Vernal, UT: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Vernal is the county seat of and the largest city in Uintah County, Utah, approximately 175 miles (280 km) east of Salt Lake City and 20 miles (32 km) west of the Colorado border. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 10,079. The population has since grown to 10,432 as of the 2022 population estimate. Vernal is home to the Vernal Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of the nine statewide regional campuses of Utah State University. The city serves as a gateway to the nearby Dinosaur National Monument, Flaming Gorge, and the Uinta Mountain Range.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Vernal ranks

All →

#3Most affordable in UT #3Lowest property tax in UT #2Rent easiest to afford in UT All UT rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code84078, 84079

Area code435

Living in Vernal

Housing in Vernal

$298K▲ 4.1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Vernal home is worth about $298,000, up 4.1% in a year, 44% below the Utah typical home.

A buyer's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market59

Sale-to-list98.8%

Sold in May8

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Vernal

—

Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Vernal's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Vernal 4.1

Utah 2.2

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Vernal 19.4

Utah 13.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Vernal

Compared with Utah

14worse than UT

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 18 are too close to call.

Conditions 3▼ 9 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 2▼ 5 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

14.6%More older adults who have lost all their teethUT 9.8% · worse 12%More smokersUT 8.1% · worse 8.5%More adults facing a utility shut-offUT 6.5% · worse

Care nearby

Ashley Regional Medical CenterVernal · 0.5 mi · ER

Mountainlands Family Health Center Vernal Dental ClinicVernal · 1.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · part of Vernal

DentalShortage · part of Vernal

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Vernal · CMS · HRSAHealth in Vernal →

Schools in Vernal

All Vernal schools →

C⁺

School Grade C+

The public schools Vernal’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 57% of Utah’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Vernal’s schools compare in UT →

DistrictUintah DistrictSchools7

Discovery School B+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 656 students Ashley School C-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 442 students Uintah Basin Christian AcademyElementary · Grades PK–8 · 99 students Vernal Middle C+Middle · Grades 6–8 · 842 students Uintah Middle School B-Middle · Grades 6–8 · 579 students Terra Academy DOther · Grades K–12 · 595 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within UT. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from VernalWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Vernal.Meet them →