Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kent, WA
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 West Valley City leads 13 of 23 categories
Kent
Washington
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,966 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
135,169
West Valley City
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
138,868 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kent, WA
Pros
More college-educated — 27.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 39°F
Households earn $5,247 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $478,400
Violent crime (489.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,742/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than West Valley City
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $145k less ($333,600 vs $478,400)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (4.0%)
Rent averages $382/mo less ($1,360 vs $1,742)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Kent
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Kent by $5,247/yr
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Kent
Median Income
$5,247
$86,966 vs $81,719/yr
West Valley City
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Violent Crime
4% lower
469.5 vs 489.7 per 100k
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$145k less
$333,600 vs $478,400
West Valley City
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
4.0% vs 7.6% unemployment
West Valley City
Summer Heat
15.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 78.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kent, WA | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $478,400⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,742⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,966 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.5 min⚠ High | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 149⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 124⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 180⚠ High | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Kent School District | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.4°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.3°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.7" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.3" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,169 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.7 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.8% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.8% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kent's cost of living index is 113.0 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, West Valley City leads 13 of 23 categories. Kent wins 10 and West Valley City 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 Kent to West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($478,400 vs $333,600 median home), income ($86,966 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kent, WA and West Valley City, UT are about 685 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.