American Fork receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Payson
American Fork
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 18%
Growth
68 · Top 19%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
13 · Bottom 3%
vs69 · Top 28%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs98 · Top 15%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs76 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Payson | American Fork | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,039 | 37,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,905 | $98,878 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,564 | $39,056 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,751/sq mi | 3,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,600 | $496,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,549 | $1,697 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.1% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 42.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 184 | 189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.7% | 7.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.4" | 16.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.5 | 28.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.49 | 23.29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.9% | 52.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.8% | 51.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.6% | 16.1% | 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
Payson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
American Fork
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Payson
63
Your Score
59
Area Score
American Fork
70
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Payson, UT · American Fork, UT · How this is calculated: methodology