Orem vs Santa Fe
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $444,900 in Santa Fe and $472,300 in Orem.
- Households earn more in Orem ($83,342 vs $73,482 median).
- Orem gets far more snow: 45 inches a year vs 20.
- Orem has more scorching days: 74 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 24.
- Santa Fe is growing faster: +2.7% since 2020 vs -2.9%.
Side by side
| Orem, UT | Santa Fe, NM | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 95,214 | 89,837 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.9% | +2.7% |
| People per square mile | 5,114 | 1,720 |
| Median age | 27.0 | 46.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44% | 48% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $83,342 | $73,482 |
| Median home value | $472,300 | $444,900 |
| Home value to income | 5.7× | 6.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,438 | $1,463 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.2 | 98.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 104.1 | 108.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,700 | $74,100 |
| Homeowners | 58% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 4.5% | 5.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.42% | 7.68% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.1 | 21.0 |
| Work from home | 17% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 12.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 41° / 24° | 43° / 18° |
| July high / low | 95° / 62° | 86° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 17 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 45 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 74 | 24 |
| Nights below freezing | 111 | 168 |
| Comfortable months | 2 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 95.3 | 86.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 56% | 78% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.5% | +4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +34.2% | +42% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Orem: May and September. Santa Fe: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Orem weather by month and Santa Fe weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,700 in Orem and $74,100 in Santa Fe. Moving from Orem to Santa Fe, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.