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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while Utah trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Provo at index 105 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving Utah.
Premium market, smart picks: while Utah trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Provo at index 105 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving Utah.
On a $60K salary, the key number is $1,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Provo ($1,448/mo, 29%), West Valley ($1,560/mo, 31%), Salt Lake ($1,592/mo, 32%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $44,427 to $44,427/year across these top picks.
Provo is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,448/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 105. Income sits at $62,800. It lines up with what you'd expect.
Bottom line: Provo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: Provo — cost index 105, rent $1,448/mo, income $62,800
1 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
113,343 residents · Utah
Here's Provo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 105. Rent: $1,448/month. Income: $62,800/year. Home price: $478,858. Population: 113,343. The strongest category is Utilities at 97; the most expensive is Housing at 113. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,364 per year vs. the national median. That's a margin of safety most budgets don't have.
134,470 residents · Utah
A closer look at West Valley: the cost index of 106 breaks down to a Utilities index of 98 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 116 (weakest). Median rent is $1,560/month — 18% below the national median — while household income sits at $88,604, meaning locals spend about 21% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (that's pre-tax, of course).
209,593 residents · Utah
Salt Lake earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 111 cost index sits 1 points below the national baseline, and the $74,925 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $565,484 — $98,114 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 102, while Housing trails at 128.
114,908 residents · Utah
A closer look at West Jordan: the cost index of 112 breaks down to a Utilities index of 103 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 130 (weakest). Median rent is $1,651/month — 13% below the national median — while household income sits at $103,960, meaning locals spend about 19% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Provo | $1,448 | 29% | 105 | Details |
| 2 | West Valley | $1,560 | 31% | 106 | Details |
| 3 | Salt Lake | $1,592 | 32% | 111 | Details |
| 4 | West Jordan | $1,651 | 33% | 112 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Provo | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $44,427 |
2West Valley | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $44,427 |
3Salt Lake | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $44,427 |
4West Jordan | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $44,427 |
Provo ranks #1 in Utah for this analysis with a cost index of 105 and median income of $62,800.
Yes. On a $60K salary in Provo, rent would consume about 29% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Provo (ranked #1) has a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,448/mo, while West Jordan (ranked #4) has a cost index of 112 and rent of $1,651/mo — a 7-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Provo is $1,448/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $447 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 4.55% state income tax, estimated take-home on $60K in Provo is approximately $44,427/year ($3,702/month). After median rent of $1,448/month, you'd have roughly $27,051/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Provo is $478,858, which is 7.6× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Utah has a 4.55% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.21%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.52%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.