Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 Bend leads 16 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
West Valley City
Utah
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
138,868 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
64% less violent crime than West Valley City
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 94°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 9% higher than West Valley City
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $243k less ($333,600 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $289/mo less ($1,360 vs $1,649)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$952
$82,671 vs $81,719/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
64% lower
168.5 vs 469.5 per 100k
West Valley City
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$243k less
$333,600 vs $576,900
West Valley City
Summer Heat
10.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 83.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 21.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 88 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 17.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 16 of 23 categories. Bend wins 16 and West Valley City wins 7. 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 West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $333,600 median home), income ($82,671 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and West Valley City, UT are about 528 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.