Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Provo leads 15 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $31,269 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 95°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Provo
Provo, UT
Pros
Rent averages $892/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,981)
Homes cost $293k less ($391,500 vs $684,900)
67% less violent crime than Boston
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (4.4%)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $31,269/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$31,269
$89,212 vs $57,943/yr
Provo
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
67% lower
206.6 vs 627.9 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$293k less
$391,500 vs $684,900
Provo
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Provo
Summer Heat
13.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 41.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 44.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 32.9 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 39.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 18.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Provo leads 15 of 23 categories. Boston wins 8 and Provo wins 15. 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 Boston to Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $391,500 median home), income ($89,212 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Provo, UT are about 2,094 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.