Records Coal Processing Corp. Plant, 1930
Wellington’s story
148 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1930.
- 1878Wellington is settled
WellingtonUT
A town of 1,606, settled in 1878.
Photo: Tricia Simpson · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,606
2025 Census estimate · +1.4% since 2020
Median home value
$180K
Census ACS
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
33.5
years
Jobs based here
442
A commuter town
Is Wellington a good place to live?
The best of Wellington’s subject grades are a B+ for cost of living and a B for the outdoors; the weakest is a D for walkability. On incomes, just 5 of Utah’s 173 towns do worse. 29% of the land in Wellington is conserved, against 3.4% in Utah’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Wellington has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Wellington stand out
Where Wellington beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Wellington for work
Where Wellington’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
442jobs based in Wellington
3%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Wellington grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Utah), ordered by how far Wellington is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.1 of 20; 4.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Jobs & income442 jobs based hereDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 36% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $180K, 3.1 years of the Price area’s $58K median household incomeB+Open →HealthCastleview Hospital 7 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsC+Open →SafetyBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wellington: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wellington, and how to reach them.
PowerRocky Mountain Power13.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWellington City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wellington’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Utah you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCarbon County Clerk/AuditorCarbon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes84542, 8450184542 99% · 84501 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 13, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wellington.
OutdoorsB
Wellington has set aside nearly a quarter of its land for conservation
1.8 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Wellington’s trail density is 0.4 miles per square mile, where Utah’s towns sit at 1.1 and U.S. towns at 0.4.
29.3%conserved
29.3%
conserved · 951 of 3,250 acres
1.8 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Knight Ideal Park | — | 11 |
| 2. Wellington Park And Playground | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC+
Wellington’s schools rank behind 59% of Utah districts
Its public schools are run by the Carbon District. Its one school is below.
41%of UT districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 264 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within UT on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
In Wellington, the median household income runs lower than in the typical Utah or U.S. town
The median household income in Wellington is $61,000. Among 120 Utah towns, just 6 have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Wellington. The average trip to work in Wellington is 16 minutes.
3%work in town
| Wellington | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 6.2% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $101,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Wellington3%
Price32%
Salt Lake City5%
Provo3%
Helper2%
27 mi
median commute distance
442
jobs based in Wellington
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 8% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Wellington
Wellington has cold winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Wellington’s July high is 92°F.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–40°
Spring35–65°
Summer56–89°
Fall36–66°
Oct 12
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Wellington faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities.
36risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightningEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB
Wellington is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns
Wellington beats the Utah average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 15% of Wellington adults report frequent physical distress. Among 119 Utah towns, just 8 have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Wellington.
62%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Wellington | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 11% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 72% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 8% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Utah
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Wellington | UT |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 71.9% | 65.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 6.9% | 4.6% |
Castleview Hospital
7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
58%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Wellington2.5
Utah2.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Wellington6.8
Utah13.2
U.S.15.5
58th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B+
A home in Wellington sells for about $233K at the median
62% of households own their home in Wellington. Only 8 of the 118 Utah towns we compare have a lower median rent than Wellington.
$233Kmedian sale price
| Wellington | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $888 a month | $1,538 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 62% | 79% | 73% |
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 4 attractions →Jurassic National Monument and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Wellington. Close and well known come first.
15 mi Park & preserveJurassic National Monument
21 mi Canyon & gorgeNinemile Canyon
6 mi MuseumUSU Eastern Prehistoric Museum
12 mi MuseumWestern Mining and Railroad MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Jurassic National Monument: Rmwarnick at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Ninemile Canyon: Scott Catron, CC BY 2.5 · USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum: S.W. Clyde, Attribution · Western Mining and Railroad Museum: An Errant Knight, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wellington
19pages on Wellington
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wellington; the nearest are
Snow CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ephraim46.9 mi$4,338 in-state tuitionUtah Valley UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Orem73.2 mi$6,507 in-state tuitionSalt Lake Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Salt Lake City101.2 mi$4,426 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Wellington residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Utah.
About Wellington
City in Utah, United States
Wellington is a city in Carbon County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,605 at the 2020 census. The community was settled in 1878 by a band of thirteen Mormons led by Jefferson Tidwell. The town was named for Justus Wellington Seeley, Jr., of the Emery County Court. Many residents commute to nearby Price for their jobs, or work in one of the various coal mines in the area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1878
- Area
- 5.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,413 ft
- ZIP code
- 84542
- Area code
- 435
Questions about Wellington
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wellington, UT expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $180,000, 66% below the Utah typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.