Yakima Provo-Orem-Lehi

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

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

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $86/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $6K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Yakima to Provo-Orem-Lehi shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 95.5 to 98.2 (100 = US average), so a Yakima salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Provo-Orem-Lehi. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,374/month in Yakima to $1,460/month in Provo-Orem-Lehi - a higher 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 $70,002 in Yakima versus $63,856 in Provo-Orem-Lehi - a raw gap of $6,146 lower. The Provo-Orem-Lehi labor market has 293,200 tracked jobs against 90,310 in Yakima, 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 Yakima and Provo-Orem-Lehi are 329 and 229 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.6:1 at origin versus 21.4:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $15,987/year in Yakima versus $11,828/year in Provo-Orem-Lehi. 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
Yakima
Provo-Orem-Lehi
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 95.5
RPP 98.2
Yakima
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,374/mo
$1,460/mo
Yakima
💼 Wages
$70,002
$63,856
Yakima
🔒 Crime
329 per 100K
229 per 100K
Provo-Orem-Lehi
🎓 Schools
17.6:1
21.4:1
Yakima
👶 Childcare
$15,987/yr
$11,828/yr
Provo-Orem-Lehi
🌿 Environment
2705 violations
1200 violations
Provo-Orem-Lehi

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Provo-Orem-Lehi
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Provo-Orem-Lehi more expensive than Yakima?
Provo-Orem-Lehi has an RPP of 98.2 compared to Yakima's 95.5 (100 = national average). Provo-Orem-Lehi is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Provo-Orem-Lehi is $1,460/mo vs $1,374/mo in Yakima.
What are salaries like in Provo-Orem-Lehi compared to Yakima?
The median salary in Provo-Orem-Lehi is $63,856 compared to $70,002 in Yakima. That's a -$6,146 difference.
Is Provo-Orem-Lehi safer than Yakima?
The violent crime rate near Provo-Orem-Lehi is 229 per 100K vs 329 per 100K near Yakima (state-level data). Provo-Orem-Lehi has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Provo-Orem-Lehi to match my Yakima salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Yakima salary by 1.03. For example, a $75,000 salary in Yakima would need to be $77,109 in Provo-Orem-Lehi. 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)