Santaquin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Spanish Fork
Santaquin
Opportunity
74 · Top 16%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs75 · Top 10%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs81 · Top 49%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs93 · Top 44%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs85 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Spanish Fork | Santaquin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,946 | 16,436 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,844 | $99,837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,679 | $31,904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,528/sq mi | 1,558/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $481,500 | $465,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,489 | $1,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 90.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 29.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 3.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 321 | 228 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 13.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.8% | -14.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 18.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.3 | 28.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Spanish Fork
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Santaquin
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.
Spanish Fork
68
Your Score
64
Area Score
Santaquin
73
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Spanish Fork, UT · Santaquin, UT · How this is calculated: methodology