Salt Lake County vs Washington County
Salt Lake County, Utah versus Washington County, Utah: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Washington County edges out Salt Lake County on overall objective livability (51 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Salt Lake County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $90k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $57k |
| Home Value | $440k | $417k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.46% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 4.12% |
| Sales Tax | 7.20% | 7.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.95% | 9.16% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.2 in | 11.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 69.1 in | 5.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 197 days | 293 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 42°F |
| Comfortable Days | 51 days | 26 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.6 | 92.8 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 34.9 | 23.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1502/100k | 869/100k |
| Property Crime | 3243/100k | 1067/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,180,643 | 183,297 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.43 | 0.22 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+11 | R+53 |
| White (%) | 69.1% | 82.8% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.1% | 11.1% |
| Asian (%) | 4.1% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 126 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.8% | 91.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.17 | 0.11 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Salt Lake County or Washington County more affordable?
- Salt Lake County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Salt Lake County's $55k and Washington County's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Salt Lake County versus $1k in Washington County.
- Is Salt Lake County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Salt Lake County reports 1502/100k and Washington County reports 869/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Salt Lake County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $440k in Salt Lake County and $417k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Washington County.