Provo-Orem-Lehi Yakima

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 98.2 → 95.5
Rent Delta: -$86/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $86/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + $6K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Provo-Orem-Lehi to Yakima shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 98.2 to 95.5 (100 = US average), so a Provo-Orem-Lehi salary needs to be multiplied by 0.97 to hold the same purchasing power in Yakima. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,460/month in Provo-Orem-Lehi to $1,374/month in Yakima - a lower monthly bill of $86, or $1,032/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $63,856 in Provo-Orem-Lehi versus $70,002 in Yakima - a raw gap of $6,146 higher. The Yakima labor market has 90,310 tracked jobs against 293,200 in Provo-Orem-Lehi, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Provo-Orem-Lehi and Yakima are 229 and 329 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 21.4:1 at origin versus 17.6:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $11,828/year in Provo-Orem-Lehi versus $15,987/year in Yakima. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Provo-Orem-Lehi
Yakima
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 98.2
RPP 95.5
Yakima
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,460/mo
$1,374/mo
Yakima
💼 Wages
$63,856
$70,002
Yakima
🔒 Crime
229 per 100K
329 per 100K
Provo-Orem-Lehi
🎓 Schools
21.4:1
17.6:1
Yakima
👶 Childcare
$11,828/yr
$15,987/yr
Provo-Orem-Lehi
🌿 Environment
1200 violations
2705 violations
Provo-Orem-Lehi

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Provo-Orem-Lehi to see what you'd need to earn in Yakima to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Yakima
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yakima more expensive than Provo-Orem-Lehi?
Yakima has an RPP of 95.5 compared to Provo-Orem-Lehi's 98.2 (100 = national average). Provo-Orem-Lehi is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Yakima is $1,374/mo vs $1,460/mo in Provo-Orem-Lehi.
What are salaries like in Yakima compared to Provo-Orem-Lehi?
The median salary in Yakima is $70,002 compared to $63,856 in Provo-Orem-Lehi. That's a +$6,146 difference.
Is Yakima safer than Provo-Orem-Lehi?
The violent crime rate near Yakima is 329 per 100K vs 229 per 100K near Provo-Orem-Lehi (state-level data). Provo-Orem-Lehi has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Yakima to match my Provo-Orem-Lehi salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Provo-Orem-Lehi salary by 0.97. For example, a $75,000 salary in Provo-Orem-Lehi would need to be $72,948 in Yakima. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)