CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.43° N · 111.80° W · GEOID 4935190

Highland

Utah County, Utah · part of the Provo, UT metro

UtahHighland, UTHighlandHighland

The short answer

Highland is home to 20,119 people. Median household income is $186,075 a year and median rent is $2,166 a month, 14.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $928,300, about 5.0x annual median household income.

What sets Highland apart is how far household money goes. Money left after rent is $165,000, against $104,800 in its closest peers. Also notable: OpenStreetMap shows 39.8 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 97% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 96 Utah places we track.

95OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Exceptional

Highland scores better than 95% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 4th of 94 in Utah.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%59
Economy 20%85
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%55
Education 10%92
Commute 10%62
Growth 5%87

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,166
59% above the median place
Median household income
$186,075
132% above the median place
Median home value
$928,300
191% above the median place
Unemployment
3.9%
21% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Highland

  • AffordabilityThe median household earns $186,075 a year, more than in 96% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the highest of 96 Utah places we track.
  • HousingHomeowners pay a median of about 0.4% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 95% of the 2,101 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Highland

Utah County gains about 7.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in36,148
Moved out31,866
Net+4,282

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Utah, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within UtahOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$69K
Leavers$70K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Utah County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.6% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.7% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Utah County report $69,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $69,500.
Income you would need
$86,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,166 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,034 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $928,300.
Getting to work
23 minutes each way on average; 23.3% work from home; 1.7% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Wesley Hills, NY matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
3.6%
38% below the median place
Moved from another state1
1.7%
15% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
7.1
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureHighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year13.6%38% below
Moved from another state11.7%15% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure7.1above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$69,0142% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$69,5241% below
02

What it costs to live here

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 95 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

Highland14.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$86,640
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
14.0%
31% below the median place
Home price to income
5.0x
31% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
14%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$164,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Highland, $2,166 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.0 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Highland, but easier on the budget

Places that match Highland on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Wesley Hills, NY6110.7% vs 14.0%$12,800Compare
Perry, UT5310.6% vs 14.0%n/aCompare
Jefferson, GA4011.7% vs 14.0%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Highland.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Highland? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
0.4%
57% below the median place
Homeownership1
91.7%
38% above the median place
Median home value1
$928,300
191% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureHighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,16659% above
Rent to income114.0%31% below
Property tax rate10.4%57% below
Home price to income15.0x31% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure98.23% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,36316% below
Property tax paid (median)1$3,65712% above
Median home value1$928,300191% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure2.8%12% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure53.6%4% above
Homeownership191.7%38% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure45.3%11% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,03462% above
Vacant homes1County figure3.8%46% below
Median year built120041% above
03

Work and pay

Poverty rate is 1.9%, 83% below the median place.

Poverty rate1
1.9%
83% below the median place
Median household income1
$186,075
132% above the median place
Income per person1
$62,900
57% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Works from home23.3% +87%
Unemployment3.9% −21%
Mean commute23 min −7%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureHighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$186,075132% above
Income per person1$62,90057% above
Unemployment13.9%21% below
Average annual pay5County figure$64,5592% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.1%16% below
Jobs5County figure300,580100% above
Poverty rate11.9%83% below
Mean commute123 min7% below
Works from home123.3%87% above
Commutes by transit1County figure1.7%104% above
04

Who lives here

Household size is 4.0, 59% above the median place.

Household size1
4.0
59% above the median place
Median age1
28.0
28% below the median place
High school or higher1
98.5%
7% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband97.9% +6%
Bachelor's or higher64.4% 2.0×
Born abroad3.4% −62%
No health insurance4.4% −31%
All 9 people measures
MeasureHighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population120,1192298th largest
Population change since 2020611.3%above (median 1.1%)
Median age128.028% below
Bachelor's or higher164.4%101% above
High school or higher198.5%7% above
Household size14.059% above
Born abroad13.4%62% below
No health insurance14.4%31% below
Homes with broadband197.9%6% above
05

Life in Highland

About 24 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 95% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1977. 1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Upper American Fork Hydroelectric Power Plant Historic District listed 1989

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents39.8 3.9×
Playgrounds per 10k18.9 2.0×
Grocery stores per 10k1.0 −53%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k2.5 −78%
Libraries per 10k0.5 −43%
Named paths and bike trails25 km 12.3×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi1.1 5.5×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Timpanogos Cave National Monument 5 miles
  • Golden Spike National Historical Park 91 miles
  • Fossil Butte National Monument 113 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.1 −27%
Shops28.8 −5%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.4 +32%
Doctors' offices and clinics22.5 +11%
Child care centers1.6 −30%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher12
25.6
66% above the median place
Nearest National Park Service site10
4.6
85% below the median place
Public schools12
5
44% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureHighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12544% below
Public school students125,44311% above
Students per teacher1225.666% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure15.127% below
Shops per 10k8County figure28.85% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.432% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure22.511% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.630% below
Parks per 10k939.8291% above
Playgrounds per 10k918.9101% above
Grocery stores per 10k91.053% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k92.578% below
Libraries per 10k90.543% below
Named paths and bike trails924.5above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi91.1above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site104.685% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10150% below
National Register listings11192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 98.9, 61% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Highland. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk14
98.9
61% above the median place
Average temperature13
47°F
14% below the median place
Annual precipitation13
19.1 in
56% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureHighlandAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure86°F1% below
January average low13County figure17°F31% below
Average temperature13County figure47°F14% below
Annual precipitation13County figure19.1 in56% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure95.33% above
Tornado risk14County figure52.635% below
Wildfire risk14County figure98.961% above
Heat wave risk14County figure94.35% above
Median air quality index15County figure4812% above
Good air days15County figure56.4%18% below
08

Highland in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 14% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 14% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Highland does better than 59% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 77%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,166/mo (2024)$2,760/mo$2,270 to $3,360/mo+4.1%
Median household income$186,075 (2024)$237,000$200,500 to $280,500+4.1%
Median home value$928,300 (2024)$1,359,000$987,000 to $1,873,000+6.6%
Population21,571 (2025)22,93022,000 to 23,910+1.2%

The median home would be worth 5.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.0 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Highland

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Wesley Hills, NY$1,866$209,345Compare
Bothell East, WA$2,406$198,882Compare
Woodmere, NY$2,720$172,537Compare
Duvall, WA$2,042$197,361Compare
Duvall, WAWoodmere, NYBothell East, WAWesley Hills, NYHighland, UTHighlandWesley HillsBothell EastWoodmereDuvallHighlandWesley HillsBothell EastWoodmereDuvall

Places built like Highland

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Highland performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Highland, UT14.0%5.9%/yr11.3%
Mapleton, UT12.5%3.4%/yr43.3%Compare
Saratoga Springs, UT21.0%4.7%/yr62.8%Compare
Kaysville, UT13.9%6.0%/yr1.0%Compare
Farmington, UT16.7%3.6%/yr7.0%Compare
Cedar Hills, UT18.8%5.8%/yr-2.6%Compare
Lindon, UT15.5%5.9%/yr5.5%Compare

Common questions

Is Highland a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 95 out of 100, better than 95% of the places we rate and 4th of 94 in Utah. The median household earns $186,075 a year, more than in 96% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the highest of 96 Utah places we track. Homeowners pay a median of about 0.4% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 95% of the 2,101 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 86 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Highland expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 14.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $928,300.

What salary do you need to live in Highland?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $86,640 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Highland?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Wesley Hills, NY, Bothell East, WA, Woodmere, NY and Duvall, WA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Highland with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Highland itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/highland-utah

Citytistics. “Highland, Utah.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/highland-utah/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.