Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Germantown, MD
VS
Orem, UT
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Germantown
Maryland
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
Orem
Utah
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$77,568
Violent Crime Index
46
Population
97,100 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $31,700 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 93°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Orem
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.4%)
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Orem, UT
Pros
Rent averages $618/mo less ($1,290 vs $1,908)
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (174.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.4%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $31,700/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Germantown
Median Income
$31,700
$109,268 vs $77,568/yr
Orem
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Orem
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.2% unemployment
Orem
Summer Heat
8.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 84.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Germantown, MD | Orem, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $393,700⚠ High | $392,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,908⚠ High | $1,290 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,268 ✓ Higher | $77,568 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High | 3.4% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 13.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 53 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 46 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 65 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.9% ✓ Higher | 42.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 93.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County Public Schools | Alpine District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 37.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.3°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,210 | 97,100 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 26.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% ✓ Higher | 59.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Germantown's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Orem's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Orem is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Germantown wins 10 and Orem wins 10. 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 Germantown to Orem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($393,700 vs $392,900 median home), income ($109,268 vs $77,568), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Germantown, MD and Orem, UT are about 1,820 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.