Median household income in Utah is $95,166 and median rent is $1,496 a month, per Census 2020 to 2024 estimates. Compare at least three written offers on APR and total cost, verify the lender's license with the Utah Department of Financial Institutions, and never pay a fee before funding.
On this page
- Utah by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Utah borrowers
- Largest places in Utah
- More Utah cities and towns
- Counties with the most residents
- How Utah earns a living
- More context for Utah budgets
- Checking a lender in Utah
- Can Utah residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Utah
- Frequently asked questions
Utah by the numbers
Here is Utah next to the U.S. on income, housing, work and commuting, with a rank among the 50 states plus DC for each line. Source: ACS five-year estimates for 2020 to 2024.
| What we measured | Utah | U.S. | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $95,166 | $80,734 | 11th |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 3.6% | 5.2% | 45th |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,496 | $1,413 | 15th |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 47% | 51% | 35th |
| Home value, median | $489,400 | $332,700 | 7th |
| Homeownership rate | 70% | 65% | 13th |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 25% | 28% | 30th |
| Years of median income to buy the median home | 5.1x | 4.1x | 11th |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 10% | 17% | 42nd |
| Workers who work from home | 18% | 15% | 10th |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 38% | 36% | 15th |
| Median age | 32.0 | 38.9 | 51st |
| Gini index (inequality) | 0.427 | 0.483 | 51st |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 14% | 21% | 51st |
| Households earning $100,000 or more | 47% | 41% | 11th |
| People below the poverty line | 8.5% | 12.5% | 50th |
What the numbers mean for Utah borrowers
On commuting, Utah ranks 42nd: 10% of workers need 45 minutes or more to get to work (U.S. 17%). Working from home cuts commuting costs but can make income harder to document if you are a contractor.
Census figures put 14% of Utah households below $35,000 in yearly income and 14% above $200,000. If your household sits under $30,000 a year, start with credit unions, creditor hardship plans and nonprofit counseling before a personal loan.
Over 2020 to 2024, 3.6% of the Utah labor force was unemployed on average in the ACS, against 5.2% nationally; the poverty rate was 8.5%. A new job is not a deal breaker for most lenders, but a gap in income usually is.
Ranked by median household income, Utah comes in 11th with $95,166, 18% above the country's $80,734. Medians describe the middle household, not yours, so test any payment against your own take-home pay.
Largest places in Utah
Big-city snapshot for Utah, ranked by population; a linked name means a full local guide is available.
| City or town | County | Residents | Median household income | Rent (median) | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | Salt Lake County | 208,007 | $75,090 | $1,414 | $539,500 |
| West Valley City | Salt Lake County | 138,437 | $92,209 | $1,504 | $419,100 |
| West Jordan | Salt Lake County | 116,692 | $108,153 | $1,757 | $492,500 |
| Provo | Utah County | 114,766 | $64,171 | $1,193 | $467,200 |
| St. George | Washington County | 101,995 | $76,508 | $1,545 | $496,100 |
| Orem | Utah County | 97,182 | $83,342 | $1,438 | $472,300 |
| Sandy | Salt Lake County | 94,291 | $112,176 | $1,777 | $614,100 |
| Ogden | Weber County | 87,413 | $72,575 | $1,216 | $355,600 |
| Lehi | Utah County | 85,173 | $131,299 | $1,964 | $612,100 |
| Layton | Davis County | 83,286 | $102,480 | $1,538 | $477,700 |
| South Jordan | Salt Lake County | 82,686 | $134,047 | $1,991 | $650,500 |
| Millcreek | Salt Lake County | 63,648 | $98,045 | $1,492 | $627,200 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Utah tops out at $186,075 in Highland and bottoms out at $60,687 in Logan. The state has 18 places over 50,000 and 67 over 10,000. The highest median rent among them is $2,256 in Saratoga Springs, the lowest $1,054 in Cedar City.
More Utah cities and towns
20 more Utah places, largest first.
| City or town | Residents | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herriman | 59,346 | $122,650 | $2,019 |
| Taylorsville | 58,678 | $86,413 | $1,482 |
| Logan | 54,907 | $60,687 | $1,149 |
| Eagle Mountain | 53,290 | $113,648 | $2,020 |
| Draper | 50,278 | $128,910 | $1,894 |
| Murray | 50,188 | $90,746 | $1,500 |
| Saratoga Springs | 48,425 | $128,802 | $2,256 |
| Riverton | 45,457 | $126,910 | $2,137 |
| Bountiful | 45,023 | $104,785 | $1,565 |
| Spanish Fork | 44,946 | $104,844 | $1,489 |
| Roy | 38,993 | $91,282 | $1,624 |
| Cedar City | 38,524 | $63,589 | $1,054 |
| Tooele | 38,405 | $96,221 | $1,214 |
| Pleasant Grove | 37,852 | $101,073 | $1,689 |
| Kearns metro | 37,696 | $86,968 | $1,744 |
| American Fork | 37,109 | $98,878 | $1,697 |
| Midvale | 35,989 | $75,084 | $1,597 |
| Springville | 35,849 | $89,816 | $1,572 |
| Syracuse | 35,488 | $133,443 | $2,140 |
| Clearfield | 33,523 | $75,495 | $1,579 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Midvale (26%) and least in Tooele (15%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
The largest 16 of Utah's 29 counties, by population.
| County | Population | Median income | Median rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | 1,196,523 | $97,494 | $1,592 | $525,700 |
| Utah County | 705,400 | $100,671 | $1,541 | $538,700 |
| Davis County | 370,924 | $110,884 | $1,621 | $505,500 |
| Weber County | 269,648 | $90,005 | $1,379 | $426,700 |
| Washington County | 196,431 | $80,632 | $1,566 | $510,700 |
| Cache County | 140,046 | $81,665 | $1,213 | $444,400 |
| Tooele County | 79,347 | $106,587 | $1,189 | $431,600 |
| Iron County | 62,252 | $66,247 | $1,065 | $379,000 |
| Box Elder County | 61,246 | $84,550 | $1,116 | $403,600 |
| Summit County | 42,970 | $138,114 | $1,987 | $1,067,700 |
| Uintah County | 37,056 | $73,746 | $941 | $298,600 |
| Wasatch County | 36,642 | $117,608 | $2,000 | $787,300 |
| Sanpete County | 29,719 | $70,083 | $954 | $347,200 |
| Sevier County | 22,085 | $74,884 | $912 | $311,200 |
| Carbon County | 20,517 | $58,377 | $870 | $228,500 |
| Duchesne County | 20,185 | $78,445 | $1,009 | $283,700 |
Summit County posts the highest county median income in Utah at $138,114, while Piute County posts the lowest at $48,393. Lenders price your own file, not your county, but local costs decide how much payment your budget can carry.
How Utah earns a living
Which sectors put Utah to work? The four biggest are below, alongside national shares.
| Industry | Share of Utah workers | National share | Gap vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 23% | 24% | -1.0 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 13% | 13% | +0.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11% | 11% | +0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10% | 10% | +0.3 pts |
The industry where Utah stands out most from the U.S. is construction: 8% of employed residents, versus 7% for the nation. Hourly workers with variable schedules should average several months of pay when sizing a payment.
More context for Utah budgets
The median Utah resident is 32.0. Four-year degrees: 38% of adults. Income inequality (Gini): 0.427, 51st of 51.
The typical Utah home is valued at $489,400 (5.1 times median income), and 70% of households own the place they live in. 25% of mortgaged owners are housing-cost burdened, versus 28% nationally.
Utah renters pay a median $1,496 a month. 47% of them spend 30 percent or more of income on rent, below the national share of 51%. A moving or deposit loan is common among renters; compare it with a payment plan from the landlord or utility first.
Checking a lender in Utah
Personal lenders that make loans to Utah residents generally need a state license or must lend through a bank. The state banking agency, listed by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, is the Utah Department of Financial Institutions.
- NMLS Consumer Access shows many lenders' licenses state by state.
- An upfront fee to "secure" a loan is a warning sign the FTC describes here.
- File any complaint with the state agency, or with the CFPB.
Can Utah residents use the questionnaire?
Not every state has a lending partner yet. Choose Utah on the location step and the questionnaire will tell you right away whether matching is open; if it is not, you can leave an email for the waitlist.
Local guides in Utah
Prefer the view from your own city? 6 Utah places have a full guide:
Frequently asked questions
Which agency licenses lenders in Utah?
In Utah, the Utah Department of Financial Institutions is the banking agency named by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. NMLS Consumer Access lists many lenders' licenses, and the CFPB accepts complaints from every state.
What is the median household income in Utah?
About $95,166. Half of Utah households earn more and half less; nationally the midpoint is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Utah?
Median gross rent is $1,496 a month, and 47% of renter households spend 30 percent or more of income on rent (ACS 2020 to 2024). Nationally the figures are $1,413 and 51%.
How many Utah residents live below the poverty line?
8.5% in the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, compared with 12.5% nationally. Households under strain should look at free options, such as hardship plans and nonprofit counseling, before a loan.