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Salt Lake City vs Sandy

Salt Lake City, Utah versus Sandy, Utah: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Salt Lake City

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Sandy

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Salt Lake City and Sandy score about the same overall (48 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorSalt Lake CitySandy
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k$108k
Cost of Living$55k$55k
Home Value$459k$492k
Monthly Rent$1k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.55%0.55%
Income Tax4.70%4.70%
Sales Tax7.20%7.20%
Estimated total tax burden10.55%9.57%
Unemployment3.6%2.2%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F30°F
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F77°F
Annual Precipitation17.7 in20.9 in
Annual Snowfall49.0 in81.9 in
Sunny Days197 days197 days
Summer Humidity45°F45°F
Comfortable Days61 days49 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk88.457.4
Air Quality44 AQI47 AQI
School Quality46.646.2
Violent Crime1502/100k937/100k
Property Crime3243/100k2497/100k
Community
Population201,26995,635
Median Age32.536.9
Racial Diversity0.470.29
Male/Female Ratio1.071.03
Political LeaningD+11D+11
White (%)65.2%79.8%
Black (%)2.6%0.7%
Hispanic (%)19.9%10.4%
Asian (%)5.3%3.6%
Other / Multiracial (%)7.0%5.5%
Getting Around
Commute Time20 min23 min
Walkability13.9/2013.3/20
Airport Distance3 mi17 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.9%92.7%
Amenities Nearby45.9161.27
Park & Nature AccessExcellentLimited

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 Salt Lake City or Sandy more affordable?
Sandy has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Salt Lake City's $55k and Sandy's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Salt Lake City versus $2k in Sandy.
Is Salt Lake City or Sandy safer?
Sandy has the lower violent crime rate. Salt Lake City reports 1502/100k and Sandy reports 937/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Salt Lake City or Sandy?
The median home value is $459k in Salt Lake City and $492k in Sandy, so homes are more affordable in Salt Lake City.
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