The Salt Lake City metro is home to 1,261,337 people (up 6.4% over five years), with a median household income of $95,045. Typical rent of $1,644/month works out to 20.8% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Salt Lake City's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 21.2% |
| Professional & management | 13.7% |
| Retail trade | 11.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9.8% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 8.7% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 20.8% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Salt Lake City market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,644/month suggests a household income around $66,000/year. The metro's median household income is $95,045.
By workforce share: Education & health care (21.2%), Professional & management (13.7%), Retail trade (11.4%) (Census ACS 5-year).