davis County, Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and bordering the Cities of Layton, Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, and Sunset with its largest border immediately adja ...

, a large hospitality district (1,000+ hotel beds) and conference center, the Layton Hills Mall, multiple nationally recognized retail and food chains, the East Gate Business Park, and the

Weber State University Weber State University (pronounced ) is a public university in Ogden, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1889 as Weber Stake Academy and earned its current name in 1991. As of fall 2023, the student population reached 30,536 students, cons ...

-Davis campus. In 2014, Layton contributed $1.34 billion worth of retail sales activity, the second largest market north of Salt Lake City and seventh largest in Utah.

History

Founding

Layton was settled in the 1850s as an outgrowth of Kaysville and is named after Christopher Layton, a

Latter-day Saint The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded b ...

settler and leader. It was included in the boundaries when Kaysville was incorporated as a city in 1868, but by the 1880s, many Layton residents wanted to separate from the city. They challenged Kaysville's authority to tax their property, claiming they received no municipal services. This dispute reached the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...

in 1894 as the case of '' Linford v. Ellison'', which was decided in favor of the Layton property owners. The separatist movement finally succeeded in 1902, when Layton became an independent

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

. After further growth, it was made an

incorporated town An incorporated town is a town that is a municipal corporation. Canada Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government. United States An incorporated town o ...

in 1920.

Expansion

The town's population increased slowly; up until 1940, it was about 600. The creation of

to the north in 1940, followed shortly by the United States' entry into

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, led to a dramatic population increase. War workers streamed into the area; the 1950 census counted 3,456 people. Layton became a city, transformed from a farming town to a

residential community A residential community is a community, usually a small town or city, that is composed mostly of residents, as opposed to commercial businesses and/or industrial facilities, all three of which are considered to be the three main types o ...

. Growth slowed after the war, but Layton continued to develop as a suburban

bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...

, as those not employed at the Air Force base began

commuting Commuting is periodically recurring travel between a place of residence and place of work or study, where the traveler, referred to as a commuter, leaves the boundary of their home community. By extension, it can sometimes be any regular o ...

to the Salt Lake City or Ogden areas. The city continued to expand geographically, annexing surrounding parcels of land, including the adjacent town of Laytona and the city of East Layton. In 1985, Layton passed Bountiful to become the most populous city in Davis County.

Geography

Layton is located in the northern portion of the

Wasatch Front The Wasatch Front is a major metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of contiguous cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from Santaquin in the south to Pleasant View in the n ...

, approximately north of

and south of Ogden. It is bordered by Clearfield to the northwest,

to the north, South Weber to the northeast, the Wasatch Mountains to the east, Kaysville to the south, Great Salt Lake wetlands to the southwest and Syracuse to the west. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, Layton has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.78%, is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot summers and cold winters. Great Salt Lake effect snow is common in the winter.

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 67,311 people, 18,282 households, and 14,771 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 2,823.9 people per square mile (1,090.1/km²). There were 19,145 housing units at an average density of 924.6 per square mile (356.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.91%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.61%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.53% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.27%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 3.09% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 6.96% of the population. There were 18,282 households, out of which 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.19, and the average family size was 3.59. The population was 35.1% under 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males. The median income for a household was $52,128, and the median income for a family was $57,193. Males had a median income of $40,409 versus $26,646 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $19,604. About 5.0% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Layton City has a council/manager form of government with 290 full-time employees. The Layton City Council is composed of five members and a mayor. All members are elected by the residents of the city during a municipal election held every two years. Each seat consists of a four-year term. Council member terms are staggered. Two members and a mayor are elected at one time, and two years later, the other three members are elected. The Mayor and Council are responsible for setting city policy, and the City Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations. Joy Petro became mayor in 2019 and Alex R. Jensen has been the city manager since 1992. There are five city council members. , the city council members are Tom Day (since 2013), Dawn Fitzpatrick (since 2020), Clint Morris (since 2019), Dave Thomas (since 2019), and Zach Bloxham (since 2019). City council meetings are held every first and third Thursday at 7:00 PM in the council chambers.

Education

Layton has an extended branch of

and is part of Davis School District. The city has four high schools, six junior high schools, and fifteen elementary schools.

High schools

* Layton High School (est. 1966) - Davis School District * Northridge High School (est. 1992) - Davis School District * NUAMES—Northern Utah Academy of Math, Engineering & Science (est 2004) - an early college charter high school that works in partnership with Weber State University.
Layton Christian Academy
(est. 1993) Private Christian School

Junior high schools

* Central Davis Junior High * Legacy Junior High * North Davis Preparatory Academy Junior High * North Layton Junior High * Shoreline Junior high * Layton Christian Academy

Elementary schools

* Sarah Jane Adams Elementary * Crestview Elementary * Ellison Park Elementary * East Layton Elementary * Heritage Elementary * E.G. King Elementary * Layton Elementary * Lincoln Elementary * Mountain View Elementary * North Davis Preparatory Academy Elementary * Sand Springs Elementary * Sunburst Elementary * Vae View Elementary * E. M. Whitesides Elementary * Layton Christian Academy

Transportation

I-15 runs north–south through the center of town and serves Layton with three interchanges - (from north to south) Antelope Drive, Hillfield Road, and Layton Parkway. U.S. 89 runs north–south along the eastern edge of Layton, adjacent to the western slope of the Wasatch Mountains, and provides access to Weber Canyon via I-84 to the north in South Weber, then merges with I-15 and Legacy Parkway to the south in Farmington, near Lagoon Amusement Park. Utah State Route 177 runs north–south through western Layton, connecting the communities of western Davis County from Farmington @ I-15 to West Point, ending at a junction leading to State Route 193, thereby forming a makeshift north Davis County belt route. Utah State Route 193 runs east–west through northern Layton, past the south gate of

, connecting U.S. 89 to I-15 in Clearfield. Utah Transit Authority (UTA) provides bus service and FrontRunner commuter rail. FrontRunner's Layton Station is located at the site of the former

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...

Layton Depot.

Points of interest

Layton's major retail district includes the Layton Hills Mall, movie theaters, Davis Conference Center, and "Restaurant Row", nicknamed such due to the large number of national chain restaurants located along its one-mile stretch. Layton's City Center includes the city offices, police station, and courthouse. Located nearby are Layton Commons Park, Davis Arts Council, Davis County Library Central Branch, Edward A. Kenley Centennial Amphitheater, Heritage Museum of Layton, Layton Surf 'N Swim, and Layton High School. Adams Canyon, a popular hiking destination, is located east of Highway 89. Gambel Oak, Douglas Fir, and Fern Bush are a few plant species found along the trail. Chipmunks and various types of birds can also be found. The trailhead is located near the eastern terminus of SR193. The total length of the trail is approximately out and back. On April 1, 2018, Russell M. Nelson, president of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

, announced the church's intention to build the Layton Utah Temple. Construction concluded in June, 2024, and was dedicated on June 16th, 2024 becoming the 22nd

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

in Utah.

Parks and trails

* Andy Adams Park 1713 E 1000 N * Bamberger Trail * Camelot Park 1400 W 2000 N * Chapel Park 152 S 900 E * Chelsie Meadows Park 1401 N 2575 W * D&RG Trail * Ellison Park - Splash Pad & Skate Park 700 N 2200 W * Grey Hawk Park, 3500 Redtail Way * Kays Creek Parkway Multiple Trail Heads * Layton Commons Park 437 N Wasatch Dr * Legacy Park 469 N 3200 W * Oak Forest Park 2250 E 2400 N * Sandridge Park 2555 N Church St * Vae View Park 1600 N Main * Veterans Park 175 W Gentile St * Woodward Park 1505 N 25 E

Notable people

* Julian Blackmon, NFL player * Christine Cavanaugh, voice actress known for '' Babe'' * Dyson Clapier, soccer player * Daniel Coats, former NFL player for the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...

* John Collins, basketball player, first-round selection in 2017 NBA draft * R Adams Cowley, trauma surgeon who pioneered the treatment of shock trauma * Tiffany Coyne, model on '' Let's Make a Deal'' * Chuck Ehin, NFL player * Sherman L. Fleek, military historian * Kevin Garn, former majority leader of the Utah House of Representatives * Dayan Lake, NFL player * Shaun Todd McBride, artist and social media personality best known as Shonduras * Court McGee, a mixed martial artist currently fighting in UFC * Ruby Timms Price, first Black teacher in Utah * Sterling W. Sill, a general authority for

and local businessman * Calvin Lee Vail, better known as LeafyIsHere or just Leafy; YouTube personality and critic * YoungBoy Never Broke Again, rapper who currently resides in Layton due to ongoing legal issues

Local Acts

* Get Scared, heavy metal band from Layton

References

External links

* {{authority control Cities in Utah Cities in Davis County, Utah Wasatch Front Ogden–Clearfield metropolitan area Populated places established in the 1850s