Payson, Utah
Payson is a city in Utah County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 12,716. The mayor is currently Burtis Bills.
Geography
Payson is located at 40°2′20″N 111°43′59″W / 40.03889°N 111.73306°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (40.038835, -111.733147)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.6 km² (6.8 mi²), all land. Payson currently has five stoplights, two grocery stores, a hospital, a library, a hotel, a rite-aid, and a walmart. Payson is also being considered for a branch of UVSC, soon to be UVU, and the city recently invested in fiber-optics to meet the demands of the investigating university.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 12,716 people, 3,654 households, and 3,058 families residing in the city. The population density was 723.1/km² (1,871.8/mi²). There were 3,855 housing units at an average density of 219.2/km² (567.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.02% White, 0.13% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 3.52% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.79% of the population.
Payson has doubled in the past decade, although the 1990 population was 8,700 and is on the southern end of Utah valley's real estate boom. The Utah County government estimates the population in Payson is over 15,000, a majority of newcomers came from Salt Lake City.
There were 3,654 households out of which 51.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.47 and the average family size was 3.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 38.3% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 14.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,539, and the median income for a family was $47,491. Males had a median income of $32,244 versus $20,869 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,588. About 7.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
Payson is the site of the annual Scottish Heritage Festival, held every July. Other annual festivities include a salmon supper, held every August, and the Onion days festival, held every Labor Day weekend. The city also has band concerts in the Memorial Park, and has had such concerts since the early 1960's.
Payson is where most of the 1984 movie Footloose was filmed, in setting such as Payson High School and 'Sudsie's', a old and local carwash. The town is also a film favorite for seminary videos, filmed by the LDS Church. Eat, Drink, and Get Married was also filmed on Payson Historic Main street.
Payson was originally named Peteetneet, after a Ute indian chief who lived near Payson's current location. However, the pioneering residents decided to change the name to Payson, after Robert Pace, due to the fact that no one out side of Payson knew how to spell or say Peteetneet. A monument still stands to Chief Peteetneet at the Peteetneet Academy, originally the first school in Payson, but now a museum. Peteetneet Academy is a historical gem in the community and is know for its historical significance, beauty, and great sledding. (Www.Peteetneetacademy.org)
Payson is a very historical city that celebrates its heritage through monuments such as the historic main street, Peteetneet Academy, Historical Society that marks houses over a hundred years old, and with several museums.
The city is known for being the birthplace of singer-songwriter Jewel.
The city has large numbers of persons with Scottish and Scots-Irish ancestry. However, the expansion of the Salt Lake metropolitan area into Payson has changed the city's ethnic and religious makeup.[citation needed]
Schools
Payson is served by Nebo School District. Public schools in this district within Payson include the following: Payson High School, Payson Junior High School, Payson Middle School(Soon to be Mt. Nebo Jr. High), Barnett Elementary, Parkview Elementary, Springlake Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Wilson Elementary.