Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellingham, WA
VS
West Jordan, UT
🏆 West Jordan leads 13 of 23 categories
Bellingham
Washington
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,026
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
91,353
West Jordan
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$99,002 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77 ✓ Safer
Population
116,383 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellingham, WA
Pros
More college-educated — 46.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 75°F vs 94°F
Rent averages $104/mo less ($1,385 vs $1,489)
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 40°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails West Jordan by $34,976/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $528,600
Property crime (3756.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than West Jordan
West Jordan, UT
Pros
Households earn $34,976 more per year on average
16% less violent crime than Bellingham
Homes cost $117k less ($412,100 vs $528,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.2%)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellingham
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,489/mo
Snowy winters — about 56" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
West Jordan
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 98.5 vs 104.1 (100 = US avg)
West Jordan
Median Income
$34,976
$99,002 vs $64,026/yr
West Jordan
Violent Crime
16% lower
294.2 vs 350.0 per 100k
West Jordan
Median Home Value
$117k less
$412,100 vs $528,600
West Jordan
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.2% vs 4.8% unemployment
West Jordan
Summer Heat
18.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.5°F vs 75.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellingham, WA | West Jordan, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.1⚠ High | 98.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $528,600⚠ High | $412,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,385⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,489⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,026 | $99,002 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.7 min ✓ Shorter | 24.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.6% | 15.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 127⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 179⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.1% ✓ Higher | 27.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.6% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellingham School District | Jordan District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.6°F ✓ Warmer | 40.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 75.1°F | 93.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.2" | 20.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.4" ✓ Less | 55.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,353 | 116,383 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.7 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.6% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.5% | 28.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.5% ✓ More | 8.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellingham's cost of living index is 104.1 vs West Jordan's 98.5 (US average = 100).
West Jordan is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, West Jordan leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellingham wins 10 and West Jordan wins 13. 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 Bellingham to West Jordan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($528,600 vs $412,100 median home), income ($64,026 vs $99,002), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellingham, WA and West Jordan, UT are about 761 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.