Make the move: Most affordable places to live in Utah

Despite a record-setting median home price of $405,000 in March 2021, Utah’s housing market is beginning to stabilize. Even so, buyers should still expect to pay close to half a million in the most competitive markets. 

The Utah Association of Realtors®  reported the median sales price from January through August 2021 in Salt Lake County to be $450,000, Davis County $441,500 and Utah County $440,000. If you have dreams of living within a snowball’s throw of ski resorts in Park City, it’s going to cost you even more. Summit County’s median home price is a cool $1.13 million. 

But there are plenty of affordable abodes beyond the Park City/Salt Lake/Provo triangle where you don’t have to sacrifice must-have amenities or leave your lifestyle behind to save money. And with an increasing number of workplaces offering opportunities to work remotely, commute time isn’t as much of a factor as it was in previous years. Consider making the move to one of these counties, where you’ll find some of the cheapest cities to buy a house in Utah. 

Tooele County | Median sales price $385,000

Cities: Dugway, Erda, Grantsville, Ophir, Rush Valley, Stansbury Park, Stockton, Tooele, Vernon, Wendover

A handful of new home communities in both Tooele (pronounced “too-will-uh” for all you out-of-staters) and Stansbury Park offer the best of many worlds. Residents have easy access to everything Salt Lake City has to offer, without the worries and quirks of living in one of SLC’s older homes. Even if you aren’t looking to build, Tooele County has a wider selection of relatively recent properties — many with views of the Oquirrh Mountains or the Great Salt Lake. 

Weber County | Median sales price $355,750

Cities: Eden, Farr West, Harrisville, Hooper, Huntsville, Liberty, Marriott-Slaterville, North Ogden, Ogden, Plain City, Pleasant View, Riverdale, Roy, South Ogden, Uintah, Washington Terrace, West Haven

With a four-year university, a world-class ski resort and countless opportunities for outdoor recreation, Weber County is an affordable alternative to many of Salt Lake City’s suburbs. Ogden made National Geographic’s list of Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns for multiple years in a row. Homes in the northwest portion of the county tend to have more acreage, while those on the east bench have smaller yards but quick access to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. 

Cache County | Median sales price $355,000

Cities: Avon, Benson, Cache, Clarkston, Cornish, Cove, Hyde Park, Hyrum, Lewiston, Logan, Mendon, Millville, Newton, Nibley, North Logan, Paradise, Peter, Providence, Richmond, River Heights, Smithfield, Trenton, Wellsville

The Milken Institute named the Logan metropolitan area — which includes but isn’t limited to Hyrum, Wellsville, Hyde Park and North Logan — 2021’s Second-Best Performing Small City in the United States. Among the metrics used? Housing affordability, job creation and wage gains. You might think Logan is nothing more than a college town, but it is also home to a variety of high-tech, agricultural and biomedical jobs. Plus, there are lots of nearby opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Iron County | Median sales price $307,500

Cities: Beryl Junction, Brian Head, Cedar City, Enoch, Kanarraville, Paragonah, Parowan, Summit

Located in southwestern Utah, Iron County boasts some very reasonably priced real estate. Of course, there are other factors to consider when determining the cheapest places in Utah to live. The Council for Community on Economic Research reports Cedar City has a lower cost of living than most major cities in Utah. Even though it’s not the absolute lowest cost of living in Utah, it still leaves residents with plenty of discretionary income for sojourns to surrounding national monuments and parks. With a population just over 32,000, Cedar City is the most densely populated city in Iron County. Enoch offers a more rural lifestyle, as does Parowan.

Whether you’re looking to build, buy or rent in one of these affordable locations, KSL Homes is your go-to source for local real estate. Start your search today.