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Show Iron , Utah high in birth rate Utah's 1977 birthrate set a record for the fifth consecutive year, and Iron County was one of the ringleaders. ring-leaders. John Brockert, Utah Bureau of Health Statistics Director, last week said the 38,000 births in 1977 were a 7.6 percent increase over 1976's 35,310 births. Utah's birth rate is 29.9 per 1,000 persons, more than double the national rate of 14.7 per 1,000 persons. The highest rate is Utah County's 39.8 per 1,000 persons. Close behind is Iron County's 32.7. Only Duchesne and Utah County had higher rates, the statistics point out. Salt Lake County's rate is 26.9, Weber's is 24.7 and Cache County has a 32.2 rate, Brockert said Utahs birthrate is distinctive since the national trend is toward lower birthrates. bir-thrates. Abortions, divorces, out of wedlock births and suicides also increased statewide, but not significantly locally. The marriage rale in Iron County is 10.5 per 1,000 persons in 1974, up from 9.6 in 1973. This past year's rate was 113 per 1,000 persons. Divorces in Iron County were 3.4 per 1,000 persons. The natural increase figure, arrived at by combining the increase and deaths within the county, showed an increase of 392, Brockert said. Nearby Washington County had a 414 increase. |