Utah's cost of living index is about 103, roughly average nationally. However, Salt Lake City and Provo home prices have risen dramatically since 2020. The median home price statewide is around $470,000. Utah's 4.55% flat income tax is moderate and the economy is strong — it consistently ranks among the best states for job growth and lowest unemployment.

Living in Utah: Income, Housing, Taxes & Cost of Living (2026)

Utah at a Glance

Metric	Value	National Rank
Population (2024)	3.4 million	30th
Median household income	$86,833	6th highest
Median home price	$470,000	Above average
Cost of living index	103	Average
State income tax	4.55% flat	Below average
Sales tax	6.1% (+ local up to 2.95%)	Above average (combined)
Property tax (effective rate)	0.55%	Very low

Income and Housing

City/Area	Median Income	Median Home Price	Median Rent (2BR)
Salt Lake City	$72,000	$500,000	$1,550
Provo/Orem	$68,000	$450,000	$1,400
Ogden	$58,000	$380,000	$1,250
St. George	$65,000	$500,000	$1,450
Park City	$95,000	$1,500,000+	$2,500+
Logan	$55,000	$350,000	$1,100
Lehi (“Silicon Slopes”)	$95,000	$530,000	$1,600

Silicon Slopes: Utah’s Tech Boom

Utah’s tech corridor along I-15 (Lehi, Draper, Sandy) has attracted major employers:

Company	Industry
Adobe	Software
Qualtrics	Analytics
Domo	Business intelligence
Vivint	Smart home
Pluralsight	Ed-tech

This has driven incomes up but also housing prices, particularly in south Salt Lake County and north Utah County.

Utah Pros and Cons

Financial Pros	Financial Cons
6th highest median income	Housing prices up 60%+ since 2020
Low 4.55% flat income tax	Salt Lake/Provo no longer cheap
Very low property taxes (0.55%)	Air quality issues (winter inversions)
Strong tech job market (Silicon Slopes)	Park City/resort areas extremely expensive
Youngest median age = growing economy	Drought and water supply concerns