Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Utah, Moab is healthier than 6% of graded towns
Moab differs from Utah on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Moab. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Moab
Utah sets a high bar
Moab is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but only 6% of the 118 Utah towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Moab
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.2%), vs 4.6% across Utah. 1 in 28 adults have had a stroke (3.6%), vs 2.5% across Utah. Heart disease is also above the state: 6.7%, vs 4.7% across Utah. In all, Moab runs above Utah on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Moab
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.1%), vs 12.4% across Utah. Utility shut-off threats (9.3% vs 6.5%) and no reliable transportation (9.3% vs 6.9%) are higher too. 11% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Moab
1 in 8 adults smoke cigarettes (12.1%), vs 8.1% across Utah. Habits ↓
Moab is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Moab is healthier than 57%. Against the 9,319 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 81%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Utah figure falls outside Moab’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Moab’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Moab is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #111 of 118 in Utah. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 83% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Moab’s median household income is $61,667; among the 9,319 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 81%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Moab adults…
Moab runs above UT on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11% of Moab adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.1% across Utah.
Everyday habits, side by side with Utah
Share of adults, with the Utah figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Care in and near Moab
1 hospital in Moab, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Moab; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Moab adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Utah.
How Moab adults are doing
About the same as Utah on each measure.
1 in 3 Moab adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Moab and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moab | B | 30.2% | 11.4% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Moab adults live with a disability (Utah 28.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Moab
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Moab is better than Utah on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Utah figure falls inside Moab’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Moab | UT | U.S. | vs UT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%17.9–24.6 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.2–17.4 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%15.9–20.7 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.2%23.7–37 | 31% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.7–13.1 | 8.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.4%28.4–36.4 | 27.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%28.3–36.3 | 30.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.7%24.4–30.9 | 21.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 4.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.2%6.1–8.5 | 4.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 2.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.1%13.1–19.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%9.8–14.6 | 8.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%18–26.8 | 17.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12%9.7–14.4 | 12.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.2%29.7–43.2 | 33.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.5%10.1–15.2 | 10.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.5%66.2–74.3 | 70.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.7%60.9–68.4 | 70.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.4%77.7–82.8 | 80.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.5%67.1–73.6 | 65.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.6%55–65.9 | 63.1% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.9%55.4–73.5 | 72.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.9%23–30.9 | 27.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%26.6–36.7 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.8%16.5–23.3 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.1%13.6–20.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%10.4–15.1 | 10% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%7.8–10.9 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11%8.5–13.6 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%29.7–39.2 | 28.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.5–17 | 10.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.1–20.1 | 15.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.6–9.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.3–6.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8–10.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.8–5 | 2.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Utah figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Moab
Is Moab a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Moab is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #111 of 118 in Utah. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Moab?
CDC estimates 30.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.7% and 37%, against 31% across Utah and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Moab?
Moab Regional Hospital in Moab, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Moab’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Moab have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.1–15.2%), against 10.5% across Utah.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Moab more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Moab.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Utah figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.