CityCompare

Salt Lake City UT vs Wichita Falls TX — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Salt Lake City, UT

Utah · Population: 203,888

  • Median HH Income$74,925
  • Median Home Price$580,126
  • Unemployment3.8%
  • Bachelor's+50.9%

Wichita Falls, TX

Texas · Population: 102,558

  • Median HH Income$58,568
  • Median Home Price$174,763
  • Unemployment3.5%
  • Bachelor's+25.0%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Salt Lake City
203,888
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
102,558
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Salt Lake City
N/A
Wichita Falls
N/A
Median Age
Salt Lake City
33.0
Wichita Falls
33.0
Tie
Foreign Born
Salt Lake City
15.4%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
7.2%
White
Salt Lake City
70.5%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
70.1%
Black
Salt Lake City
2.7%
Wichita Falls
12.9%
Wichita Falls +
Asian
Salt Lake City
5.3%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
2.7%
Hispanic
Salt Lake City
20.8%
Wichita Falls
22.4%
Wichita Falls +
Spanish at Home
Salt Lake City
N/A
Wichita Falls
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Salt Lake City
$74,925
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
$58,568
Per Capita Income
Salt Lake City
$49,642
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
$31,987
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Salt Lake City
$60,713
Wichita Falls
$63,758
Wichita Falls +
Unemployment Rate
Salt Lake City
3.8%
Wichita Falls
3.5%
Wichita Falls +
Poverty Rate
Salt Lake City
13.4%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
17.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Salt Lake City
50.9%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
25.0%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Salt Lake City
$580,126
Wichita Falls
$174,763
Wichita Falls +
Homeownership Rate
Salt Lake City
46.8%
Wichita Falls
57.0%
Wichita Falls +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Salt Lake City
245
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
442
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Salt Lake City
1931
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
2339

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Salt Lake City
29.5%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
35.4%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Salt Lake City
7.9%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
12.6%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Salt Lake City
18.2%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
18.8%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Salt Lake City
12.3%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
16.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Salt Lake City
16.0%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
17.8%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Salt Lake City
7.9%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
14.9%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Salt Lake City
52.8°F
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
63.4°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Salt Lake City
16.1 in
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
28.9 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Salt Lake City
7.0 µg/m³
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
9.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Salt Lake City
75.0%
Salt Lake City +
Wichita Falls
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Salt Lake City
21.3 min
Wichita Falls
15.8 min
Wichita Falls +

Which City is Right for You?

Salt Lake City leads in median household income at $74,925, while wichita Falls offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $174,763. On public safety, Salt Lake City is safer with a violent crime rate of 245 per 100,000 residents, compared to 442 in Wichita Falls. Wichita Falls has a lower unemployment rate at 3.5%, and Salt Lake City has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.0 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Salt Lake City scores better with a lower obesity rate of 29.5%.

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About Salt Lake City & Wichita Falls

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