Escalante, Utah Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 604, Escalante'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

Escalante is a small community located in Utah, within Garfield County. The total population is 604. It ranks as the 217th most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Utah.

Age Demographics

The median age in Escalante is 59.1 years. This is 85% higher than the state median of 32.0 years. Only 14.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 14.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Escalante is $68,750. This is 28% lower than the state median of $95,166. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.5%. This is 223% 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 Escalante, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $351,900. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $489,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.1x. 65.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% lower than the state average of 70.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Escalante has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.5% of all residents.

Education

30.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 20% lower than the state rate of 37.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Escalante, 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.