The Town FilesWest Valley City, Utah
City in Salt Lake County · population 140,230 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $419,100
- Household income
- $92,209
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 31.2
West Valley City is a city of 140,230 people in Salt Lake County, Utah. The median home is worth $419,100, below the typical Utah town ($457,300). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of Utah towns, better transit than 95% of Utah towns, more walkable than 91% of Utah towns.
How West Valley City ranks
Percentile among Utah towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Utah towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in West Valley City is worth $419,100, below the typical Utah town ($457,300). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $92,209, which is more affordable than 61% of Utah towns. Median rent is $1,504 a month. 72.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Valley City | Typical Utah town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $419,100 | $457,300 |
| Median rent | $1,504 | $1,395 |
| Median household income | $92,209 | $93,194 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 4.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.1% | 81.7% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1991 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in West Valley City
| People | West Valley City | Typical Utah town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.2 | 34.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.0% | 13.0% |
| Under 18 | 30.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 31.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 6.5% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 22.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 94.3% |
Weather in West Valley City
July highs average 94.0°F and January lows 24.2°F. About 15.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.9 inches of snow (typical Utah town: 45.4 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Valley City since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Utah town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 11, 1999 about 8.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 80 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 11, 1999.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 25, 2026.
Severe weather in Salt Lake County since 1996
Salt Lake County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 14, 2021 | Fire | FM-5408: Parleys Canyon Fire |
| January 12, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4578: Straight-Line Winds |
| July 9, 2020 | Earthquake | DR-4548: Earthquake And Aftershocks |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4525: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3478: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County had 796,203 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,495 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in West Valley City itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in West Valley City
36 public schools with 24,531 students, about 22.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granger High | 8-12 | 3,434 | 27.0 |
| Hunter High | 9-12 | 2,616 | 24.9 |
| American Preparatory Academy - Accelerated School (charter) | K-12 | 1,473 | 18.2 |
| John F. Kennedy Jr High | 6-8 | 833 | 26.0 |
| Wallace Stegner Academy West Valley (charter) | K-8 | 755 | 27.0 |
| Hunter Jr High | 7-8 | 742 | 25.6 |
| West Valley School | PK-6 | 739 | 23.1 |
| Neil Armstrong Academy | PK-6 | 703 | 24.2 |
| West Lake Jr High | 7-8 | 702 | 19.5 |
| Monticello Academy (charter) | K-8 | 685 | 20.1 |
| Granger School | PK-6 | 671 | 19.2 |
| Stansbury School | PK-6 | 614 | 19.8 |
Towns near West Valley City
- Kearns, UT2.5 mi · 36,723 people · home $373,700
- Taylorsville, UT3.9 mi · 60,448 people · home $433,800
- West Jordan, UT6.0 mi · 116,961 people · home $492,500
- South Salt Lake, UT6.0 mi · 26,777 people · home $410,200
- Murray, UT7.1 mi · 50,637 people · home $507,500
- Salt Lake City, UT7.4 mi · 199,723 people · home $539,500
- Midvale, UT8.1 mi · 36,028 people · home $436,600
- South Jordan, UT9.3 mi · 77,487 people · home $650,500
West Valley City questions
Is West Valley City, Utah a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Valley City scores better for retirees than 1% of Utah towns and quieter than 5%. 9.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.2).
How much does a house cost in West Valley City?
The median owner-occupied home in West Valley City is valued at $419,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,209, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,504 a month.
What is the weather like in West Valley City?
July highs average 94.0°F and January lows 24.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.5 inches of precipitation a year and 51.9 inches of snow.
Does West Valley City get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Valley City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 11, 1999. The typical Utah town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)