Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palmdale, CA
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Provo leads 13 of 23 categories
Palmdale
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,414 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
145⚠ High
Population
166,895 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palmdale, CA
Pros
Households earn $20,471 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 41°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,625/mo
Violent crime (551.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Provo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Provo, UT
Pros
63% less violent crime than Palmdale
Rent averages $536/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,625)
Commutes run 23 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (4.4%)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Palmdale
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Palmdale by $20,471/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Palmdale
Median Income
$20,471
$78,414 vs $57,943/yr
Provo
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
63% lower
206.6 vs 551.0 per 100k
Provo
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palmdale, CA | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $397,500⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,625⚠ High | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,414 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.3 min⚠ High | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.9% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 123⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 145⚠ High | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (59) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.2:1 | 20.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.7% | 44.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.6% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Palmdale Elementary | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer | 41.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 95.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.3" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 166,895 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 33.0 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.5% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 29.0% ✓ More | 18.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palmdale's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Provo leads 13 of 23 categories. Palmdale wins 10 and Provo 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 Palmdale to Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($397,500 vs $391,500 median home), income ($78,414 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palmdale, CA and Provo, UT are about 527 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.