50
States ranked
1,312
Cities scored
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11
Scoring categories
America’s Dashboard

America's Dashboard ranks and scores all 50 US states and1,312 cities using real government data. Compare economy, safety, health, education, affordability, and more — free, transparent, and updated with the latest federal statistics.

Updated as each source publishes its latest release

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Data sources

Rankings are computed from publicly available federal and state government datasets, supplemented by a handful of published indexes (such as the Tax Foundation, Child Care Aware of America and Zillow Research). Figures are used as each source publishes them, including the FBI's own state crime estimates; nothing is synthetic or modeled by us, and every source is cited below.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS annual averages·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, estimated crimes by state·
  • CDC NCHS U.S. State Life Tables·
  • CDC BRFSS·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (table S2701)·
  • NAEP, The Nation's Report Card·
  • EDFacts adjusted cohort graduation rate (NCES)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates·
  • Cook Political Report, PVI·
  • Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures·
  • ALEC Rich States Poor States·
  • WalletHub Tax Burden Study·
  • Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities·
  • EPA AirData, Median AQI by County·
  • EIA State Electricity Profiles·
  • FEMA National Risk Index·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS Broadband Subscriptions·
  • National Park Service API·
  • USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year Commuting·
  • FHWA Highway Statistics·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • EIA residential electricity prices·
  • EIA State Energy Data System, motor gasoline prices·
  • EIA Natural Gas Prices, residential·
  • Child Care Aware of America, Price & Supply·
  • Tax Foundation, State Income Tax Rates and Brackets·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, goods·
  • NCES Common Core of Data (CCD)·
  • EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates·
  • NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33)·
  • BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9)·
  • NASBO Fiscal Survey of States·
  • Census Bureau State Government Finances·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts, State Pension Funding·
  • S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia·
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES·
  • IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS State-to-State Migration Flows·
  • Zillow Research, Home Values, Rents & Market Metrics·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, city police agency reports·
  • CDC PLACES, city health estimates·
  • NOAA U.S. Climate Normals·
  • EPA National Walkability Index
© 2026 America's Dashboard. All rights reserved.Privacy policy·Terms of service·Not affiliated with any government agency.
America’s Dashboard
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Home/States/Utah

2026 edition·West·Pop. 3,538,904·Capital Salt Lake City·45th state, admitted 1896·Cook PVI R+15

Is Utah a Good Place to Live? Utah Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes

Utah ranks #6 of 50 with a composite score of 75.4 and an A grade, strongest in education (#3) and weakest in livability (#48). The median household earns $96,658 (19% above the national median), homes typically cost $534,582 (45% above the national average), and violent crime is 236 per 100,000 (28% below the national average).

Editor's verdict
Water, not jobs, is the limit on Utah: the Wasatch Front adds people at +1.03% a year, #5, while the Great Salt Lake shrinks and environment ranks #42. For a family that can clear a price-to-income ratio of 5.5x, the schools, health numbers and 23.2 minutes average commute are hard to match in the West.
Compare Utah with its neighbors →Best cities in Utah →How the score works →
Composite score
75.4A
#6 of 50 · #3 in the West
Top 10 in
Education #3, Transportation #4, Economy #5, Fiscal Health #7
Middle of the pack
Growth #11, Health #12, Outdoor Access #15, Safety #20, Affordability #28
Bottom 10 in
Environment #42, Livability #48
NumbersNumbersScorecardScoresCostCostTaxesTaxesSafetySafetyJobsJobsSchools & healthSchoolsMovingMovingCitiesCitiesBest forBest forNeighborsNeighborsFAQFAQ
Top ↑

Utah by the numbers

Six measures every state is judged on, each with Utah's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.

Median household income
$96,658
#9 of 50, 1 = highest · US $80,903
Typical home value
$534,582
#45 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US $368,697
Cost of living index
98.9
#31 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US 100
Violent crime per 100K
236
#17 of 50, 1 = safest · US 328
Unemployment rate
3.6%
#17 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 3.95%
Total tax burden
9.46%
#37 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 8.74%

Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.

→Read the Utah overview

Utah scores above the national average in 8 of 11 categories and ranks #3 of 13 states in the West, behind 2 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (236, 28% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($534,582, 45% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (4) and bottom-10 finishes (2) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.

What stands out
  • Public land is 64.9% of the state, second only to Nevada, so the Wasatch Front is dense and prices climb when it fills.
  • The youngest population and largest households in the country, which show up as an education rank of #3 and health rank of #12.
  • Winter inversions trap pollution in the Salt Lake valley for days: median AQI is 44, #45, in a state people choose for the outdoors.

Where does Utah rank in each category?

All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Utah is top 10 in 4 and bottom 10 in 2.

CategoryScoreRankGradeWeightUS avgThe numbers behind it
Economy65.6#5 of 50A+15%47.1Its unemployment rate is 3.6% and median household income is $96,658.
Safety76.0#20 of 50B12%68.9The FBI estimates 235.7 violent crimes and 1,415.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
Health69.2#12 of 50B+12%54.4Life expectancy is 79 years, 31% of adults have obesity, and 8.3% of residents are uninsured.
Education76.8#3 of 50A+12%57.5Eighth graders average 282 in NAEP math and 261 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 88.2%.
Affordability63.2#28 of 50C+10%65.2Typical home value $534,582 (5.5x median income); cost of living index 98.9 (100 = US); center-based infant care $14,533 a year.
Fiscal Health71.4#7 of 50A8%58.1It carries $2,180 of debt per resident, has 92% of pensions funded, and holds a AAA credit rating.
Growth50.0#11 of 50B+7%38.8Population grew 1.03% last year; Census net domestic migration is +0.9 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series).
Transportation59.7#4 of 50A+7%49.8The average commute is 23.2 minutes, 1.9% of workers use public transit, and 15.7% work from home.
Livability19.7#48 of 50D7%34.3It has 1.554 restaurants and 0.028 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.051 bars and 0.032 social associations per 1,000.
Outdoor Access38.3#15 of 50B+6%29.464.9% of its land is public, with 1.32 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents.
Environment28.5#42 of 50C4%42.5Its median air quality index is 44, 15% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 28.3.

Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.

Category shape

Utah's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Utah bulges toward education and dips at livability.

How expensive is Utah?

Utah's cost of living index is 98.9 against a national baseline of 100, 1% below the national average and #31 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $534,582 (45% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $133,317, $36,659 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Logan is cheapest (index 95.9) and Riverton priciest (100.9).

Housing market snapshot · August

Cold market
Typical home value
$534,582
+1.5% in 1 yr · +13.8% in 5 yr · national $369K
Mortgage payment
$2,750/mo
P&I, 20% down, current rates
Income needed
$133K
median earns $97K (+38%)
Rent, Salt Lake City
$1,641/mo
renting cheaper by $1,241 vs. a $2,882 metro payment
Price cuts · days
32% · 56
national 26% · 53 days

Ranked #6 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #37 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $36,659 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.

Full Utah housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →

What a household keeps at $75,000

HouseholdUtahMedian stateRank
Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare−$24,178−$11,758#36 of 50
Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare+$24,094+$31,418#42 of 50
Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax+$26,794+$35,970#41 of 50

Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.

Electricity price
13.07¢/kWh
#7 of 50 · US 17.84¢/kWh
Natural gas price
$10.19/Mcf
#6 of 50 · US $15.83/Mcf
Gasoline price
$3.33/gal
#34 of 50 · US $3.32/gal
Price level for goods
96.4
#25 of 50 · US 100
Center-based infant care, per year
$14,533
#23 of 50 · US $15,633
Editor's note

Everyday costs are ordinary (98.9 on the index, 1% below the national average); the house is the problem. The Wasatch Front is one metro hemmed in by mountains and lake, with nowhere to build but the benches and far exurbs. Draper, South Jordan and Lehi sit at the top, Ogden and Logan well below, St. George rising. Newcomers underestimate the second car, the water bill for a desert lawn, and the Herriman commute. A family of four earning $75,000 comes out at a $24,178 shortfall after costs, #36 of 50.

  • Run your own budget for Utah →
  • Utah housing market →
  • Housing rankings →

What are taxes like in Utah?

Utah's tax mix is low property tax, with income and sales taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 9.46% of income, 0.7 points above the national average (#37 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.55% of home value (#6), and combined sales tax averages 7.42% (#31).

Total tax burden
9.46%
#37 of 50 · US 8.74%
Top income tax rate
4.55%
#19 of 50 · US avg 5.46%
Effective property tax
0.55%
#6 of 50 · US 1.02%
Combined sales tax
7.42%
#31 of 50 · US 6.66%

Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.

Can the state pay its bills?

Credit rating
AAA
S&P / Moody's
Rainy-day fund
14.5%
of spending · #11 of 50
Pensions funded
92%
of obligations · #5 of 50
Debt per resident
$2,180
state debt · #12 of 50

Fiscal health scores 71.4 out of 100, #7 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.

Editor's note

Utah taxes income at a flat 4.55%, taxes groceries at a reduced rate, and taxes Social Security, offset for lower-income retirees by a credit that phases out. For a retiree, that credit is the whole question. For a homeowner, property tax of 0.55% (#6 lowest) comes with a primary residence exemption that takes nearly half the value off the roll. For a high earner, the flat rate is fair but not cheap; total burden is 9.46%, 0.7 points above the national average. Income tax is constitutionally earmarked for education.

  • Fiscal health rankings →
  • Best states for retirees →

Is Utah safe?

Utah reports 236 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 28% below the national average and #17 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,416 per 100,000, 8% below the national average (#23 of 50). The safety score is 76 out of 100, #20 of 50; among tracked cities, Riverton has the lowest violent crime rate.

Utah vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents

Violent crime#17 of 50
UT
236
US
328
Property crime#23 of 50
UT
1,416
US
1,535

FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Safest tracked cities in Utah

CityPopulationViolent / 100KProperty / 100K
Herriman59,34664505
South Jordan82,686113944
Orem97,1821341,243
Layton83,2861411,352
Murray50,1881652,822

Lowest violent crime among the 20 Utah cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.

Editor's note

Utah is safe on violent crime and below average on property crime: 236 per hundred thousand, 28% below the national average, against 1,416 property crimes, #23 of 50. The property crime sits in Salt Lake City proper and Ogden. Riverton posts the lowest violent crime among tracked cities, and the south Salt Lake County suburbs and Utah County are close behind. The statewide rate misleads both ways: the capital is rougher, the suburbs safer.

  • Safety rankings →
  • Best states for families →

What is the job market like in Utah?

Utah's unemployment rate is 3.6%, 0.4 points below the national average and #17 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $96,658, 19% above the national median. Real GDP grew +3.5% in the latest year (#3 of 50) and GDP per capita is $62,444, 3% below the national average. The population is growing 1.03% a year, 0.5 points above the national average. The economy score is 65.6 out of 100, #5 of 50.

Median household income
$96,658
#9 of 50 · US $80,903
Unemployment rate
3.6%
#17 of 50 · US 3.95%
GDP per capita
$62,444
#23 of 50 · US $64,333
Real GDP growth
+3.5%
#3 of 50 · US +1.91%
Population growth
+1.03%
#5 of 50 · US +0.51%

Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.

Highest-paying tracked occupations in Utah, adjusted for cost of living

OccupationCost-adjustedMedian wageMetro
Family Medicine Physicians$223,527$212,351Salt Lake City
Lawyers$154,705$146,970Salt Lake City
Software Developers$141,301$134,236Salt Lake City
Computer Systems Analysts$110,967$105,419Salt Lake City
General & Operations Managers$104,626$99,395Salt Lake City

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.

Editor's note

The Wasatch Front economy is tech, finance and health care: Silicon Slopes in Lehi and Draper gets the attention; Intermountain Health, the University of Utah and state government employ the most. Ogden is aerospace and Hill Air Force Base, Provo and Orem are BYU and software. St. George runs on construction, retirees and Zion tourism. Rural Utah is mining, energy and ranching. Real GDP growth of +3.5% ranks #3 and unemployment sits at 3.6%. family medicine physicians in Salt Lake City earn the top cost-adjusted wage, $212,351.

  • Economy rankings →
  • Wages by occupation and metro →

How are Utah's schools and healthcare?

Utah's education score is 76.8 out of 100, #3 of 50. Eighth graders average 282 in NAEP math (#4 of 50) and 261 in reading (#8 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 88.2%, 2.6 points above the national average (#13 of 50).

Education score
76.8
#3 of 50 · US 57.5
Graduation rate
88.2%
#13 of 50 · US 85.6%
NAEP math, grade 8
282
#4 of 50 · US 273 · grade 4: 242
NAEP reading, grade 8
261
#8 of 50 · US 257 · grade 4: 219

Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate

CityGrad rateStudents / teacherPer pupil
Layton94.2%23.7$10,260
Bountiful94%24.4$9,986
St. George93.2%22.1$9,074

NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.

Editor's note

Utah ranks #3 for education with a graduation rate of 88.2% and per-pupil spending among the lowest, which says more about households than budgets. Quality tracks the suburbs: Davis County (Layton, Bountiful), Alpine, Canyons and Jordan post the strongest results; Salt Lake City, West Valley City and Ogden lag. Layton has the highest tracked graduation rate. Open enrollment and charters free families from boundary lines.

  • Education rankings →

Utah is #12 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 79.0 years, 2.1 years above the national average. 31% of adults have obesity (#9 of 50) and 8.3% of residents have no health insurance (#33 of 50). The health score is 69.2 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.

Health score
69.2
#12 of 50 · US 54.4
Life expectancy
79.0 years
#9 of 50 · US 76.9 years
Adults with obesity
31%
#9 of 50 · US 34%
Uninsured
8.3%
#33 of 50 · US 7.6%

CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.

Editor's note

Utah's health rank of #12, lifespans of 79.0 years (2.1 years above the national average) and adult obesity of 31% come from a young population that drinks and smokes less than almost anywhere. Hospital systems cover the Wasatch Front; rural Utah drives hours for a specialist. Air is the weak point. Winter inversions in the Salt Lake and Cache valleys hold pollution down for days, dust blows off the lakebed, and wildfire smoke arrives in summer.

  • Health rankings →

Who is moving to Utah, and who is leaving?

Utah gained a net 3,164 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 45,863 moved in and 42,699 moved out, +0.9 per 1,000 residents (#20 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $80,129 against $74,887 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +8.8K people (94.6K in, 85.8K out, ±11.8K), consistent with the IRS direction.

Households moving in
45,863
top origin California
Households moving out
42,699
top destination California
Net per 1,000 residents
+0.9
#20 of 50 · +3,164 households
Avg income, arrivals
$80,129
leavers $74,887 · arrivals earn more

Where they come from

  1. 1California7,916 · $102,726
  2. 2Idaho3,531 · $52,812
  3. 3Texas3,308 · $80,399
  4. 4Arizona3,239 · $64,417
  5. 5Nevada2,790 · $68,351

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.

Where they go

  1. 1California4,787 · $76,028
  2. 2Texas3,597 · $81,004
  3. 3Arizona3,210 · $76,610
  4. 4Idaho3,137 · $64,258
  5. 5Nevada2,473 · $82,209

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.

Editor's note

Utah's migration is modest and even: 45,863 households in, 42,699 out, net +3,164. California tops both lists, fitting a state that draws priced-out Californians then loses some back, plus steady exchange with Idaho, Arizona and Nevada. Arriving households report $80,129 against $74,887 for leavers, a slight trade-up consistent with cost-driven arrivals and young Utahns leaving for Idaho housing and Texas jobs. Most growth is births, not migration.

  • All Utah migration flows →
  • State-by-state migration →

Where should you live in Utah?

By composite score, the best of the 20 Utah cities we track are South Jordan (67.3), Riverton (66.3), and Herriman (65.6). Logan is the cheapest (cost index 95.9), South Jordan the richest ($134,047), and Eagle Mountain the fastest growing (+8.5% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Utah cities we cover, not every city in the state.

Standout cities in Utah

Best forCityMeasure
SafestRiverton62 violent crimes per 100K
CheapestLogancost of living index 95.9
Most walkableMurraywalkability 14.7 of 20
Cleanest airSt. Georgemedian AQI 44 (county)
Best schoolsLayton94.2% graduation rate
RichestSouth Jordan$134,047

Among the 20 Utah cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.

Editor's note

Regions of Utah

Salt Lake County

The capital and its suburbs: Salt Lake City has the jobs, rail and crime; Draper, Sandy and South Jordan have the money; West Valley City and Taylorsville are working-class.

Salt Lake CityMillcreekMurrayTaylorsvilleWest Valley CitySandyDraperSouth JordanWest JordanRivertonHerriman
Utah County and Silicon Slopes

Provo and Orem around BYU, Lehi as the tech campus strip, and Eagle Mountain as the far exurb where the new houses are; the fastest-growing corner of the state.

ProvoOremLehiEagle Mountain
Davis and Weber counties

Layton and Bountiful are the quiet, high-graduation-rate bedroom towns north of the capital; Ogden is the older rail and aerospace city with the cheapest homes on the Wasatch Front.

LaytonBountifulOgden
Cache Valley

Logan and Utah State University, walled off by mountains from the Wasatch Front; cheaper, colder, with its own winter inversion and a dairy and manufacturing economy.

Logan
Washington County and southern Utah

St. George: red rock, retirees, Zion traffic and summers that feel like Arizona; the fast-growing counterweight to the Wasatch Front, with the rest of southern Utah rural and empty.

St. George

All 20 tracked cities, best to worst

#CityGradeScorePopulationIncomeViolent / 100KCost index
1South Jordan
A+
67.382,686$134,047113100.9
2Riverton
A
66.345,457$126,91062100.9
3Herriman
A
65.659,346$122,65064100.9
4Bountiful
B+
62.545,023$104,785167100.3
5Draper
B+
62.250,278$128,910192100.9
6Lehi
B+
62.185,173$131,299—98.2
7Layton
B+
62.083,286$102,480141100.3
8Sandy
B+
60.994,291$112,176221100.9
9Millcreek
B+
60.863,648$98,045—100.9
10Orem
B+
59.297,182$83,34213498.2
11Eagle Mountain
B+
59.053,290$113,648—98.2
12West Jordan
B+
58.8116,692$108,153313100.9
13Murray
B
58.750,188$90,746165100.9
14St. George
B
57.3101,995$76,50819197.3
15Provo
B
56.3114,766$64,17117798.2
16Taylorsville
C+
54.558,678$86,413187100.9
17Logan
C+
54.354,907$60,68717895.9
18Ogden
C+
53.587,413$72,575445100.3
19West Valley City
C+
52.9138,437$92,209383100.9
20Salt Lake City
C
49.8208,007$75,090862100.9

Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Utah cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.

Best cities in Utah for…

#CityScoreEducationSafetyAffordability
1Riverton64.238.797.746.3
2Bountiful63.939.689.356.1
3Herriman63.638.499.147.8
4South Jordan63.539.992.845.6
5Layton63.441.788.058.7
All Utah cities for families →Best states for families →
  • All 1,312 cities →

Who is Utah best for?

The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Utah cities for each.

Families
#11of 50
Best Utah cities →
Retirees
#12of 50
Best Utah cities →
Remote Workers
#11of 50
Best Utah cities →
Young Professionals
#7of 50
Best Utah cities →
Small Business
#5of 50
Best Utah cities →
Outdoor Enthusiasts
#17of 50
Best Utah cities →
Utah fits
  • Families with school-age kids who can afford the house: #11 for families, graduation rate 88.2%, and infant care at $14,533, 7% below the national average.
  • Small business owners and founders: #5 of 50, real GDP growth of +3.5%, and unemployment at 3.6%.
  • Young professionals who ski: #7 for young professionals, an average commute of 23.2 minutes, and the Cottonwood canyons half an hour from downtown.
Utah does not fit
  • Anyone who wants nightlife or a big-city cultural scene: the state ranks #48 on livability, and the liquor rules are stricter than anywhere else in the West.
  • Households sensitive to air pollution: median AQI of 44 ranks #45, and winter inversions are the reason.
  • Single earners at $75,000 hoping to buy: they come out at a $24,094 surplus after costs, #42 of 50, against a home that needs $133,317 in income.

Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →

How does Utah compare with its neighbors?

Utah ranks #6. Among its bordering states, Wyoming ranks highest (#2) and Nevada lowest (#40). Idaho is the most similar on the composite score and Nevada the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.

StateOverallScoreMedian incomeTypical homeCost indexViolent crimeTax burdenCompare
Utah#675.4$96,658$534,58298.92369.46%
Wyoming#279.9$75,532$371,85492.71805.79%Compare →
Idaho#478.4$81,166$478,74495.52177.54%Compare →
Colorado#1864.7$97,113$532,748103.14228.73%Compare →
Arizona#3847.8$81,486$417,990100.73788.22%Compare →
Nevada#4045.8$81,134$442,0271003798.62%Compare →
United States—57.9$80,903$368,6971003288.74%

Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.

People also compare
Utah vs. California →Utah vs. Texas →
Other West states
  • Montana#7
  • Hawaii#17
  • Washington#20
  • Oregon#35
  • Alaska#42
  • California#47
  • New Mexico#49
Editor's note

Idaho is the neighbor Utahns move to: Boise and the Treasure Valley get the young families priced out of Utah County, and the exchange runs both ways. Nevada is the contrast, with no income tax and far weaker schools, and St. George sits an hour from Mesquite, so retirees compare the two constantly.

  • Compare Utah with any state →

How the score works

Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.

The weights

Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.

From raw numbers to scores

Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.

Letter grades

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.

Cities, budgets and neighbors

The 20 Utah city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.

Editor's notes

Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.

Always the latest release

Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.

What the score cannot tell you

Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.

Category briefs

Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →

Key takeaways

What the Utah numbers say when read together.

  1. 01

    Education is Utah's strongest suit

    Utah is a #6 state overall but #3 of 50 for education, 3 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 76.8 against a national average of 57.5. Transportation (#4) is next. Education carries 12% of the composite.

  2. 02

    Livability is where Utah falls furthest behind

    Utah ranks #48 of 50 for livability, 42 places below its overall #6, with a score of 19.7 against a national average of 34.3. At 7% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.

  3. 03

    Violent crime rate is 28% below the national average

    Utah's violent crime rate is 236, 28% below the national average of 328, #17 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $534,582, 45% above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.

  4. 04

    More households arrive than leave

    Utah ranks #20 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+0.9). The households arriving report $5,242 more in average income than those leaving ($80,129 against $74,887), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. California is both the largest source and the largest destination.

  5. 05

    A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states

    A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $24,178 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#36 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $24,094 surplus; a retiree couple at a $26,794 surplus. Infant childcare runs $14,533 a year, 7% below the national average.

  6. 06

    Utah sits 3rd among its 6-state neighborhood

    2 of Utah's 5 bordering states rank above its #6; the closest match on the composite is Idaho. Median income among them runs from $75,532 in Wyoming to $97,113 in Colorado; Utah is at $96,658.

Editor's note

The tradeoff

+Schools (#3) and health (#12) both rank high, with a graduation rate of 88.2%.

−Class sizes are among the largest in the country, because the state's households are the largest.

+Electricity at 13.07 cents per kWh and natural gas at $10.19 per thousand cubic feet are both among the cheapest in the country.

−Gasoline at $3.33 per gallon is #34, and the Wasatch Front is built for driving to work.

+Violent crime at 236 per hundred thousand residents is 28% below the national average, #17 of 50.

−Property crime at 1,416 is 8% below the national average, most of it in Salt Lake City and Ogden.

Frequently asked questions about living in Utah

Is Utah a good place to live?

Utah ranks #6 of 50 with an A grade, #3 of 13 in the West. It is top 10 in education, transportation, economy, and fiscal health and bottom 10 in environment and livability. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 4 of 6 (income, cost of living, violent crime, and unemployment) and trails on home prices and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.

Where does Utah rank among US states?

Utah ranks #6 of 50 overall with a composite score of 75.4 (grade A), and #3 of 13 states in the West. Its best category rank is #3 (education) and its worst #48 (livability). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so A means rank 6–10.

Is it expensive to live in Utah?

At #31 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Utah is 1% below the national average: its index is 98.9 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $534,582 (45% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $133,317 against a median household income of $96,658. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $24,178 shortfall after all costs, #36 of 50 (1 = most left over).

Does Utah have a state income tax?

Yes. Utah's top state income tax rate is 4.55% (#19 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 9.46% of income, 0.7 points above the national average. Property tax is 0.55% of home value and combined sales tax 7.42%.

What is the crime rate in Utah?

Utah reports 236 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 28% below the national average and #17 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,416 property crimes per 100,000, 8% below the national average (#23). Its safety score is 76 out of 100, #20 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.

Does Utah have good schools?

Utah is #3 of 50 for education (score 76.8 out of 100). Its public school students average 282 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#4) and 261 in eighth-grade reading (#8), and the high school graduation rate is 88.2%, 2.6 points above the national average (#13). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Layton has the highest graduation rate at 94.2%.

Why are people moving to Utah?

Utah gained a net 3,164 households in the latest IRS release: 45,863 moved in and 42,699 moved out, +0.9 per 1,000 residents (#20 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is California (7,916 households) and the most common destination is California (4,787). Arriving households report an average income of $80,129 against $74,887 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.

Is Utah a red or blue state?

Utah is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+15, meaning it votes about 15 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.

What should I know about Utah's culture before moving?

Two things: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the liquor rules. The church shapes daily life more along the Wasatch Front than in Salt Lake City proper, closer to Denver than Provo; expect quiet Sundays and neighbors with four kids. The state runs the liquor stores, grocery beer is capped at a low alcohol content, and bar rules are the West's strictest.

How is the air quality in Utah?

Bad in winter, fine most of the year. The median AQI of 44 ranks #45 of 50 from inversions: cold air pins pollution under a lid in the Salt Lake, Utah and Cache valleys for days, usually December to February. Add dust off the dry lakebed and summer wildfire smoke. The benches and Park City sit above it, part of why they cost more.

Is Utah tax-friendly for retirees?

Depends on income. Utah taxes Social Security and other retirement income at its flat 4.55% rate, but a Social Security credit wipes out the tax for lower-income retirees. Property tax at 0.55% is #6 lowest, and the primary residence exemption helps. A retiree couple at $75,000 comes out at a $26,794 surplus, #41 of 50. The state ranks #12 for retirees; St. George is where most go.

Why is housing so expensive in Utah?

Geography and birth rate. The Wasatch Front is a strip between mountains and a lake, 64.9% of the state is public land, and the population grows +1.03% a year, #5, mostly from births. Demand from young families outruns what can be built, so price to income sits at 5.5x, #39 of 50. The relief valves are Eagle Mountain, Herriman and Tooele, all long commutes.

Where in Utah should I live?

Families with money pick Draper, South Jordan, Lehi or Layton for schools and safety. Young singles who want a scene pick Salt Lake City proper, or Sugar House and Millcreek. Students and budget buyers look at Logan, Provo and Ogden. Retirees head to St. George, and mountain-minded remote workers pay for Park City. Everyone else buys where the commute is tolerable, increasingly Eagle Mountain.

What is the weather like in Utah year-round?

Four real seasons on the Wasatch Front: hot, dry summers, a short brilliant fall, snowy winters with the inversion as the ugly part, and a muddy spring. The mountains get deep, light snow, and they sit less than an hour from the capital. St. George is a different climate entirely, with Arizona-style summer heat and mild winters. Logan is the coldest tracked city.

All the numbers

Every metric behind Utah's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.

Median Household Income
$96,658
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: $80,903
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
BLS LAUS · Nat'l avg: 3.9%
Population Growth
+1.03%
Census, year over year · Nat'l avg: +0.5%
65.6Economy Score · National avg: 47.1
Violent Crime Rate
235.7
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 313
Property Crime Rate
1,415.5
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 1,475
76.0Safety Score · National avg: 68.9
Life Expectancy
79 yr
CDC NCHS · Nat'l avg: 76.9 yr
Adults With Obesity
31%
CDC BRFSS · Nat'l avg: 34%
Uninsured
8.3%
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 7.6%
69.2Health Score · National avg: 54.4
HS Graduation Rate
88.2%
EDFacts · Nat'l avg: 85.6%
NAEP Math, 8th Grade
282
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 273
NAEP Reading, 8th Grade
261
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 257
76.8Education Score · National avg: 57.5
GDP Per Capita
$62,444
BEA · Nat'l avg: $64,333
GDP Growth Rate
+3.5%
Real, year over year · Nat'l avg: +1.9%
Credit Rating
AAA
S&P / Moody's, latest
Fiscal Score
71.4
of 100 · Nat'l avg: 58.1
Budget Balance
+7.2%
Surplus · % of revenue · NASBO
State Debt Per Capita
$2,180
Census state finances · Nat'l avg: $3,506
Rainy Day Fund
14.5%
of expenditures · Pew Fiscal 50
Pension Funded Ratio
92%
Pew · Nat'l avg: 74.3%
Tax Burden
9.46%
of income · Nat'l avg: 8.74%
Income Tax Rate
4.55%
Top rate, state + local
Property Tax Rate
0.55%
Effective rate · Nat'l avg: 1.02%
Sales Tax Rate
7.42%
State + local avg · Nat'l avg: 6.66%
71.4Fiscal Health Score · National avg: 58.1
Typical Home Value
$534,582
Latest month · Nat'l avg: $383,360
Cost of Living Index
98.9
BEA Regional Price Parity · National = 100
Price-to-Income Ratio
5.5x
Home value ÷ median income · Nat'l avg: 4.6x
Electricity
13.07¢/kWh
EIA
Natural Gas
$10.19/Mcf
EIA
Gasoline
$3.33/gal
EIA
Infant Care (Center)
$14,533/yr
Child Care Aware of America
Goods Prices
96.4
BEA price level for goods · US = 100
63.2Affordability Score · National avg: 65.2
Air Quality Index
44
EPA annual median · Nat'l avg: 38.8
Renewable Energy
15%
EIA, % of electricity · Nat'l avg: 29%
Natural Disaster Risk
28.3
FEMA NRI per capita · Nat'l avg: 30
28.5Environment Score · National avg: 42.5
Public Land
64.9%
of state area · USGS PAD-US
Recreation Facilities
1.32
per 10K residents · Census CBP
Park Acreage per Capita
0.63
NPS acres per resident
38.3Outdoor Access Score · National avg: 29.4
Mean Commute Time
23.2 min
Mean travel time to work · Census ACS
60+ Min Commute
5.5%
of workers · Census ACS
Drive Alone
67.7%
of commuters · Census ACS
Public Transit Use
1.9%
of commuters · Census ACS
Walk / Bicycle
2.8%
active commuters · Census ACS
Work From Home
15.7%
of workers · Census ACS
Vehicle Miles Traveled
10,323
per capita · FHWA
Carpool Rate
10.8%
of commuters · Census ACS
59.7Transportation Score · National avg: 49.8
Restaurants per 1K
1.554
Census County Business Patterns
Arts & Entertainment
0.028
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Social Associations
0.032
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Bars & Breweries
0.051
per 1K residents · Census CBP
19.7Livability Score · National avg: 34.3
Net Domestic Migration
+0.9
per 1,000 residents · Nat'l avg: +1.1
Migration Trend
Gaining
More people moving in than out
Broadband Subscription
94.1%
Households, any type · Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 92.7%
Households Moving In
45.9K
Top origin: California
Households Moving Out
42.7K
Top destination: California
50.0Growth Score · National avg: 38.8

Also consulted for the Utah editor's notes

  • Utah State Tax Commission, retirement credits webinar (Social Security benefits credit and phase-out) ↗