Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
West Valley City
Utah
8
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.
Centennial, CO
Pros
63% less violent crime than West Valley City
Households earn $42,898 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than West Valley City
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $253k less ($333,600 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $589/mo less ($1,360 vs $1,949)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $42,898/yr
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
Centennial
Median Income
$42,898
$124,617 vs $81,719/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
63% lower
172.8 vs 469.5 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.0% unemployment
West Valley City
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$253k less
$333,600 vs $586,500
West Valley City
Summer Heat
6.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 88 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 17.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 51.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 71.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 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, Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 15 and West Valley City wins 8. 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 Centennial to West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $333,600 median home), income ($124,617 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and West Valley City, UT are about 385 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.