Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orem, UT
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 Orem leads 13 of 23 categories
Orem
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1
Median Household Income
$77,568
Violent Crime Index
46 ✓ Safer
Population
97,100
West Valley City
Utah
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719 ✓ Higher
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.
Orem, UT
Pros
63% less violent crime than West Valley City
More college-educated — 42.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (174.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $392,900
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Median income trails West Valley City by $4,151/yr
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $59k less ($333,600 vs $392,900)
Households earn $4,151 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 22.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Orem
Violent Crime
63% lower
174.5 vs 469.5 per 100k
Orem
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.0% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.1 on the COL index
West Valley City
Median Income
$4,151
$81,719 vs $77,568/yr
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$59k less
$333,600 vs $392,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orem, UT | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.1 | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $392,900⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,290 ✓ Lower | $1,360⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $77,568 | $81,719 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter | 21.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 13.5% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 88 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 22.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 93.9% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alpine District | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.5°F | 38.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.2" ✓ Drier | 17.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.9" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,100 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 26.8 | 30.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.9% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.2% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orem's cost of living index is 97.1 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orem leads 13 of 23 categories. Orem wins 13 and West Valley City 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 Orem to West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($392,900 vs $333,600 median home), income ($77,568 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orem, UT and West Valley City, UT are about 32 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.