At a glance
For the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area (CBSA 41620), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 100.9 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $1,583 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 9.5% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
How Salt Lake City compares with the other 74 metros
Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.
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| Measure | Salt Lake City | Middle value of 75 metros | Rank (1st = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100) | 100.9 | 98.4 | 30th of 75 |
| ACS median gross rent per month | $1,583 | $1,430 | 26th of 75 |
| ACS median household income | $98,083 | $83,460 | 15th of 75 |
| ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips | 9.5% | 13.2% | 66th of 75 |
The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Tampa (100.9), Charleston (101.0), Orlando (101.4). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.
Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Salt Lake City
For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Salt Lake City’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.
Highest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $98,029 | 2nd of 75 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $80,412 | 6th of 75 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $106,396 | 11th of 72 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $59,672 | 12th of 75 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $43,810 | 15th of 75 |
Lowest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $82,226 | 71st of 72 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $46,873 | 73rd of 75 |
| Loan Officers | $60,624 | 72nd of 75 |
| Information Security Analysts | $101,945 | 69th of 72 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $64,113 | 71st of 75 |
Occupation wages in the Salt Lake City metro area
The Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metropolitan statistical area spans its officially defined counties. Its published labor, price and housing figures describe the region, not just Salt Lake City city limits or individual neighborhoods. The BLS geographic unit is Salt Lake City-Murray, UT (CBSA 41620), rather than the limits of Salt Lake City city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.
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| Occupation | Annual median wage | Adjusted median* | Employment estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,410 | $45,019 | 26,620 |
| General and Operations Managers | $103,710 | $102,818 | 20,870 |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,420 | $34,124 | 20,330 |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $128,485 | 19,040 |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,220 | $44,831 | 16,260 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $44,190 | $43,810 | 15,630 |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $85,151 | 14,070 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $62,310 | $61,774 | 12,340 |
| Project Management Specialists | $98,000 | $97,157 | 8,990 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $81,394 | 8,660 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $62,560 | $62,022 | 8,370 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $64,670 | $64,113 | 8,250 |
Show all 76 occupations, alphabetically
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The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
Occupational wage distribution examples
These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.
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| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representatives | $34,580 | $38,340 | $45,410 | $51,400 | $61,060 |
| General and Operations Managers | $44,090 | $63,650 | $103,710 | $162,620 | $221,230 |
| Retail Salespersons | $27,710 | $29,530 | $34,420 | $38,310 | $50,640 |
| Software Developers | $79,610 | $102,560 | $129,600 | $160,740 | $177,090 |
| Office Clerks, General | $28,850 | $36,110 | $45,220 | $56,420 | $65,880 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $34,830 | $37,710 | $44,190 | $47,690 | $56,210 |
The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.
Understanding the local context
BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 100.868. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $1,583 (MOE ±$17) and median household income of $98,083 (MOE ±$1,249) over 2020–2024.
ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 9.5% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.
Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.
Using Salt Lake City figures in a real moving budget
The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 0.9% above the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $1,583 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $18,996. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.
The 9.5% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.