Land for Sale in Iron County, UT
Iron County is a southwest Utah county of 57,289 residents (2020 census) centered on Cedar City, with Brian Head ski resort and Cedar Breaks National Monument above it. Growth along I-15 has made land in Cedar City, Enoch and Parowan more expensive, and the Cedar City Valley aquifer is overdrawn, so water decides what you can do. This guide covers the market and the water checks.
Iron County at a glance
- County seat: Parowan. Largest city: Cedar City. Other places: Enoch, Paragonah, Kanarraville, Beryl and Newcastle.
- 2020 population 57,289; about 3,301 square miles.
- Highways: I-15 and State Routes 14 and 56.
- Brian Head, at 11,307 feet, is the highest point; Cedar Breaks National Monument is on the Markagunt Plateau.
- The Cedar City Valley aquifer was closed to new groundwater appropriations in 1966 and a groundwater management plan was adopted in January 2021.
The Iron County land market
Cedar City is the center: it is home to Southern Utah University and sits on I-15 between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Land values are highest in and around Cedar City and Enoch, where subdivision lots and small acreage compete with development. Farther out, Parowan Valley and the Beryl and Newcastle areas hold farm, ranch and rural residential parcels at lower prices, and the mountains above have cabin lots near Brian Head.
Water and the Cedar City Valley
The Cedar City Valley basin has been closed to new groundwater appropriation since 1966, and the state engineer found it overdrawn: the safe yield was estimated at 21,000 acre-feet a year against average depletion of about 28,000, according to a case study of the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District. A groundwater management plan was adopted in January 2021. As a result, new withdrawals generally depend on acquiring and transferring existing water rights through a change application, and each application is judged on its merits.
For a buyer that means you cannot assume a well. Ask the Utah Division of Water Rights whether the parcel has a water right, what it allows, and whether it can be changed to your use. In growth areas, the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District supplies municipal water, so check whether a connection is available and its cost.
Zoning and services
Cedar City, Enoch, Parowan and the other towns set zoning for their limits; Iron County sets it for unincorporated land. Rural parcels may be zoned for agriculture with minimum lot sizes, and septic needs county health approval. Winters on the plateau and in Parowan Valley are cold and snowy, which matters for road access.
Before you buy land in Iron County
- Water: does the parcel have a recorded water right, and can it be used for your purpose?
- Whether a municipal or conservancy district connection is available and the cost.
- Zoning district and minimum lot size from the city or county.
- Legal access and winter road maintenance.
- Flood and wash exposure; septic suitability.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drill a well in the Cedar City Valley?
Not simply. The basin has been closed to new appropriations since 1966 and is overdrawn, so new use generally requires acquiring and transferring an existing water right. Ask the Utah Division of Water Rights.
What is the biggest city in Iron County?
Cedar City. The county seat is Parowan.
Is Iron County growing?
Growth along the I-15 corridor in Cedar City and Enoch has pushed land prices up, and that growth is what makes water the key constraint.