What it's like to live in Pleasant Grove
Pleasant Grove is a small city in Utah with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Pleasant Grove deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 41" per year
How Pleasant Grove compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Pleasant Grove
Based on Pleasant Grove's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,378
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,560 a year
- 35% of Pleasant Grove renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$98,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $49,100
- Homes cost 4.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,689/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,689 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $491,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $491,000 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 64% below US
118 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 589/100k · Pleasant Grove Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 17% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 17% above US
42% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 (5 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Pleasant Grove's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,689/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Pleasant Grove
All Utah guides →Moving to Lindon →
2 mi away · pop. 11,765
Rent $1,563/mo · Income $120,956
Compare with Pleasant Grove →Moving to American Fork →
3 mi away · pop. 37,109
Rent $1,697/mo · Income $98,878
Compare with Pleasant Grove →Moving to Vineyard →
5 mi away · pop. 14,446
Rent $1,834/mo · Income $103,380
Compare with Pleasant Grove →Not sure Pleasant Grove is the one?
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