Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boulder, CO
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Provo leads 13 of 23 categories
Boulder
Colorado
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,243 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
106,598
Provo
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boulder, CO
Pros
Households earn $22,300 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 41°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $919,700
Higher rents — median is $1,853/mo
Property crime (2733.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Provo
Provo, UT
Pros
Homes cost $528k less ($391,500 vs $919,700)
Rent averages $764/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,853)
36% less violent crime than Boulder
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Boulder
Cons
Median income trails Boulder by $22,300/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Boulder
Median Income
$22,300
$80,243 vs $57,943/yr
Provo
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 107.2 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
36% lower
206.6 vs 322.3 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$528k less
$391,500 vs $919,700
Provo
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Provo
Summer Heat
7.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boulder, CO | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.2⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $919,700⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853⚠ High | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $80,243 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.0% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 103⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.9% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.0°F ✓ Warmer | 41.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2" | 44.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,598 | 114,400 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.2% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | 18.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boulder's cost of living index is 107.2 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Provo leads 13 of 23 categories. Boulder wins 10 and Provo 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 Boulder to Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($919,700 vs $391,500 median home), income ($80,243 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boulder, CO and Provo, UT are about 338 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.