Vernal Wellbeing Survey Findings 2024

By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

utah wellbeing survey logo

Contact Information

Dr. Courtney Flint

435-797-8635

Summary

Vernal is one of 51 cities participating in the Utah Wellbeing Survey Project in 2024. This project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of city residents and to provide information to city leaders to inform general planning processes. Additional analysis is underway and this report may be updated over time.

We are grateful to all those who took the survey and to our city partners who helped to make this possible. We are grateful to a number of entities for funding: the Utah League of Cities and Towns, USU Extension, USU’s Institute for Land Water and Air, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Utah Department of Transportation, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, and the cities of Alpine, Cedar Hills, Draper, Millcreek, Nephi, North Salt Lake, Ogden, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Providence, Springdale, Tremonton, West Bountiful, and West Valley City.

This report describes findings from the 2024 Vernal survey and comparative information with other project cities. In March and April 2024, Vernal City advertised the survey for residents largely through social media and coordinating with other local entities. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.

How many people responded?

  • 491 viable surveys were recorded in this 2024 survey effort.
  • The Vernal 2021 survey had 98 responses.
  • The adult population of Vernal was estimated at 6,971, based on the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 491 survey responses in 2024 represent 7.0% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 4.26%.

Survey Respondent Characteristics

Resident Statistics
Full Time Residents of Vernal 97.1%
Part Time Residents of Vernal 2.9%
Length of Residency — Range 0.5-84 years
Length of Residency — Average 22.9 years
Length of Residency — Median 20 years
Length of Residency 5 Years or less 18.4%

Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents were compared below with U.S. Census information from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. In the graph below, gray bars indicate differences between the American Community Survey estimates and the Utah Wellbeing Project surveys. The wider the gray bars, the larger the differences. Also note that estimates for religious affiliation, adult non-conforming or non-binary gender, disability, and chronic conditions are unavailable from the census data. There can also be a variable margin of error in the American Community Survey estimates, and caution should be used when comparing estimates. Not all respondents provided demographic information. As the graph shows, 2024 survey respondents were not fully representative of Vernal. People who are adult females, have at least a 4-year college degree, are married, have children under 18 in their household, and own their homes were overrepresented while those who are adult males, do not have a college degree, and are renters were underrepresented.

Dot Plot. Title: Vernal 2024 Demographics. Data — Age 18-29: American Community Survey Estimate: 27%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 17%; Age 30-39: American Community Survey Estimate: 22%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 24%; Age 40-49: American Community Survey Estimate: 20%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 29%; Age 50-59: American Community Survey Estimate: 14%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 14%; Age 60-69: American Community Survey Estimate: 9%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 10%; Age 70 or Over: American Community Survey Estimate: 7%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 5%; Income under $25,000: American Community Survey Estimate: 16%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 9%; Income $25,000 to $49,999: American Community Survey Estimate: 24%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 20%; Income $50,000 to $74,999: American Community Survey Estimate: 27%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 17%; Income $75,000 to $99,999: American Community Survey Estimate: 11%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 21%; Income $100,000 to $149,999: American Community Survey Estimate: 17%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 20%; Income $150,000 or over: American Community Survey Estimate: 6%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 12%; Adult Female: American Community Survey Estimate: 47%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 76%; Adult Male: American Community Survey Estimate: 53%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 23%; Adult non-conforming or non-binary*: American Community Survey Estimate: NA%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 1%; Employed: American Community Survey Estimate: 61%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 72%; Out of work and looking for work: American Community Survey Estimate: 6%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 3%; Other: American Community Survey Estimate: 33%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 24%; No College Degree: American Community Survey Estimate: 85%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 65%; College degree (4-year): American Community Survey Estimate: 15%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 35%; Rent home/Renter occupied/Other: American Community Survey Estimate: 49%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 25%; Own home/Owner occupied: American Community Survey Estimate: 51%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 75%; Married: American Community Survey Estimate: 46%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 75%; Children under 18 in household: American Community Survey Estimate: 44%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 59%; Disability*: American Community Survey Estimate: NA%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 9%; Chronic Condition*: American Community Survey Estimate: NA%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 32%; Hispanic/Latino: American Community Survey Estimate: 11%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 5%; Nonwhite: American Community Survey Estimate: 14%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 10%; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints*: American Community Survey Estimate: NA%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 38%; Other Religion*: American Community Survey Estimate: NA%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 25%; Agnostic/Atheist/No Religious Preference/Spiritual but Not Religious*: American Community Survey Estimate: NA%, Utah Wellbeing Survey Estimate: 37%

Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in Vernal

Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in Vernal. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in Vernal was 3.60 with 59% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in Vernal was 3.12 with 38% of respondents indicating community wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.

Bar Chart. Title: Personal Wellbeing in Vernal. Subtitle: How would you rate your overall personal wellbeing? Data — 1 Poor: 3% of respondents; 2: 10% of respondents; 3: 28% of respondents; 4: 43% of respondents; 5 Excellent: 16% of respondents

Bar Chart. Title: Community Wellbeing in Vernal. Subtitle: How would you rate overall wellbeing in Vernal? Data — 1 Poor: 8% of respondents; 2: 20% of respondents; 3: 34% of respondents; 4: 31% of respondents; 5 Excellent: 8% of respondents

When comparing survey data from Vernal over the years as shown in the information below, we can see that both the average personal wellbeing score and the average community wellbeing score declined between 2021 and 2024. Note that the number of respondents differed between years, there is no tracking of individuals from one year to the next, and the low end of the scale was "Poor" in 2024 but "Very Poor" in prior years which may account for differences in scores over time.

Dot Plot. Title: Average Rating of Personal and Community Wellbeing Over Time in Vernal. Subtitle: (Wellbeing is rated on a scale from 1=Very Poor to 5=Excellent) Data — Community Wellbeing 2021: 3.27; Community Wellbeing 2024: 3.12; Personal Wellbeing 2021: 3.66; Personal Wellbeing 2024: 3.60

Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities

The Utah League of Cities and Towns clusters cities and towns into five different categories based on size and growth rates. We utilize these clusters in our analysis. Vernal is classified as a Rural Hub/Resort Community (and we have combined these with the Traditional Rural Communities). Some cities may fit within more than one cluster.

Within the Rural city cluster, Vernal was below the average overall personal wellbeing score and below the average overall community wellbeing score.

Dot Plot. Title: Overall Personal Wellbeing Scores from Participating Utah Cities (2024). Subtitle: (On a scale from 1=Poor to 5=Excellent). Data — Group: Cities of the 1st & 2nd Class — West Valley City Average Score 3.81; Ogden Average Score 3.91; Layton Average Score 3.96; West Jordan Average Score 4.01; Orem Average Score 4.05; South Jordan Average Score 4.13; Sandy Average Score 4.18; Millcreek Average Score 4.23; Group: Established/Mid-sized Cities — Logan Average Score 3.66; Midvale Average Score 3.71; Cedar City Average Score 3.94; South Ogden Average Score 4.04; Pleasant Grove Average Score 4.07; North Salt Lake Average Score 4.08; Bountiful Average Score 4.13; Draper Average Score 4.22; West Bountiful Average Score 4.22; Cottonwood Heights Average Score 4.29; Alpine Average Score 4.32; Cedar Hills Average Score 4.33; Group: Rapid Growth Cities — Herriman Average Score 3.97; Saratoga Springs Average Score 4.02; Lehi Average Score 4.05; Clinton Average Score 4.07; Hyrum Average Score 4.10; Spanish Fork Average Score 4.10; Nibley Average Score 4.14; West Haven Average Score 4.17; Vineyard Average Score 4.22; Hyde Park Average Score 4.23; Wellsville Average Score 4.24; Mapleton Average Score 4.26; Providence Average Score 4.27; Ivins Average Score 4.40; Group: Rural Hub & Resort, Traditional Rural Communities — Vernal Average Score 3.60; Price Average Score 3.62; Monticello Average Score 3.71; East Carbon Average Score 3.75; Delta Average Score 3.78; Helper Average Score 3.79; Tremonton Average Score 3.81; Blanding Average Score 3.85; Nephi Average Score 3.92; Beaver Average Score 3.95; Heber Average Score 4.01; La Verkin Average Score 4.13; Bluff Average Score 4.20; Springdale Average Score 4.21; Park City Average Score 4.22; Midway Average Score 4.27; Emigration Canyon Average Score 4.42

Dot Plot. Title: Overall Community Wellbeing Scores from Participating Utah Cities (2024). Subtitle: (On a scale from 1=Poor to 5=Excellent). Data — Group: Cities of the 1st & 2nd Class — Ogden Average Score 3.27; West Valley City Average Score 3.38; West Jordan Average Score 3.50; Layton Average Score 3.52; Orem Average Score 3.63; Millcreek Average Score 3.82; Sandy Average Score 3.91; South Jordan Average Score 4.00; Group: Established/Mid-sized Cities — Logan Average Score 3.18; Midvale Average Score 3.24; Cedar City Average Score 3.42; Pleasant Grove Average Score 3.61; South Ogden Average Score 3.72; North Salt Lake Average Score 3.75; Bountiful Average Score 3.84; Cottonwood Heights Average Score 3.90; West Bountiful Average Score 4.00; Draper Average Score 4.03; Alpine Average Score 4.15; Cedar Hills Average Score 4.15; Group: Rapid Growth Cities — Herriman Average Score 3.40; Vineyard Average Score 3.43; Saratoga Springs Average Score 3.46; Lehi Average Score 3.50; West Haven Average Score 3.67; Hyrum Average Score 3.76; Clinton Average Score 3.79; Spanish Fork Average Score 3.80; Ivins Average Score 3.91; Providence Average Score 3.91; Nibley Average Score 3.92; Hyde Park Average Score 4.02; Mapleton Average Score 4.02; Wellsville Average Score 4.11; Group: Rural Hub & Resort, Traditional Rural Communities — Price Average Score 2.88; East Carbon Average Score 3.03; Tremonton Average Score 3.09; Monticello Average Score 3.11; Vernal Average Score 3.12; Blanding Average Score 3.31; Heber Average Score 3.42; Delta Average Score 3.43; Nephi Average Score 3.43; La Verkin Average Score 3.57; Beaver Average Score 3.59; Springdale Average Score 3.68; Helper Average Score 3.71; Park City Average Score 3.85; Bluff Average Score 3.88; Midway Average Score 4.07; Emigration Canyon Average Score 4.28

Wellbeing Domains in Vernal

According to national and international entities that track wellbeing, there are a number of common dimensions or domains of wellbeing. Survey respondents rated twelve domains on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent. They were also asked to indicate the importance of each domain to their overall personal wellbeing on a 5-point scale from not at all important to very important. The highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in Vernal were Family Life (69%), Connection with Nature (65%), Mental Health (56%), and Safety and Security (55%). The most important wellbeing domains were Safety and Security (97%), Mental Health (96%), Living Standards (93%), and Family Life (93%).

Likert Graph. Title: Wellbeing Domain Ratings in Vernal. Subtitle: How would you rate your level of personal wellbeing in each of the following categories? Data — Category: Family Life - 31% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 69% rated as good or excellent; Category: Connection with Nature - 35% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 65% rated as good or excellent; Category: Mental Health - 44% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 56% rated as good or excellent; Category: Safety and Security - 45% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 55% rated as good or excellent; Category: Leisure Time - 48% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 52% rated as good or excellent; Category: Local Environmental Quality - 48% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 52% rated as good or excellent; Category: Physical Health - 53% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 47% rated as good or excellent; Category: Transportation - 53% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 47% rated as good or excellent; Category: Education - 57% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 43% rated as good or excellent; Category: Living Standards - 59% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 41% rated as good or excellent; Category: Social Connections - 60% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 40% rated as good or excellent; Category: Cultural Opportunities - 70% of respondents rated as poor, fair, or moderate while 30% rated as good or excellent Likert Graph. Title: Wellbeing Domain Importance in Vernal. Subtitle: How important are the following categories to your overall personal wellbeing? Data — Category: Safety and Security - 3% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 97% rated as important or very important; Category: Mental Health - 4% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 96% rated as important or very important; Category: Family Life - 7% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 93% rated as important or very important; Category: Living Standards - 7% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 93% rated as important or very important; Category: Physical Health -10% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 90% rated as important or very important; Category: Leisure Time -13% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 87% rated as important or very important; Category: Connection with Nature -21% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 79% rated as important or very important; Category: Local Environmental Quality -21% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 79% rated as important or very important; Category: Education -25% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 75% rated as important or very important; Category: Social Connections -35% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 65% rated as important or very important; Category: Cultural Opportunities -43% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 57% rated as important or very important; Category: Transportation -43% of respondents rated as not at all important, slightly important, or moderately important while 57% rated as important or very important

Wellbeing Matrix for Vernal

The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from Vernal. Family Life, Leisure Time, Mental Health, Physical Health, and Safety and Security were highly important and rated above average among the domains. Living Standards fell in the “red zone” of higher importance and lower ratings.

Scatterplot. Title: Vernal Wellbeing Matrix. Subtitle: Domains are classified into four quadrants depending on their average rating and average importance as compared to the average of all the average domain ratings and the average domain importance ratings. Data — High rating, high importance (green quadrant) domains include: Family Life, Leisure Time, Mental Health, Physical Health, and Safety and Security; High rating, lower importance (blue quadrant) domains include: Connection with Nature and Local Environmental Quality; Lower rating, lower importance (yellow quadrant) domains include: Cultural Opportunities, Education, Social Connections, and Transportation; Lower rating, high importance (red quadrant) domains include: Living Standards

Wellbeing Domains Over Time in Vernal

The graphs below show how the domains were rated over the years by Vernal residents. The number of respondents changed over time. Note that the two domains Family Life and Transportation were new categories in the 2024 survey and were not measured in previous years. The domains were varied in changes between 2021 and 2024, with the largest increase in Mental Health and the largest decrease in Living Standards. Connection with Nature and Safety and Security were consistently among the top rated domains in each survey year, while Cultural Opportunities was among the lowest.

Dot Plot. Title: Wellbeing Domain Ratings Over Time in Vernal. Subtitle: (Wellbeing is rated on a scale from 1=Very Poor to 5=Excellent) Data — Connection with Nature 2021: 3.93; Connection with Nature 2024: 3.79; Cultural Opportunities 2021: 2.64; Cultural Opportunities 2024: 2.89; Education 2021: 3.49; Education 2024: 3.22; Family Life 2024: 3.87; Leisure Time 2021: 3.36; Leisure Time 2024: 3.44; Living Standards 2021: 3.53; Living Standards 2024: 3.13; Local Environmental Quality 2021: 3.53; Local Environmental Quality 2024: 3.45; Mental Health 2021: 3.00; Mental Health 2024: 3.41; Physical Health 2021: 3.20; Physical Health 2024: 3.38; Safety and Security 2021: 3.74; Safety and Security 2024: 3.54; Social Connections 2021: 3.02; Social Connections 2024: 3.13; Transportation 2024: 3.25

Community Connection in Vernal

Survey participants were asked about how connected they feel to Vernal on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5), and the average score of all respondents was 3.04.

Bar Chart. Title: Community Connection in Vernal. Subtitle: How connected do you feel to Vernal as a community? Data — 1 Not at All: 13% of respondents; 2: 18% of respondents; 3: 33% of respondents; 4: 23% of respondents; 5 A Great Deal: 13% of respondents

When comparing survey data from Vernal over the years as shown in the information below, we can see that the average community connection score declined slightly between 2021 and 2024.

Dot Plot. Title: Average Rating of Community Connection Over Time in Vernal. Subtitle: (Community Connection is rated on a scale from 1=Not at all to 5=A great deal) Data — 2021: 3.11; 2024: 3.04

A positive relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing as well as mental health.

Likert Graph. Title: Comparing Overall Wellbeing and Community Connection in Vernal. Data — Of the 64 respondents that rate their overall personal wellbeing as a (Poor) 1 or 2, 89% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 11% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 136 respondents that rate their overall personal wellbeing as a 3, 78% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 22% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 210 respondents that rate their overall personal wellbeing as a 4, 57% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 43% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 81 respondents that rate their overall personal wellbeing as a (Excellent) 5, 41% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 59% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5

Likert Graph. Title: Comparing Mental Health Rating and Community Connection in Vernal. Data — Of the 41 respondents that rate their mental health rating as a (Poor) 1, 88% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 12% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 55 respondents that rate their mental health rating as a 2, 87% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 13% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 110 respondents that rate their mental health rating as a 3, 72% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 28% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 189 respondents that rate their mental health rating as a 4, 54% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 46% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5; Of the 68 respondents that rate their mental health rating as a (Excellent) 5, 40% indicate a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 60% indicate a community connection score of 4 or 5

The graph below shows how Wellbeing Project cities and towns compare on feelings of community connection based on the percentage of respondents who answered 4 or a 5 on a 5-point scale from “not at all” to “a great deal” connected to their city or town. Vernal ranked 31 out of the 51 cities that participated.

Likert Graph. Title: Comparing Community Connection Across Cities. Subtitle: How connected do you feel to your city as a community? 1 being not at all and 5 being a great deal. Data — City: Bluff 26% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 74% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Wellsville 43% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 57% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Midway 44% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 56% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Beaver 46% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 54% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Alpine 48% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 52% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: West Bountiful 48% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 52% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Springdale 49% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 51% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Cedar Hills 49% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 51% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Mapleton 49% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 51% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: South Jordan 50% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 50% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Helper 50% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 50% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Delta 50% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 50% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Ivins 52% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 48% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Hyde Park 52% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 48% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Bountiful 53% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 47% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Nibley 54% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 46% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Park City 54% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 46% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Spanish Fork 55% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 45% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Emigration Canyon 55% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 45% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Millcreek 57% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 43% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Cottonwood Heights 57% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 43% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Draper 58% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 42% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Orem 59% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 41% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Cedar City 60% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 40% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: La Verkin 62% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 38% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Blanding 62% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 38% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Hyrum 62% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 38% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Nephi 62% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 38% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Pleasant Grove 63% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 37% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Sandy 63% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 37% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Vernal 64% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 36% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Ogden 65% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 35% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: East Carbon 65% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 35% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Heber 66% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 34% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Vineyard 66% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 34% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Clinton 67% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 33% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: North Salt Lake 68% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 32% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Monticello 68% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 32% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Providence 69% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 31% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: West Haven 69% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 31% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Layton 70% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 30% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Lehi 71% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 29% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: West Valley City 72% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 28% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Price 72% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 28% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Saratoga Springs 74% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 26% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: West Jordan 74% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 26% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Midvale 75% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 25% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Tremonton 76% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 24% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Logan 76% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 24% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: South Ogden 77% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 23% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5; City: Herriman 77% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 1, 2, or 3 while 23% of respondents indicated a community connection score of 4 or 5

Participation in Recreation and Nature-Related Activities

Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in various activities in the last 12 months. The most popular activities were community events (88%), walking or biking in your neighborhood or city (84%), and recreating in parks in your city (81%).

Bar Graph. Title: Participation in Recreation and Nature-Based Activities in Vernal. Subtitle: Have you participated in any of the following activities during the past 12 months? Data — 88% of respondents indicated yes to Community events; 84% of respondents indicated yes to Walking or biking in your neighborhood or city; 81% of respondents indicated yes to Recreating in parks in your city; 77% of respondents indicated yes to Using trails in or near your city; 75% of respondents indicated yes to Gardening at home; 74% of respondents indicated yes to Non-motorized recreation on public lands or waters in Utah; 64% of respondents indicated yes to Buying food from a farmer's market; 53% of respondents indicated yes to Motorized recreation on public lands or waters in Utah; 53% of respondents indicated yes to Rec District recreation programs; 3% of respondents indicated yes to Participating in a community garden

Buying food from a farmer's market, participating in Rec District recreation programs, participating in community events, gardening at home, non-motorized recreation on public lands or waters in Utah, recreating in parks in your city, using trails in or near your city, and walking or biking in your neighborhood or city were significantly related to higher ratings of personal wellbeing.

Buying food from a farmer's market, participating in community events, gardening at home, motorized recreation on public lands or waters in Utah, and recreating in parks in your city were significantly related to higher ratings of community wellbeing.

Buying food from a farmer's market, participating in Rec District recreation programs, participating in community events, motorized recreation on public lands or waters in Utah, non-motorized recreation on public lands or waters in Utah, recreating in parks in your city, using trails in or near your city, and walking or biking in your neighborhood or city were significantly related to higher ratings of community connection.

Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development

The majority of respondents in Vernal indicated that they felt the population growth was too fast (56%). For the pace of economic development, the largest proportion of respondents indicated that it was too slow (48%).

Bar Chart. Title: Population Growth in Vernal. Subtitle: How would you describe the current rate of population growth in Vernal? Data — Too Slow: 7% of respondents; Just Right: 27% of respondents; Too Fast: 56% of respondents; No Opinion: 10% of respondents

Bar Chart. Title: Economic Development in Vernal. Subtitle: How would you describe the current pace of economic development in Vernal? Data — Too Slow: 48% of respondents; Just Right: 28% of respondents; Too Fast: 15% of respondents; No Opinion: 9% of respondents

The graphs below show how perceptions of population growth and economic development in Vernal have varied across recent years of Wellbeing Surveys. Perception that the rate of population growth is too fast dramatically increased from 2021 to 2024. The largest proportion of respondents indicated that the pace of economic development was too slow in both survey years, with a decrease from 2021 to 2024.

Line Graph. Title: Vernal Change in Perceptions of Rate of Population Growth. Subtitle: (Remaining Percentage Each Year is No Opinion) Data — 2021: 13.8% rated too slow, 48.3% rated just right, 28.7% rated too fast; 2024: 7.0% rated too slow, 27.0% rated just right, 55.7% rated too fast

Line Graph. Title: Vernal Change in Perceptions of Pace of Economic Development. Subtitle: (Remaining Percentage Each Year is No Opinion) Data — 2021: 64.3% rated too slow, 27.4% rated just right, 3.6% rated too fast; 2024: 48.4% rated too slow, 27.7% rated just right, 14.8% rated too fast

The graphs below show perceptions of population growth and economic development for Vernal compared to other participating cities and towns in the Rural cluster.

Likert Graph. Title: Population Growth for Rural Hub & Resort, Traditional Rural Communities. Subtitle: How would you describe the current rate of population growth in your city/town? Data — City: Heber 0% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 7% indicated that it was just right, 90% indicated that it was too fast, and 3% had no opinion; City: Midway 0% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 14% indicated that it was just right, 84% indicated that it was too fast, and 2% had no opinion; City: Tremonton 1% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 15% indicated that it was just right, 77% indicated that it was too fast, and 7% had no opinion; City: Park City 1% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 17% indicated that it was just right, 75% indicated that it was too fast, and 7% had no opinion; City: Nephi 3% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 27% indicated that it was just right, 61% indicated that it was too fast, and 9% had no opinion; City: Vernal 7% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 27% indicated that it was just right, 56% indicated that it was too fast, and 10% had no opinion; City: Delta 13% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 29% indicated that it was just right, 47% indicated that it was too fast, and 11% had no opinion; City: La Verkin 2% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 39% indicated that it was just right, 47% indicated that it was too fast, and 12% had no opinion; City: Springdale 7% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 36% indicated that it was just right, 44% indicated that it was too fast, and 13% had no opinion; City: Emigration Canyon 1% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 44% indicated that it was just right, 41% indicated that it was too fast, and 14% had no opinion; City: Beaver 14% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 53% indicated that it was just right, 26% indicated that it was too fast, and 8% had no opinion; City: Price 26% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 40% indicated that it was just right, 18% indicated that it was too fast, and 15% had no opinion; City: Blanding 19% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 48% indicated that it was just right, 17% indicated that it was too fast, and 15% had no opinion; City: Bluff 25% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 54% indicated that it was just right, 12% indicated that it was too fast, and 8% had no opinion; City: Helper 17% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 50% indicated that it was just right, 11% indicated that it was too fast, and 22% had no opinion; City: East Carbon 22% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 42% indicated that it was just right, 9% indicated that it was too fast, and 27% had no opinion; City: Monticello 58% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 33% indicated that it was just right, 0% indicated that it was too fast, and 8% had no opinion

Likert Graph. Title: Economic Development for Rural Hub & Resort, Traditional Rural Communities. Subtitle: How would you describe the current pace of economic development in your city/town? Data — City: Springdale 10% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 16% indicated that it was just right, 69% indicated that it was too fast, and 5% had no opinion; City: Park City 13% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 27% indicated that it was just right, 49% indicated that it was too fast, and 11% had no opinion; City: Heber 22% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 20% indicated that it was just right, 49% indicated that it was too fast, and 10% had no opinion; City: Midway 12% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 41% indicated that it was just right, 35% indicated that it was too fast, and 11% had no opinion; City: La Verkin 28% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 33% indicated that it was just right, 28% indicated that it was too fast, and 11% had no opinion; City: Tremonton 51% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 16% indicated that it was just right, 24% indicated that it was too fast, and 10% had no opinion; City: Nephi 35% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 36% indicated that it was just right, 19% indicated that it was too fast, and 11% had no opinion; City: Delta 52% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 28% indicated that it was just right, 16% indicated that it was too fast, and 5% had no opinion; City: Vernal 48% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 28% indicated that it was just right, 15% indicated that it was too fast, and 9% had no opinion; City: Emigration Canyon 8% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 56% indicated that it was just right, 15% indicated that it was too fast, and 22% had no opinion; City: Helper 45% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 40% indicated that it was just right, 10% indicated that it was too fast, and 5% had no opinion; City: Bluff 37% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 46% indicated that it was just right, 10% indicated that it was too fast, and 8% had no opinion; City: Beaver 54% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 33% indicated that it was just right, 7% indicated that it was too fast, and 6% had no opinion; City: Price 76% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 12% indicated that it was just right, 3% indicated that it was too fast, and 9% had no opinion; City: Blanding 61% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 24% indicated that it was just right, 3% indicated that it was too fast, and 12% had no opinion; City: East Carbon 68% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 19% indicated that it was just right, 2% indicated that it was too fast, and 11% had no opinion; City: Monticello 76% of respondents indicated that it was too slow, 12% indicated that it was just right, 0% indicated that it was too fast, and 12% had no opinion

The graph below illustrates how many respondents perceived the pace of economic development as too slow, just right, too fast, or had no opinion, with additional breakdowns for the number of respondents who provided comments.

Sankey Graph. Title: Perceptions about the Pace of Economic Development in Vernal. Subtitle: How would you describe the current pace of economic development in Vernal? (In Number of Respondents). Data — Total Respondents: 419; No opinion: 38; Too fast: 62; Just right: 116; Too slow: 203; 'Too fast' without comment: 22; 'Too fast' with comment: 40; 'Too slow' without comment: 40; 'Too slow' with comment: 163

The 48% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too slow” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they would like to see more of in Vernal. The most common comment addressed the desire for more retail opportunities particularly more shopping, restaurants, and entertainment options in Vernal. Another common request was for more diversified job opportunities. Comments expressed the desire to see jobs beyond those in the oil industry and worry about the place being a boom-and-bust town. There were also comments about the cost of living being outside their means and a desire for more affordable housing and shopping.

Additionally, the 15% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too fast” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they feel are growing too quickly in Vernal. The few comments included a sadness over losing the small-town culture of Vernal, a lack of job opportunities, not enough housing supply, and a lack of proper city planning surrounding economic growth and the future.

Transportation in Vernal

Respondents were asked to indicate all of their primary modes of transportation on a regular basis in Vernal. The most popular modes of transportation were personal car (99%) and walking (29%).

Bar Graph. Title: Primary modes of transportation in Vernal. Subtitle: What are your primary modes of transportation? (select all that apply on a regular basis) Data — 99% of respondents indicated yes to Personal Car; 29% of respondents indicated yes to Walking; 11% of respondents indicated yes to Biking; 6% of respondents indicated yes to Carpool; 3% of respondents indicated yes to Public transportation; 1% of respondents indicated yes to Scooter or micro-mobility device; 0% of respondents indicated yes to Ride sharing (Uber or Lyft)

Respondents were asked to indicate the most common barriers to transportation in Vernal. The most problematic barriers were Cost (59%) and Travel time (43%).

Likert Graph. Title: Barriers to Personal Travel in Vernal. Subtitle: Are any of the following a barrier to you personal travel? Data — Category: Cost - 41% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 59% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Travel time - 57% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 43% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Safety - 76% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 24% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Lack of routes - 80% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 20% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Lack of transport - 87% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 13% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Knowledge - 88% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 12% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Disability - 91% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 9% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier; Category: Language - 96% of respondents indicated it was not a barrier or seldom a barrier, while 4% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, often, or always a barrier

Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of a set of possible transportation developments in Vernal. The most important development to respondents were Improving road surfaces (73%), Enhancing safety (65%), and Improving walkability (56%).

Likert Graph. Title: Possible Transportation Developments in Vernal. Subtitle: On a scale of 1 - Not at all important to 5 - Very important, please rate the importance of the following developments to you. Data — Category: Improving road surfaces - 27% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 73% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.; Category: Enhancing safety - 35% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 65% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.; Category: Improving walkability - 44% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 56% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.; Category: More trails - 46% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 54% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.; Category: Connecting communities - 58% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 42% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.; Category: Adding road capacity - 65% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 35% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.; Category: Improving public transit - 68% of respondents indicated it 1, 2, or 3, while 32% of respondents rated it a 4 or 5.

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently various activities take them out of Vernal to another city or town. The most commonly indicated reasons for traveling to another city or town at least sometimes or once a month were Friends and Family (59%), Health/Medical Care (42%), and Recreation/Sports (41%).

Likert Graph. Title: Frequency of Vernal Residents Traveling to Other Cities for Various Activities. Subtitle: How frequently do each of these activities take you out of Vernal to another city or town? Data — Category: Friends and Family - 41% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 59% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Health/Medical Care - 58% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 42% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Recreation/Sports - 59% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 41% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Other Services - 62% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 38% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Eating Out - 64% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 36% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Groceries - 66% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 34% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Work - 70% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 30% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: School/Education - 87% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 13% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often; Category: Religion - 93% of respondents indicated it was never or rarely and 7% of respondents indicated it was sometimes, regularly, often

Concerns in Vernal

Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of Vernal. Affordable Housing (86%), Opportunities for Youth (81%), Water Supply (75%), and Public Safety (74%) were the top concerns. Since 2021, moderate or major concern about public safety (+18%), affordable housing (+16%), water supply (+15%), and air quality (+10%) notably increased, while concern about social and emotional support (-14%) and employment opportunities (-10%) notably decreased.

Likert Graph. Title: Concerns in Vernal. Subtitle: As you look to the future of Vernal, how much of a concern are the following issues? Data — Category: Affordable Housing - 14% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 86% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Opportunities for Youth - 19% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 81% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Water Supply - 25% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 75% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Public Safety - 26% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 74% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Employment Opportunities - 28% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 72% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Suicide - 28% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 72% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Access to Mental Health Care - 30% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 70% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Access to Healthy/Quality Food - 31% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 69% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Water Quality - 34% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 66% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Recreation Opportunities - 35% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 65% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Access to Health Care - 36% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 64% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Substance Misuse - 36% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 64% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Shopping Opportunities - 39% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 61% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Social and Emotional Support - 40% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 60% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Air Quality - 44% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 56% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Homelessness - 44% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 56% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Traffic - 45% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 55% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment - 46% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 54% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Open Space/Green Space - 46% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 54% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Trails & Paths - 52% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 48% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Access to Culturally Appropriate Food - 62% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 38% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Accessible Transportation - 62% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 38% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Climate Change - 67% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 33% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern; Category: Great Salt Lake - 75% of respondents indicated not a concern at all or slight concern while 25% of respondents indicated a moderate or major concern

Additional Questions for Vernal

Proposed Paved Trail

Respondents were asked to indicate their level of support or opposition for using tax dollars to develop a paved trail network in the Vernal/Naples area for recreation and alternate routes. 50% of respondents indicated they supported or strongly supported it, 21% indicated that they oppose or strongly oppose it, and 28% indicated that they neither oppose nor support it.

Bar Chart. Title: What is your level of support or opposition for using tax dollars to develop a paved trail network in the Vernal / Naples area for recreation and alternate routes?. Data — Strongly oppose: 11% of respondents; Oppose: 10% of respondents; Neither oppose nor support: 28% of respondents; Support: 28% of respondents; Strongly support: 22% of respondents

In addition, respondents were asked to indicate how often they would used a proposed paved trail system in the Vernal/Naples area. Residents were varied across the multiple options, from being unlikely to use the paved trails to using them more than once a week and a few would use them daily or close to daily. 

Bar Chart. Title: How often would you use paved trails if they were available in the Vernal / Naples area?. Data — I am unlikely to use the paved trails: 21% of respondents; A few times a year: 22% of respondents; Once or twice a month: 22% of respondents; More than once a week: 22% of respondents; Daily or close to daily: 12% of respondents

Fast-Food Frequency

Respondents were also asked to indicate how frequently they eat out at a fast-food restaurant. The largest proportion of respondents indicated that they eat out sometimes, or 1-3 times per month (46%).

Bar Chart. Title: How often do you eat at a fast-food restaurant?. Data — Never (Not at all): 4% of respondents; Rarely (Less than one time per month): 21% of respondents; Sometimes (1-3 times per month): 46% of respondents; Regularly (1-2 times per week): 25% of respondents; Often (More than 3 times per week): 5% of respondents

Open Comments

All open comments collected in the survey were shared with city leaders. General observations and themes are shared here.

What Respondents Value Most in Vernal

Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about Vernal. The most common words and phrases from all city comments are included in the word cloud below. It is possible that negative or unrelated words may appear since these words have been taken out of context, and they may not indicate the respondent’s intended meaning. The dominant values expressed were the beautiful nature and abundant recreational opportunities, the social connections and wonderful community, and the small-town feeling.

A word cloud of most common words about what respondents value most in their city

Local Environmental Quality in Vernal

The 48% of respondents who rated the Local Environmental Quality domain as 1, 2, or 3 (Poor, Fair, or Moderate) were further asked if there are specific aspects of local environmental quality that they feel are problematic. Concerns focused on the nearby oil rigs that were thought to be an eyesore and to impact air quality. Air quality was also a major concern, as well as problems with trash, particularly dust and litter.

Improving Wellbeing in Vernal

Survey respondents were asked if there is anything that could be done to improve wellbeing in Vernal. Comments expressed a desire to see better access to healthcare (particularly mental health care), lower cost of living, more affordable housing, more things to do and community events, more shopping and dining opportunities, more attention to issues related to drug use, and better options and infrastructure for biking and walking in town.

Additional Comments

Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments on wellbeing in Vernal. Many comments explained that wellbeing is hard to address in Vernal because most people are just worried about getting a roof over their head first. Basic necessities were on many respondents’ minds. There were concerns about cost of living, homelessness, and access to healthcare as well as about safety, having activities for youth, and creating a more welcoming community.

On This Page