American Fork vs West Valley City
American Fork, Utah versus West Valley City, Utah: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
American Fork and West Valley City score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | American Fork | West Valley City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $90k | $82k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $407k | $334k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.46% | 0.65% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 4.70% |
| Sales Tax | 7.20% | 7.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.17% | 9.74% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.5 in | 17.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.4 in | 51.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 197 days | 197 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 45°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 56 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 55.3 | 76.7 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 22.6 | 37.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1502/100k | 1348/100k |
| Property Crime | 3243/100k | 2869/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 33,986 | 138,868 |
| Median Age | 28.0 | 30.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+11 | D+11 |
| White (%) | 82.1% | 43.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.2% | 2.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 41.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 5.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.2% | 7.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 13.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 30 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.7% | 92.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 106.81 | 30.96 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 American Fork or West Valley City more affordable?
- West Valley City has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with American Fork's $55k and West Valley City's $55k. Median rent is $2k in American Fork versus $1k in West Valley City.
- Is American Fork or West Valley City safer?
- West Valley City has the lower violent crime rate. American Fork reports 1502/100k and West Valley City reports 1348/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in American Fork or West Valley City?
- The median home value is $407k in American Fork and $334k in West Valley City, so homes are more affordable in West Valley City.