Provo vs Salt Lake City
Provo, Utah versus Salt Lake City, Utah: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Salt Lake City edges out Provo on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Provo | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $58k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $392k | $459k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.48% | 0.55% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 4.70% |
| Sales Tax | 7.20% | 7.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.34% | 10.55% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.2 in | 17.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.9 in | 49.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 197 days | 197 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 45°F |
| Comfortable Days | 41 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 79.5 | 88.4 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.2 | 46.6 |
| Violent Crime | 649/100k | 1502/100k |
| Property Crime | 1401/100k | 3243/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 114,400 | 201,269 |
| Median Age | 23.6 | 32.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.07 |
| Political Leaning | R+43 | D+11 |
| White (%) | 72.6% | 65.2% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.5% | 19.9% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 5.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.8% | 7.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 11.7/20 | 13.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 41 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 77.8% | 89.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 32.69 | 45.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Excellent |
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 Provo or Salt Lake City more affordable?
- Salt Lake City has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Provo's $55k and Salt Lake City's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Provo versus $1k in Salt Lake City.
- Is Provo or Salt Lake City safer?
- Provo has the lower violent crime rate. Provo reports 649/100k and Salt Lake City reports 1502/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Provo or Salt Lake City?
- The median home value is $392k in Provo and $459k in Salt Lake City, so homes are more affordable in Provo.