Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Before celebrating, check the next metric: Here's the state-level backdrop: Utah averages a 91 cost index, $1,563/mo rent, and $82,572 income across 4 cities. That alone makes it worth considering. That's $332 less than the national rent average. Fastest-growing state economy with rising costs to ma…
Before celebrating, check the next metric: Here's the state-level backdrop: Utah averages a 91 cost index, $1,563/mo rent, and $82,572 income across 4 cities. That alone makes it worth considering. That's $332 less than the national rent average. Fastest-growing state economy with rising costs to match — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but West Valley pulls it off. At $88,604 median household income and a 91 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 34% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 4 cities in Utah using 2026 data.
West Valley: high income, low cost — a rare combo. West Valley earns above the national median ($88,604 — we had to double-check this one — vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 91 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it. That tracks (that's pre-tax, of course).
Here's West Valley by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 91. Rent: $1,560/month. Income: $88,604/year. Home price: $466,390. Population: 134,470. The strongest category is Housing at 91; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,020 per year vs. the national median. At this level, the city practically pays for your move.
The 3.5× rule is a conservative benchmark: lenders often approve up to 4-5× income, but 3.5× keeps monthly payments safely under 28% of gross income at typical rates. On $60K, that means targeting homes under $210,000. West Valley offers a median home at $466,390 — a 7.8× ratio with room to spare.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: West Valley — cost index 91, rent $1,560/mo, income $88,604
West Valley: high income, low cost — a rare combo
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
134,470 residents · Utah
What does daily life actually cost in West Valley? Start with the 21% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 91) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $88,604 and homes at $466,390 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons. Below the radar, but not for long.
114,908 residents · Utah
Frankly, Here's West Jordan by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 96. Rent: $1,651/month. Income: $103,960/year. Home price: $555,810. Population: 114,908. The strongest category is Housing at 96; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,928 per year vs. the national median. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
209,593 residents · Utah
What does daily life actually cost in Salt Lake? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 93) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 99) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $74,925 and homes at $565,484 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons (that's pre-tax, of course).
113,343 residents · Utah
The #4 spot goes to Provo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,448/month — for better or worse — — saving renters $5,364 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 84, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Valley | 91 | $1,560 | Details |
| 2 | West Jordan | 96 | $1,651 | Details |
| 3 | Salt Lake | 93 | $1,592 | Details |
| 4 | Provo | 84 | $1,448 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1West Valley | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $63,248 |
2West Jordan | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $63,248 |
3Salt Lake | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $63,248 |
4Provo | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $63,248 |
We divide median home price by median household income for each city in Utah. A ratio of 3× means a home costs 3 years of gross income — generally considered affordable. Ratios above 5× signal a stretched market. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
West Valley ranks #1 in Utah for this analysis with a cost index of 91 and median income of $88,604.
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.
West Valley (ranked #1) has a cost index of 91 and rent of $1,560/mo, while Provo (ranked #4) has a cost index of 84 and rent of $1,448/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 West Valley is $1,560/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $335 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in West Valley is $466,390, which is 5.3× 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.