Salt Lake City vs Sandy
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $539,500 in Salt Lake City and $614,100 in Sandy.
- Households earn more in Sandy ($112,176 vs $75,090 median).
- Salt Lake City is growing faster: +9.4% since 2020 vs -5.2%.
- Commutes are shorter in Salt Lake City (20 vs 23 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Salt Lake City, UT | Sandy, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 218,428 | 92,386 |
| Growth since 2020 | +9.4% | -5.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,970 | 3,809 |
| Median age | 32.9 | 37.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52% | 46% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $75,090 | $112,176 |
| Median home value | $539,500 | $614,100 |
| Home value to income | 7.2× | 5.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,414 | $1,777 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.9 | 100.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 123.3 | 123.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,700 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 46% | 75% |
| Top state income tax | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.42% | 7.42% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.5 | 22.7 |
| Work from home | 21% | 23% |
| Take public transit | 5% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.2% | 2.6% |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 39° / 24° | 39° / 24° |
| July high / low | 94° / 68° | 94° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 16 in | 16 in |
| Snowfall per year | 52 in | 52 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 62 | 62 |
| Nights below freezing | 112 | 112 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 33% | 33% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.4% | +2.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.4% | +33.4% |
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: Salt Lake City: May to June and September to October. Sandy: May to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Salt Lake City weather by month and Sandy weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,700 in Salt Lake City and $75,700 in Sandy. Moving from Salt Lake City to Sandy, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.