Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Salt Lake City, UT
🏆 Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Salt Lake City
Utah
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,357
Violent Crime Index
227⚠ High
Population
201,269
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $65,030 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Salt Lake City
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (2.8%)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 40°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Salt Lake City
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Salt Lake City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $375k less ($458,600 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $973/mo less ($1,254 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $65,030/yr
Violent crime (864.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5200.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$65,030
$137,387 vs $72,357/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
71% lower
254.4 vs 864.2 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 3.6% unemployment
Salt Lake City
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 97.7 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Salt Lake City
Median Home Value
$375k less
$458,600 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Salt Lake City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 97.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $458,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,254 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $72,357 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 3.6% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 15.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 227⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 50.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Salt Lake District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 49.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 201,269 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 32.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 47.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 11.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Salt Lake City's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Salt Lake City is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 15 and Salt Lake City wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Salt Lake City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $458,600 median home), income ($137,387 vs $72,357), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Salt Lake City, UT are about 1,841 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.