Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 15 of 22 categories
Kirkland
Washington
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
St. George
Utah
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,333
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
96,174 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
Households earn $66,275 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than St. George
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 102°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than St. George
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
St. George, UT
Pros
Homes cost $523k less ($415,200 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $915/mo less ($1,335 vs $2,250)
Violent crime is well below the national average (210.0 vs 380/100k)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.3%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $66,275/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Kirkland
Median Income
$66,275
$135,608 vs $69,333/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
71% lower
60.6 vs 210.0 per 100k
St. George
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
St. George
Median Home Value
$523k less
$415,200 vs $937,700
St. George
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.7% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
25.4°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $415,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,335⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $69,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 52 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 55 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 23.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 32.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 54.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 96,174 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
St. George is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. George leads 15 of 22 categories. Kirkland wins 7 and St. George 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 Kirkland to St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $415,200 median home), income ($135,608 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and St. George, UT are about 854 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.