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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Utah using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Provo com…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Provo | $1,448 | 12% | 84 | Details |
| 2 | West Valley | $1,560 | 12% | 91 | Details |
| 3 | Salt Lake | $1,592 | 13% | 93 | Details |
| 4 | West Jordan | $1,651 | 13% | 96 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Provo — cost index 84, rent $1,448/mo, income $62,800
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Utah using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Provo comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
On a $150K salary, the key number is $3,750/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Provo ($1,448/mo, 12%), West Valley ($1,560/mo, 12%), Salt Lake ($1,592/mo, 13%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $102,658 to $102,658/year across these top picks.
Here's Provo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 84. Rent: $1,448/month. Income: $62,800/year. Home price: $478,858. Population: 113,343. The strongest category is Housing at 84; the most expensive is Healthcare at 97. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,364 per year vs. the national median. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Provo | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $102,658 |
2West Valley | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $102,658 |
3Salt Lake | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $102,658 |
4West Jordan | 4.55% | 7.21% | 0.52% | $102,658 |
113,343 residents · Utah
Here's Provo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 84. Rent: $1,448/month. Income: $62,800/year. Home price: $478,858. Population: 113,343. The strongest category is Housing at 84; the most expensive is Healthcare at 97. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,364 per year vs. the national median. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
134,470 residents · Utah
A closer look at West Valley: the cost index of 91 breaks down to a Housing index of 91 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 98 (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.
209,593 residents · Utah
Here's Salt Lake by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 93. Rent: $1,592/month. Income: $74,925/year. Home price: $565,484. Population: 209,593. The strongest category is Housing at 93; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,636 per year vs. the national median. That gap is hard to ignore (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
114,908 residents · Utah
Why West Jordan ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 96 on the cost index, residents save roughly 15% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,651/month while the median household pulls in $103,960/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 96, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $555,810 — $88,440 above the national median.
Provo ranks #1 in Utah for this analysis with a cost index of 84 and median income of $62,800.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Provo, rent would consume about 12% 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 84 and rent of $1,448/mo, while West Jordan (ranked #4) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,651/mo — a 12-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 $150K in Provo is approximately $102,658/year ($8,555/month). After median rent of $1,448/month, you'd have roughly $85,282/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.