Cost of Living in Utah

If you want to buy a home in the beautiful state of Utah, you will find that it is one of the highest residential home markets in the country. Purchasing a home can be a lengthy and complex process. Besides the down payment, which is usually 15-20% of the selling price, there will be closing costs. If you own a home in your former location the sale of that home needs to be completed as well. Once you have purchased and moved into your new home, there will be utility and maintenance costs as well as property taxes and home insurance that will contribute to your cost of living. The advantages of living in Utah are many, but the high cost of buying a home is not one of them. ( 2023-07-25 salary.com )

Although Utah has taxes in the major tax categories: Income, sales, and corporate, overall it is a tax-friendly state. The highest individual tax rate is 4.95%. The basic state sales tax rate is at 4.7% with some additional local taxes bringing the effective rate to 5.9-8.7% depending on the location within the state. Utah has been implementing tax reforms in recent years that are designed to reduce the overall tax burden on residents, increasing the potential for a lower cost of living. ( 2023-07-25 salary.com )

The largest contributor to any cost of living estimate is housing. Understanding the housing market and costs for a location can be complex. Renting can give you a chance to try out a location before making the major commitment of buying a home. In Utah, renting a home can actually be more economical than buying. Renting generally has fewer up-front costs and maintenance is generally included, eliminating that responsibility and expense and could potentially leave you with more disposable income and a lower cost of living. ( 2023-07-25 salary.com )

Utah is ranked number 32 out of all states in overall healthcare access and affordability. Healthcare costs make up a significant part of the cost of living. The ability to afford healthcare as well as the ability to access care are key indicators of how much you will be paying for this important resource if you move to another state. Affordability is generally measured by the rates set for insurance coverage in a state, as well as the out-of-pocket expenses that need to be paid by you when receiving the care. If rates or out-of-pocket expenses are high, your cost of living will increase. Access to healthcare is how easy or difficult it may be to receive the care. Access is measured by identifying barriers that might prevent the delivery of care such as the inability to obtain insurance coverage, having to travel long distances to health care centers and lack of sufficient facilities and/or healthcare professionals. The timeliness of care, how fast you can get to see a healthcare provider, is another important measure. ( 2023-07-25 salary.com )