SALT LAKE CITY — The federal government shutdown could leave about 42,000 Utah workers without paychecks, representing 2.4% of the state's workforce. The impact varies dramatically across counties, with some communities facing significant economic disruption while others would see minimal effects.
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Davis County would be hit hardest, with more than 15,000 federal employees making up nearly 11% of the local workforce. Most of these jobs are tied to Hill Air Force Base, creating a concentrated economic vulnerability for the region.
Weber County also faces a substantial impact with more than 9,000 federal employees, more than 7% of its total workforce, primarily from Hill Air Force Base and IRS operations.
Salt Lake County ranks second in total federal employment with almost 12,000 workers, though they represent just 1.5% of the county's workforce.
Daggett County has the highest percentage of federal workers at 13.5% of its workforce, though this translates to just 48 jobs in the remote county of about 950 residents.
The least affected among Utah's large counties include Utah County at 0.4%, Cache County at 0.5%, and Washington County at 0.8% of jobs tied to federal employment.
In Washington County, however, the leisure and hospitality industry is pivotal, and it relies in part on access to federal lands, including Zion National Park.
The data comes from the State Department of Workforce Services through March of this year.
