Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Parowan grades C− overall, 115th among Utah's 118 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 18 miles of trail. On the other side, the median household income is $53K, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. Parowan’s trail density is 2.5 miles per square mile, against 1.1 in Utah’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Only 4 of Utah’s 172 towns score lower on health. The biggest park or preserve is Iron County Fairgrounds, at 34 acres.
Where Parowan beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Utah), ordered by how far Parowan is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 526 in 1860, 2,996 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1851 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Parowan, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 13, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Parowan.
Parowan is a second-home town, has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Iron County Fairgrounds | 0.2 mi | 34 |
| 2. Lions Park | 0.2 mi | 6 |
| 3. Libary Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Iron District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Parowan High, with 349 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parowan SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 418 | B |
| Parowan HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 349 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within UT on state tests and graduation
The typical Parowan home is worth about $408,000, up 3.1% in a year, 23% below the Utah typical home. At $1,013 a month, Parowan’s median rent is below both Utah’s towns ($1,542 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Parowan | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,013 a month | $1,542 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 79% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Cedar City 5e weather station, 15 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 130 days, shorter than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Parowan has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Among 119 Utah towns, just 4 have a lower July high than Parowan.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Jobs based here grew from 335 in 2013 to 668.
Of the 119 Utah towns we compare, none has a lower median household income than Parowan. The average trip to work in Parowan is 28 minutes. Jobs based in Parowan grew to 668 in 2023, 333 more than in 2013.
| Parowan | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,000 | $101,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 8.2% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 6,823 U.S. towns with household incomes like Parowan’s, it is healthier than 78%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
17% of adults report frequent physical distress in Parowan. Only 3 of the 118 Utah towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Parowan. 31% of adults feel lonely in Parowan.
| Parowan | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 9.3% | 11% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 8.3% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 28% | 35% |
| What stands out | Parowan | UT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.3% | 12.4% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 75.4% | 65.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 4.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Parowan since 2007.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Parowan. Close and well known come first.
Big draw29 mi National ParkZion National Park5.0M visitors a year
Big draw36 mi National ParkBryce Canyon National Park2.0M visitors a year
40 mi MountainAngels Landing
12 mi National MonumentCedar Breaks National Monument718K visitors a year
10 mi Ski areaBrian Head Resort69 runs · 1,300 ft vertical
37 mi Canyon & gorgeThe NarrowsZion National Park: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bryce Canyon National Park: Luca Galuzzi (Lucag), CC BY-SA 2.5 · Angels Landing: Óðinn, CC BY-SA 2.5 ca · Cedar Breaks National Monument: Original uploader was Averette at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Brian Head Resort: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · The Narrows: Jon Sullivan, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Parowan; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Parowan residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Utah.
4 places in Parowan on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Parowan.
City in Utah, United States
Parowan ( PARR-ə-wahn) is a city in and the county seat of Iron County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,996 at the 2020 census. Parowan became the first incorporated city in Iron County in 1851. A fort that had been constructed on the east side of Center Creek the previous year was an initial hub in the development of ironworks in the region. Parowan served as the agricultural support base for the local iron industry, whose blast furnace was located in nearby Cedar City. Eventually, the ironworks were decommissioned. Despite occasional successes, the mission failed to produce a consistent and sustained supply of pig iron. By 1858, most of the area's mining operations had ceased du…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Parowan grades C− overall, better than 16% of U.S. towns and #115 of 118 in Utah. It grades C+ for health and B for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
That is 6.2 years of the area's median household income ($66,247 across the Cedar City, UT area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
3 notable people were born here, including Alma Richards and Scott Milne Matheson, Sr..
