City comparison
Orem, UT is about 30 miles (50 km) from West Valley City, UT in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 40 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Orem, UT to West Valley City, UT takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
West Valley City has a population of 138,868, vs 97,100 in Orem — about 1.4× larger by population. By land area, West Valley City covers about 36 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Orem.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Orem | West Valley City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,290/mo | $1,360/mo | 5.4% higher in West Valley City |
| Median home value | $392,900 | $333,600 | 17.8% higher in Orem |
| Median household income | $77,568 | $81,719 | 5.4% higher in West Valley City |
| Groceries index | 97.1 | 97.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 82.8 | 83.2 | ≈ equal (West Valley City slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 99.5 | 99.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 99.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Orem, you'd need $107,693 in West Valley City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Orem, UT is about 7.1% cheaper overall than West Valley City, UT, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 17% higher in West Valley City than in Orem. If you earn $80,000 in Orem, you'd need about $86,154 in West Valley City to keep the same standard of living.