Alta, Utah Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 284, Alta's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Alta is a small community located in Utah, within Salt Lake County. The total population is 284. It ranks as the 273rd most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Utah.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alta is 30.1 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 32.0 years. Only 2.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 49.3%. This is 480% higher than the state poverty rate of 8.5%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Alta, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $2,000,000+. Housing costs are 309% higher than the state median of $489,400. 35.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 50% lower than the state average of 70.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Alta is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 33.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (33.8%) is well below the state average of 74.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (23.2% vs 1.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (41.9% vs 15.9%).

Education

43.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 37.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Alta, Utah is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Utah state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 326 Census-designated places in Utah. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.