Moving to Utah from Pennsylvania

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Pennsylvania to Utah — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Pennsylvania to Utah, you would find that Utah is 7.3% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $71,091 in Utah to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pennsylvania to Utah.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $71,091

To maintain the same standard of living in Utah

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.8% less

Groceries

pay 14.7% less

Transportation

pay 3.1% more

Housing

pay 0.7% less

Childcare

pay 34.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pennsylvania to Utah.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

PA
264
UT
224
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

PA
1567
UT
1576

Pennsylvania generally does better on safety, though Utah leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

PA
5.5%
UT
8.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

PA
34.4%
UT
32.3%

Utah generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

PA
$240,500
UT
$455,000
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

PA
$1,162
UT
$1,405

Pennsylvania generally does better on what about housing?, though Utah leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

PA
88.8%
UT
92.9%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

PA
27 min
UT
22 min

Utah performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
3.7%
UT
3.5%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$61,506
UT
$66,207

Utah performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

PA
76.8 yrs
UT
78.6 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

PA
24%
UT
21%

Pennsylvania generally does better on family life, though Utah leads in life expectancy.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

HarrisburgRain: 43.6 in/yr (1108 mm)
61°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Salt Lake CityRain: 16.1 in/yr (409 mm)
64°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsHarrisburgSalt Lake City
Jan–Mar42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)45°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun71°/50°F (22°/10°C)72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep81°/61°F (27°/16°C)87°/60°F (31°/16°C)
Oct–Dec52°/34°F (11°/1°C)51°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
MonthHarrisburgSalt Lake City
Jan36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C)37°/22°F (3.0°/-5.8°C)
Feb40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C)43°/25°F (6.2°/-3.8°C)
Mar49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C)54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Apr61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)62°/40°F (16.4°/4.2°C)
May72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C)72°/48°F (22.2°/8.8°C)
Jun81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C)83°/56°F (28.3°/13.6°C)
Jul85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C)93°/65°F (33.7°/18.2°C)
Aug83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C)90°/63°F (32.5°/17.4°C)
Sep75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C)79°/53°F (26.2°/11.7°C)
Oct63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C)65°/41°F (18.2°/5.2°C)
Nov52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C)49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.8°C)
Dec40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C)38°/23°F (3.3°/-5.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Utah than Pennsylvania?

Yes — Utah is on average about 5% cheaper than Pennsylvania. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Utah?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,773 in Utah on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Utah safe?

Pennsylvania generally does better on safety, though Utah leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Utah compared to Pennsylvania?

Utah generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Utah compared to Pennsylvania?

The average high temperature in Salt Lake City is 64°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Salt Lake City receives around 16.1 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.

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