Provo vs St. George
Compare Provo, UT and St. George, UT on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Housing costs are close: ACS median rent is $1,325/mo in Provo and $1,321/mo in St. George, with HUD 2-bedroom benchmarks of $1,253/mo and $1,355/mo. Across the four public-data screens St. George comes out ahead (250 vs 237 summed points), though Provo still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 91°F and 92°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with St. George; if walkable daily life matters more, Provo screens stronger on the walkability proxy (11 vs 4). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Both cities are close on the cost and climate screen.
St. George leads 79 to 76 on the work screen.
St. George leads 55 to 44 on the daily life screen.
Both cities are close on the community screen.
$85,000 in Provo is roughly $85,000 in St. George using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Provo | St. George | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,325/mo | $1,321/mo | St. George |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,253/mo | $1,355/mo | Provo |
| Median home value | $441,000 | $417,000 | St. George |
| State income tax | 4.5% | 4.5% | Tie |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 19.8 min | St. George |
| Safety score | 54/100 | 57/100 | St. George |
| School score | 8/10 | 7/10 | Provo |
| Walkability estimate | 11/100 | 4/100 | Provo |
| Outdoor score | 10/10 | 10/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 147.1 | 198.0 | St. George |
| Mountain distance | 2 mi | 30 mi | Provo |
| Coast distance | 547 mi | 342 mi | St. George |
What stands out
Provo stronger signals
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 2 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 12 miles
Provo tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
St. George stronger signals
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 14 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 50 miles
St. George tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
Common questions
Is Provo cheaper than St. George?
On public benchmarks St. George is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,325/mo in Provo vs $1,321/mo in St. George; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,253/mo vs $1,355/mo; state income tax is 4.5% vs 4.5%.
Is Provo or St. George safer?
St. George screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 54/100 for Provo and 57/100 for St. George (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Provo or St. George?
School screens show 8/10 for Provo vs 7/10 for St. George, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Provo and St. George?
Provo: summer highs near 91°F, winter lows near 17°F, disaster-risk band 1/3. St. George: 92°F / 17°F, disaster-risk band 1/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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