Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Provo, UT
VS
Salt Lake City, UT
🏆 Provo leads 13 of 23 categories
Provo
Utah
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Salt Lake City
Utah
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7
Median Household Income
$72,357 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
227⚠ High
Population
201,269 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Provo, UT
Pros
76% less violent crime than Salt Lake City
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $67k less ($391,500 vs $458,600)
Rent averages $165/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,254)
Cons
Median income trails Salt Lake City by $14,414/yr
Higher unemployment (4.4% vs 3.6%)
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Salt Lake City, UT
Pros
Households earn $14,414 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (3.6%)
More college-educated — 50.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (864.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $458,600
Property crime (5200.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Provo
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 97.7 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
76% lower
206.6 vs 864.2 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$67k less
$391,500 vs $458,600
Provo
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 91.4°F
Salt Lake City
Median Income
$14,414
$72,357 vs $57,943/yr
Salt Lake City
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.6% vs 4.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Provo, UT | Salt Lake City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper | 97.7 |
| Median Home Value | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $458,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,089 ✓ Lower | $1,254 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,943 | $72,357 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter | 19.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% | 15.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 57 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 54 ✓ Safer | 227⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.9:1 | 18.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% | 50.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Provo District | Salt Lake District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 41.2°F ✓ Warmer | 39.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer | 91.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.2" ✓ Drier | 17.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.9" ✓ Less | 49.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,400 | 201,269 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 23.6 | 32.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.1% | 47.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.9% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 6.4% | 11.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Provo's cost of living index is 95.8 vs Salt Lake City's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Provo is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Provo leads 13 of 23 categories. Provo wins 13 and Salt Lake 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 Provo to Salt Lake City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($391,500 vs $458,600 median home), income ($57,943 vs $72,357), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Provo, UT and Salt Lake City, UT are about 40 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.