Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 14 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442 ✓ Larger
St. George
Utah
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,333
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
96,174
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
20% less violent crime than St. George
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $13,338 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 102°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than St. George
St. George, UT
Pros
Homes cost $162k less ($415,200 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $314/mo less ($1,335 vs $1,649)
Violent crime is well below the national average (210.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.3%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 43°F
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $13,338/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$13,338
$82,671 vs $69,333/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
20% lower
168.5 vs 210.0 per 100k
St. George
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
St. George
Median Home Value
$162k less
$415,200 vs $576,900
St. George
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.3% vs 3.8% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
18.1°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 83.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $415,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $1,335⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $69,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 55 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 32.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F | 54.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 ✓ Larger | 96,174 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
St. George is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. George leads 14 of 23 categories. Bend wins 9 and St. George wins 14. 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 Bend to St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $415,200 median home), income ($82,671 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and St. George, UT are about 630 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.