The real numbers, the official links, and a checklist for your first 60 days. Every number has a source you can check yourself. The little numbers point to the source list on page 6.
Stockton FarnsworthRE/MAX AssociatesCall or text 801-664-3370
Numbers checked October 13, 2026. Prices and rates change, so check the date. Newest copy: teamutahcommercial.com/move-guide
+15,914
people Utah County added in one year (July 2024 to July 2025), the most of any Utah county and about 36% of the state's growth1
$524,000
median home sale price in Utah County, August 2026, up 4.3% from $502,500 a year earlier2
7.4%
average 30-year fixed mortgage rate on Oct 8, 2026. It changes every week3
sales tax in all six towns in this guide. Groceries are taxed at 3%5
13.12¢
average home electricity price per kWh in Utah, vs 18.31¢ nationwide (July 2026)6
22.6 min
average commute in Utah County, vs 26.4 minutes nationwide (2020–2024 average)7
What a home costs per month, plus coming from California (page 2)
Six towns, side by side (page 3)
The school district change (page 4)
Roads, rail and what's changing when (page 4)
Your first 60 days (page 5)
Buying a new build (page 5)
Official links and every source (page 6)
How I wrote this guide: I stick to facts you can check. I don't rate or rank schools or neighborhoods. I link to the official sources so you can look up any address yourself.
Monthly cost · Coming from CaliforniaUtah County Move Guide
1What a home costs per month
This is the math on Utah County's median-priced home: $524,000 in August 20262. Your numbers will be different. Use this to plan, then get real quotes from a lender.
Down payment
Cash down
Loan amount
Principal + interest per month
20% down
$104,800
$419,200
about $2,902
10% down
$52,400
$471,600
about $3,265
5% down
$26,200
$497,800
about $3,447
3.5% down
$18,340
$505,660
about $3,501
My math: a 30-year fixed loan at 7.4%, Freddie Mac's average on Oct 8, 20263. Rates change every week. A year earlier (Oct 9, 2025) the average was 6.3%, and the same 20%-down loan would have been about $2,595 a month.
Property tax: Utah only taxes 55% of a main home's value
Utah takes 45% off the value of your primary residence before it figures the tax8. Example, using Lehi's main tax area (final 2025 rate 0.8373%)9:
$524,000 × 55% × 0.8373% = about $2,413 a year, or $201 a month.
Each town's rate is different, and rates can differ inside a town. See page 3.
Put it together (20% down, in Lehi)
$2,902 principal and interest + $201 property tax = about $3,103 a month
That's before homeowners insurance, HOA dues (if the home has them) and mortgage insurance (if your loan needs it). Those vary too much to guess, so get quotes.
Coming from California?
California
Utah
State income tax
1% to 12.3% (2025), plus 1% more on taxable income over $1 million10
More people moved to Utah from California than from any other state: 13,772 people in 2022–2023, while 8,013 moved the other way12. The Rocky Mountain gas region is Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming13. This isn't tax advice; ask a tax pro about your own situation.
Tax rates can differ inside the same town. One Eagle Mountain tax area that includes the Firefly Public Infrastructure District had a 2025 rate of 1.2721%9. Always ask for the exact rate on the home you're looking at.
Tax math: home value × 55% × rate. These are the final 2025 rates from the state's 2025 rate book, the newest one posted. 2026 rates may be different.
Prices: the median sale price was $524,000 in Utah County and $554,990 in Salt Lake County in August 2026219.
One-unit homes are homes built for one household, as the Census Bureau counts them. Herriman and Riverton are in Jordan School District, which isn't part of the Alpine split (page 4).
Comparing towns? Call or text me, Stockton Farnsworth with RE/MAX Associates, at 801-664-3370. I'll pull what's for sale in the towns you like, with the tax rate for each home.
Alpine School District runs its schools through June 30, 2027. On July 1, 2027, three new districts take over17:
Aspen Peaks: Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland and Lehi, plus the Utah County part of Draper.
Lake Mountain: Cedar Fort, Fairfield, Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs, plus unincorporated Utah County west of Lehi.
Timpanogos: Lindon, Orem, Pleasant Grove and Vineyard.
Some school boundaries may change where they cross the new district lines17. Herriman and Riverton are in Jordan School District, which isn't part of this split18.
I don't rate or rank schools. To check any address, use the district's own website and the Utah School Report Card at reportcard.schools.utah.gov20.
4Roads and rail
Mountain View Corridor: a 4-mile freeway stretch opened in December 2025, between 2100 North in Lehi and Porter Rockwell Boulevard21.
2100 North freeway, Lehi: a 2.8-mile freeway link between I-15 and the Mountain View Corridor ($621 million), under construction through late 2028. UDOT estimates it will save about 12 minutes each way at rush hour21.
Pioneer Crossing: new lanes opened May 4, 2026, adding 50% more capacity on the 4.5 miles between Lehi and Saratoga Springs. Work continues through late 202622.
FrontRunner 2X: 26.1 miles of double track, for trains every 15 minutes at rush hour and every 30 minutes all day. Construction is planned for 2027 through 2030, depending on a federal grant23.
What's changing, and when
December 2025Mountain View Corridor freeway stretch opened
May 4, 2026New Pioneer Crossing lanes opened
Late 2026Pioneer Crossing work wraps up
July 1, 2027Three new school districts take over from Alpine
2027 to 2030FrontRunner 2X construction, if the federal grant comes through
Late 20282100 North freeway in Lehi expected to finish
These are the plans from UDOT, UTA and the school districts. Dates and costs can change.
Your first 60 days · Building newUtah County Move Guide
5Your first 60 days
Vehicles: title and register them in Utah within 60 days24.
Emissions test: Utah County and Salt Lake County both require one for vehicles that qualify. Check whether yours needs one before you register25.
Driver license: with a valid out-of-state license, you'll take a 25-question open-book knowledge test, and a driving test may also be required. Bring proof of identity, your Social Security number, proof of your Utah address and your current license26.
Keep your 45% tax break: if the county assessor mails you a residential property declaration (form PT-19A), sign it and return it within 90 days8.
Schools: look up your exact address on the district's own website. Boundaries may shift when the new districts start in 202717.
Utilities: call your city to start water, sewer and garbage, and ask which power and natural gas companies serve your address.
6Buying a new build?
Ask the builder how they work with buyer's agents, before your first visit.
Read the builder's contract with your agent before you sign.
Get your own inspections.
Get the HOA documents and fees in writing.
Get the list of what's included vs. what's an upgrade, and the build timeline, in writing.
Ask for the property tax rate on that exact lot. Special districts can raise it (see page 3).
First-time buyer help on new homes
Utah Housing Corporation's program lets first-time buyers borrow up to $20,000 toward a newly built home no one has lived in, priced at $450,000 or less. You must qualify for a Utah Housing mortgage through a participating lender. Funds last until they run out, so ask a lender whether money is left27.
Want this worked out for a real address or budget? Call or text me, Stockton Farnsworth with RE/MAX Associates, at 801-664-3370. I'll pull what's for sale, the tax rate and the official school links for that home.
Utah Housing Corporation, First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Program (New Construction). utahhousingcorp.org
Stockton Farnsworth is a real estate agent with RE/MAX Associates. Call or text 801-664-3370. Equal Housing Opportunity. Numbers were checked October 13, 2026, and they change: mortgage rates and gas prices every week, market numbers every month. "My math" means a simple calculation from the sources listed. Nothing here is a promise about future home values, rates or taxes, and it isn't tax, legal or lending advice. I don't rate or rank schools or neighborhoods.