84653 and 84045 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
84653
84045
Opportunity
73 · Top 17%
vs80 · Top 8%
Growth
84 · Top 2%
vs80 · Top 4%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs50 · Bottom 47%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs98 · Top 23%
Economic stability
87 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 84653 | 84045 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,051 | 45,429 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $112,454 | $130,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,231 | $36,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 813/sq mi | 874/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $610,600 | $613,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,593 | $2,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.2% | 85.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 50.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 4.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 673 | 1,264 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 65.2 | 26.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.3% | -22.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 13.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.3 | 23.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.35 | 24.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.0% | 43.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.8% | 46.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.5% | 14.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
84653
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
84045
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: 84653 — Salem, UT · 84045 — Saratoga Springs, UT · How this is calculated: methodology