City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 1.9% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $101,900 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Kennewick, WA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Kennewick, WA to Provo, UT changes real buying power by +1.9%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,154 in Provo | $101,880 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
75 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Kennewick, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Provo, UT | Real change, Kennewick → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $62,930 | $64,113 (−36.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $131,210 | $133,677 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $75,700 | $77,123 (−17.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $81,780 | $83,318 (−21.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.