Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Salt Lake City, UT
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Wichita leads 16 of 23 categories
Salt Lake City
Utah
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7
Median Household Income
$72,357 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
227⚠ High
Population
201,269
Wichita
Kansas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Salt Lake City, UT
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.6%)
Households earn $11,645 more per year on average
More college-educated — 50.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,600
Violent crime (864.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5200.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $292k less ($166,400 vs $458,600)
38% less violent crime than Salt Lake City
Rent averages $339/mo less ($915 vs $1,254)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Salt Lake City
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Salt Lake City by $11,645/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Salt Lake City
Median Income
$11,645
$72,357 vs $60,712/yr
Salt Lake City
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 97.7 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Violent Crime
38% lower
538.6 vs 864.2 per 100k
Wichita
Median Home Value
$292k less
$166,400 vs $458,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Salt Lake City, UT | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.7 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,600⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,254 | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,357 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.9% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 236⚠ High | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High | 142⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 248⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.2:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.2% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Salt Lake District | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F | 43.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.4°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.7" ✓ Drier | 35.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 12.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 201,269 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 35.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Salt Lake City's cost of living index is 97.7 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wichita leads 16 of 23 categories. Salt Lake City wins 7 and Wichita wins 16. 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 Salt Lake City to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,600 vs $166,400 median home), income ($72,357 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Salt Lake City, UT and Wichita, KS are about 808 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.