Metro Life Score

Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT

Above-median composite Life Score — grade B-, 55th percentile of the national corpus.

50.8
Life Score / 100
B-
Grade (curved)
#176
of 387 metros
55%
composite percentile
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Data updated August 2026

The verdict

Provo-Orem-Lehi is above-median composite Life Score — #176 of 387 (50.8/100, grade B-, 55th percentile). Carried by schools at 93/100; held back most by cost of living at 28/100.

55th
composite percentile
#176
of 387 peers
28th
cost dimension percentile
48th
wages dimension percentile

Life Score shape · MID · RENT-SQUEEZE · signature cost

Provo-Orem-Lehi: cost pressure is the outlier

Provo-Orem-Lehi is a MID-band metro where cost sits only at the 28th percentile (DEAR) — the clearest outlier vs wages at the 48th and composite #176. Cost of Living (28/100) is the main drag; Schools (93/100) keeps the floor. According to PlainCompare's federal Life Score corpus ranking, Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT ranks #176 of 387 metros by composite Life Score (highest = #1) and #278 of 387 by cost-of-living dimension score (highest = #1). Methodology.

BEA RPP 98.2 (rent-RPP 104.1). BLS median salary $63,856, 293,200 jobs (Fast Food and Counter Workers, Retail Salespersons, General and Operations Managers). HUD 2BR FMR $1,460/mo (studio $1,257).

FBI UCR (UT): 229 violent, 1435 property/100K. NCES: 21.4:1 ratio, 13.1% charter. DOL infant childcare $11,828/yr. EPA: 24 Superfund sites (UT).

Where Provo-Orem-Lehi sits among all US metros

Composite Life Score vs the national field

51 55th percentile higher than 55% of 387 US metros

25–30: 1 US metros (0%). Below this entry. 30–35: 7 US metros (2%). Below this entry. 35–40: 34 US metros (9%). Below this entry. 40–45: 66 US metros (17%). Below this entry. 45–50: 91 US metros (24%). Below this entry. 50–55: 77 US metros (20%). This entry sits in this band. 55–60: 60 US metros (16%). Above this entry. 60–65: 44 US metros (11%). Above this entry. 65–70: 6 US metros (2%). Above this entry. 70–75: 1 US metros (0%). Above this entry. This metro 25 75 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCompare composite of BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, EPA data · August 2026

Dimension detail

How Provo-Orem-Lehi scores, dimension by dimension

Score Breakdown

Cost of Living Wages Rent Safety Schools Childcare Environment

Dimension Scores

Cost of Living 28/100 (20%)
Wages 48/100 (20%)
Rent 35/100 (15%)
Safety 84/100 (15%)
Schools 93/100 (10%)
Childcare 29/100 (10%)
Environment 55/100 (10%)

Key Data Points

98.2
Cost Index (RPP)
$63,856
Avg Median Salary
$1,460
2BR Fair Market Rent
229
Violent Crime/100K (UT)
21.4:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
$11,828
Infant Childcare/yr (UT)
24
Superfund Sites (UT)
293,200
Total Employment

Geography used: crime, schools, childcare, and environment cards above are UT state-level when metro-specific feeds are unavailable, see the scope key at the top of this page.

Compare Provo-Orem-Lehi With...

Ranking Context

Provo-Orem-Lehi outranks 55% of U.S. metros.

Rank Metro Score Grade
#173 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 51.0 B-
#174 Richmond, VA 51.2 B-
#175 Fort Wayne, IN 51.2 B-
#176 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT 50.8 B-
#177 Abilene, TX 50.8 B-
#178 Gainesville, FL 50.8 B-
#179 Logan, UT-ID 50.8 B-

UT Metro Scores

Read with Provo-Orem-Lehi

Nearest composite peers and cost poles for Provo-Orem-Lehi (MID · RENT-SQUEEZE · DEAR/MID), replacing the fixed Explore/Guides strip.

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Provo-Orem-Lehi Life Score 50.8/100 · signature cost · retrieved and formatted by PlainCompare