What it's like to live in Orem
Orem is a smaller city in Utah with unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Orem deals with home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Strong hospital ratings
The not so good
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
- Hot summers
- Snowy winters — 45" per year
How Orem compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Orem
Based on Orem's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,876
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,520 a year
- 44% of Orem renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$94,460
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $47,230
- Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,438/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,438 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $472,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $472,300 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 59% below US
134 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1243/100k · Orem Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 23% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 21% above US
44% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 44% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Timpanogos Cave National Monument (10 miles away).
Bottom line
Orem's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,438/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Orem
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