CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.65° N · 112.01° W · GEOID 4940470

Kearns

Salt Lake County, Utah · part of the Salt Lake City, UT metro

UtahKearns, UTKearnsKearns

The short answer

Kearns is home to 37,696 people. Median household income is $86,968 a year and median rent is $1,744 a month, 24.1% 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 $373,700, about 4.3x annual median household income.

Kearns's housing market sets it apart. Owning with a mortgage costs about $12 a month less than the median rent, a rarer pattern than in 96% of places its size. Also notable: About 0 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, fewer than in 91% of places its size. It is the lowest of 96 Utah places we track.

12OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Kearns scores better than 12% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 94th of 94 in Utah.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%31
Economy 20%42
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%37
Education 10%7
Commute 10%46
Growth 5%32

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
$1,744
28% above the median place
Median household income
$86,968
8% above the median place
Median home value
$373,700
17% above the median place
Unemployment
6.2%
27% above 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 Kearns

  • Who lives hereHouseholds average 3.42 people, larger than than in 95% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Kearns

Salt Lake County loses about 10.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in44,237
Moved out54,328
Net−10,091

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Utah County, UT7,87311,292−3,419
Davis County, UT3,8345,243−1,409
Tooele County, UT1,3582,932−1,574
Weber County, UT1,3111,746−435
Maricopa County, AZ9481,187−239
Clark County, NV885961−76

Within Utah, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within UtahOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$71K
Leavers$77K

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

Who moves here
2.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Salt Lake County report $70,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $77,200, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$69,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,744 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,732 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $373,700.
Getting to work
26 minutes each way on average; 10.6% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Lovington, NM matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
2.4%
58% below the median place
Moved from another state1
0.9%
57% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-10.2
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureKearnsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year12.4%58% below
Moved from another state10.9%57% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-10.2below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$70,5800% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$77,19110% above
02

What it costs to live here

Rent is about 25% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture.

Kearns24.1%
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
$69,760
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
24.1%
18% above the median place
Home price to income
4.3x
13% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
24%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$68,600
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Kearns, $1,744 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Kearns, but easier on the budget

Places that match Kearns 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
Lovington, NM8817.7% vs 24.1%n/aCompare
Prunedale, CA8518.7% vs 24.1%$14,500Compare
Hereford, TX7820.1% vs 24.1%n/aCompare
Dale City, VA7820.1% vs 24.1%$20,700Compare

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Kearns? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
83.8%
26% above the median place
Property tax rate1
0.7%
27% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$2,464
25% below the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureKearnsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,74428% above
Rent to income124.1%18% above
Property tax rate10.7%27% below
Home price to income14.3x13% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure100.90% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,6150% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,46425% below
Median home value1$373,70017% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure2.6%19% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure51.1%1% below
Homeownership183.8%26% above
Renters paying 30%+149.0%3% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,7327% below
Vacant homes1County figure5.2%26% below
Median year built119770% below
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 21.6 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 92% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Income per person1
$28,830
28% below the median place
Unemployment1
6.2%
27% above the median place
Poverty rate1
7.6%
29% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Works from home10.6% −15%
Median household income$86,968 +8%
Mean commute26 min +3%
Commutes by transit1.0% +16%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureKearnsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$86,9688% above
Income per person1$28,83028% below
Unemployment16.2%27% above
Average annual pay5County figure$80,22522% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.5%5% below
Jobs5County figure808,479above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate17.6%29% below
Mean commute126 min3% above
Works from home110.6%15% below
Commutes by transit11.0%16% above
04

Who lives here

14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a smaller share than in 96% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-lowest of 96 Utah places we track.

Household size1
3.4
37% above the median place
No health insurance1
17.9%
180% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
13.7%
57% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher79.2% −14%
Median age32.2 −17%
Born abroad18.8% 2.1×
Homes with broadband95.5% +3%
All 9 people measures
MeasureKearnsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population137,6961195th largest
Population change since 20206-3.6%below (median 1.1%)
Median age132.217% below
Bachelor's or higher113.7%57% below
High school or higher179.2%14% below
Household size13.437% above
Born abroad118.8%113% above
No health insurance117.9%180% above
Homes with broadband195.5%3% above
05

Life in Kearns

The nearest National Park Service site is Timpanogos Cave National Monument, about 22 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1942. 394 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 6 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents6.4 −37%
Playgrounds per 10k20.7 2.2×
Grocery stores per 10k2.1 +0%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1.6 −86%
Libraries per 10k0.5 −39%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi21.6 102.8×

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 22 miles
  • Golden Spike National Historical Park 73 miles
  • Fossil Butte National Monument 106 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.9 +0%
Shops29.2 −4%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.6 +12%
Doctors' offices and clinics24.2 +20%
Child care centers2.8 +22%

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

Students per teacher12
22.1
44% above the median place
Nearest National Park Service site10
21.5
30% below the median place
Public school students12
7,325
50% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureKearnsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools121011% above
Public school students127,32550% above
Students per teacher1222.144% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure20.90% above
Shops per 10k8County figure29.24% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.612% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure24.220% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.822% above
Parks per 10k96.437% below
Playgrounds per 10k920.7120% above
Grocery stores per 10k92.10% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k91.686% below
Libraries per 10k90.539% below
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi921.6above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1021.530% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10150% below
National Register listings11County figure394above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Median air quality index is 57, 33% 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 Kearns. Larger places are fetched first.

Median air quality index15
57
33% above the median place
Wildfire risk14
98.3
61% above the median place
Good air days15
33.2%
52% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureKearnsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure87°F0% above
January average low13County figure21°F16% below
Average temperature13County figure50°F10% below
Annual precipitation13County figure22.3 in49% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure98.67% above
Tornado risk14County figure71.013% below
Wildfire risk14County figure98.361% above
Heat wave risk14County figure92.93% above
Median air quality index15County figure5733% above
Good air days15County figure33.2%52% below
08

Kearns in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 24% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 24% 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, Kearns does better than 29% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 92%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,744/mo (2024)$2,240/mo$1,840 to $2,730/mo+4.3%
Median household income$86,968 (2024)$111,000$93,500 to $131,000+4.1%
Median home value$373,700 (2024)$560,000$407,000 to $771,000+7.0%
Population35,404 (2025)35,18033,740 to 36,670−0.1%

The median home would be worth 5.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.3 now.

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

09

Places like Kearns

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

PlaceRentIncome
Derby, CO$1,689$82,138Compare
East Hemet, CA$1,655$82,096Compare
Magna, UT$1,625$90,346Compare
El Mirage, AZ$1,806$78,050Compare
El Mirage, AZMagna, UTEast Hemet, CADerby, COKearns, UTKearnsDerbyEast HemetMagnaEl MirageKearnsDerbyEast HemetMagnaEl Mirage

Places built like Kearns

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 Kearns performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Kearns, UT24.1%6.2%/yr-3.6%
Magna, UT21.6%7.5%/yr21.0%Compare
Sun Valley, NV18.8%6.2%/yrn/aCompare
Lovington, NM17.7%5.9%/yr-0.3%Compare
Drexel Heights, AZ21.9%4.9%/yrn/aCompare
Mastic, NY25.7%-1.0%/yrn/aCompare
Round Lake Beach, IL21.5%4.1%/yr-1.3%Compare

Common questions

Is Kearns a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 12 out of 100, better than 12% of the places we rate and 94th of 94 in Utah. Households average 3.42 people, larger than than in 95% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 58 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Kearns expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 24.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $373,700.

What salary do you need to live in Kearns?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $69,760 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Kearns?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Derby, CO, East Hemet, CA, Magna, UT and El Mirage, AZ.

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

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

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