Photo: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Within Utah, Vernal is healthier than 14% of graded towns
Vernal trails Utah on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Vernal. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Vernal
Utah sets a high bar
Vernal is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but only 14% of the 118 Utah towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Vernal
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.2%), vs 12.4% across Utah. Utility shut-off threats (8.5% vs 6.5%) and no reliable transportation (8.7% vs 6.9%) are higher too. 9.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Vernal
1 in 8 adults smoke cigarettes (12%), vs 8.1% across Utah. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Vernal
62.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 70.3% across Utah. Among those 65 and older, 14.6% have lost all their teeth (Utah 9.8%). Checkups ↓
Vernal is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Vernal is healthier than 64%. Against the 9,818 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 86%. 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 Vernal’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Vernal’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Vernal is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, #102 of 118 in Utah. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 88% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Vernal’s median household income is $64,457; among the 9,818 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.2% of Vernal 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.
0.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Vernal adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Utah.
Out of every 100 Vernal adults…
Vernal runs above UT on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Vernal residents are 65 or older, vs 12% across Utah. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Vernal
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Vernal, 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 Vernal; ≈ 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).
How Vernal adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Vernal runs above Utah.
1 in 3 Vernal 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.
Vernal and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Vernal adults live with a disability (Utah 28.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Vernal
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Vernal is better than Utah on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Utah figure falls inside Vernal’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Vernal | UT | U.S. | vs UT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.8%16.5–21.3 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.3–15.6 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.6–21.8 | 17.3% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%29.3–40 | 31% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 8.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 28.1%25.1–31.2 | 27.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.5%27.3–33.8 | 30.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.2%21.7–26.7 | 21.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 4.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6%5.3–6.8 | 4.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.1 | 2.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%11.9–17.9 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%10.2–13.8 | 8.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%17.8–24.5 | 17.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%10.9–15.7 | 12.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%31.8–42.6 | 33.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.2–13.7 | 10.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.8%63.8–71.6 | 70.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.3%58.5–66.1 | 70.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 75.4%72.8–77.9 | 80.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.5%63.3–69.5 | 65.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.3%53.2–63.4 | 63.1% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.8%56.4–73.2 | 72.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.1%24.7–31.7 | 27.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.7%30.5–39.2 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%19.5–25.7 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.2%13.9–18.6 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.6–14 | 10% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%7.7–10.9 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%30.9–38.6 | 28.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.6%11–14.3 | 10.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.8–20.9 | 15.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.1–10.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 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 Vernal
Is Vernal a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Vernal is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #102 of 118 in Utah. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Vernal?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 40%, against 31% across Utah and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Vernal?
Ashley Regional Medical Center in Vernal, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Vernal’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Vernal have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.2–13.7%), 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 Vernal 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 Vernal.
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.