US Highway 191 - Utah, 2012
White Mesa’s story
White Mesa in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1962 on.
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White MesaUT
Some 124 people live in this town, in Utah.
Photo: Steven Baltakatei Sandoval · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
124
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$336K
Census ACS
Median age
38.7
years
Land area
16 sq mi
Is White Mesa a good place to live?
Among 120 Utah towns, just 8 have a higher typical July afternoon high than White Mesa. 31% of the land in White Mesa is conserved, where Utah’s towns sit at 3.4% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. White Mesa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
124 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to White Mesa: who provides what
White Mesa is unincorporated, so San Juan County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerRocky Mountain Power13.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWhite Mesa Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesSan Juan CountySan Juan County provides services here
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 hereSan Juan County ClerkSan Juan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code8451184511 100%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 White Mesa.
Natural hazards
White Mesa stands out in Utah and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is lower
Expected losses in White Mesa break down as 42% from avalanches and 19% from inland flooding.
0risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland floodingHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
White Mesa keeps nearly a third of its land conserved
White Mesa’s density of trails stands at 1.7 miles per square mile. 27 miles of trail.
31.4%conserved
31.4%
conserved · 3,131 of 9,964 acres
27 mi
of trails · 1.7 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
More than half of White Mesa’s working residents commute to Blanding
17% of residents live below the poverty line in White Mesa. The top destinations are Blanding (52%), Oljato-Monument Valley (7%) and Bluff (4%). The mean commuting time for White Mesa comes to 16 minutes. Half of commuters travel less than 11 miles.
0%work in town
| White Mesa | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 6.2% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In White Mesa0%
Blanding52%
Oljato-Monument Valley7%
Bluff4%
Montezuma Creek4%
11 mi
median commute distance
0
jobs based in White Mesa
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in White Mesa
A winter brings about 7 inches of snow, with January nights at 21° and July afternoons at 95°.
7″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–45°
Spring39–68°
Summer61–92°
Fall40–69°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Utah and the rest of the country, more of White Mesa’s adults worry about having enough food
The share of adults in White Mesa who have diabetes: 15%. No town among the 119 in Utah we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than White Mesa. Among 119 Utah towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than White Mesa.
| White Mesa | Utah towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 11% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 8.4% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 11% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Utah
0 better11 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | White Mesa | UT |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.1% | 6.5% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 14.5% | 6.9% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 25.9% | 12.4% |
Blue Mountain Hospital
9.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about White Mesa
15pages on White Mesa
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of White Mesa; the nearest are
Dine CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Tsaile, AZ81.7 mi$1,410 in-state tuitionSan Juan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Farmington, NM85.6 mi$1,928 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 White Mesa residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Utah.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave White Mesa for work
Where White Mesa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
0jobs based in White Mesa
0%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About White Mesa
CDP in Utah, United States
White Mesa is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 178 at the 2020 census. It is located within a section of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation along U.S. Route 191, south of Blanding and north of Bluff.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 16 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,305 ft
Questions about White Mesa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is White Mesa, UT a good place to live?
White Mesa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Some 124 people live in this town, in Utah.