City profile · Utah · Census ACS 2023

Moab, UT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Moab - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,316
Residents
$55,333
Median income
$478,700
Median home
$1,564
Median rent (state)

Moab - the verdict

Nationally, Moab sits in the 28th percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

28th
percentile, household income
84th
percentile, home value
62nd
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Moab, UT

Moab is a small town in Utah, home to 5,316 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Moab households earn a median of $55,333 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.9%. Home values in Moab run a median of $478,700, and the median resident age is 35.6 years. 35.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 92 residential building permits were authorized in Moab (Rapid Growth), up 30% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1855.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Moab's yearly average temperature at 57.6°F with 9.1 inches of precipitation per year and 9.3 inches of snowfall.

Utah tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Utah scores 98.9 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,564 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $178 across Utah, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 10.3 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

5,316 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Utah

Median Household Income

$55,333 /yr

Poverty 12.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.9 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Utah average

How does Moab compare to other US cities?

Moab measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 84% pricier than other cities
Median rent 62% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Utah alone, Moab ranks #56 of 67 Utah cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Moab's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Utah, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

28thIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Moab's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Moab's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Moab's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Moab's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$478,700 16th percentile more affordable than 16% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Moab $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Moab, UT Moab, UT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Moab, UT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Moab, UT median $55,333/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Moab, UT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Moab, UT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,316
Median Income
$55,333
Median Home Value
$478,700
Median Age
35.6
Poverty Rate
12.9%
Labor force participation
67.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1855.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
734.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1120.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
57.6°F
Annual Precipitation
9.1"
Annual Snowfall
9.3"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,100 residents5,200 residents5,300 residents5,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,365 residents 5,206 residents ▼ -3.0%
Moab's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
92
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
86
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 71
2020 27
2021 16
2022 11
2023 27
2024 92

Permit volume increased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.0%
Carpool
12.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
8.9%

Based on 2,779 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Utah - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$178
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Utah state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Utah state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Moab sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.9
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,564/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
10.3 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Utah

Hyde Park
5,410 people
Sunset
5,567 people
White City metro township
5,568 people
Kanab
4,950 people
Perry
5,708 people
Ephraim
5,805 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Moab's 5,316 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Salem, NJ
5,315 people
Turpin Hills, OH
5,315 people
Ashland City, TN
5,318 people
Dove Valley, CO
5,313 people
Grandwood Park, IL
5,311 people
Shaw Heights, CO
5,309 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Moab's $55,333 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ellinwood, KS
$55,332 median income
Caryville, FL
$55,329 median income
New Orleans, LA
$55,339 median income
Diboll, TX
$55,326 median income
Belle, MO
$55,341 median income
St. David, IL
$55,324 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Moab, UT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Moab, UT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.7% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.7% White 79.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.6% American Indian 3.8% Native Hawaiian 1.4% Some other race 5.5% Two or more races 8.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Moab compares to nearby Utah cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Moab (this city) 5,316 $55,333
Hyde Park 5,410 $108,068
Sunset 5,567 $74,250
White City metro township 5,568 $98,603
Census ACS 5-year FIPS UT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Moab, UT?

What is the population of Moab, UT? +

5,316 people live in Moab, UT according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Moab, UT? +

Median annual household income in Moab runs $55,333, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Moab? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Moab; the closest available measure is the Utah state average, a cost of living index of 98.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Utah vary by metro area.

Is Moab, UT safe? +

Moab has a total crime rate of 1855.1 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Moab, UT? +

Homes in Moab carry a median value of $478,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Moab? +

The average annual temperature in Moab runs 57.6°F, 9.1 inches of precipitation, and 9.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.