Like much of Utah County, Spanish Fork is a family place. 41.4 percent of the population is under 18 years and 83.3 percent of the households are occupied by families. Under the U.S. Census Bureau definition, a family includes a householder and one or more other persons related by birth, marriage and adoption.

The average household income of Spanish Fork is just below the state average at $31,923. Average family income is $33,923. Only one-third of the households make more than $35,000 a year.Spanish Fork residents are big purchasers of sporting goods and groceries. They are more likely than most Americans to own a pet, take out a loan and rent videos. They are just below the national average for having a savings account, buying clothing and dining out.

Origin of city's name

Named after a river adjacent to the city's original location, which was dubbed by the 1776 Dominquez-Escalante expedition.

Date of incorporation: January 17, 1855.

Recreation:

4 parks

1 public library

3 covered picnic facilities

12 tennis courts

1 municipal golf course

4 soccer fields

9 baseball diamonds

4 volleyball courts

Crime (1990)

Murder, 0

Rape, 8

Robbery, 3

Aggravated assault, 0

Burglary, 97

Largest employer

Teleflex Defense Systems, approximately 280 employees.

Largest sales-tax payer

Maceys Sack-n-Save, more than $100,000 last year.

Political profile:

More than 66 percent of registered voters who cast ballots did so for George Bush, while Michael Dukakis drew 32 percent of the votes. Of the 5,622 registered voters in the city, 87 percent, or 4,892, voted in that election.

Did you know?

Spanish Fork originally began as an outgrowth of Palmyra, but as the community developed, Palmyra diminished and became the northwest suburb of Spanish Fork. In the early days, both settlements existed with one fort, Fort St. Luke.

Population

11,272, Utah's 27th-largest city.

White 11,108

Hispanic 247

American Indian 48

Asian or Polynesian 28

Black 1

Median home price

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$58,700

Household size: 3.45 people per household

Median age: 24.1

Sources: Spanish Fork City Corp., Utah County election clerk, State Data Center, U.S. Census Bureau, State Bureau of Criminal Identification, CACI marketing research, "Utah: A Guide to the State", by Warde J. Roylance and "Utah Place Names" by John W. Van Cott.

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