Utah Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Utah was $1,098 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent was $1,106 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Utah median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Utah rental vacancy rates, Utah rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Utah.
Real Gross Rent in Utah (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Utah Median Gross Rent | $1,098 | +3.39% | +9.91% |
Utah Real Gross Rent Trends
At $1,098, real median gross rent in Utah was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,106, real average gross rent in Utah was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.
Real Gross Rent in Utah: Median, Average, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Utah
| Date | US Median | Utah Median | Utah Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $1,098 | $1,106 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $1,062 | $1,083 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $1,017 | $1,046 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $999 | $1,032 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $981 | $998 |
| 2014 | $986 | $935 | $964 |
| 2013 | $953 | $928 | $960 |
| 2012 | $940 | $905 | $935 |
| 2011 | $941 | $888 | $905 |
| 2010 | $955 | $889 | $915 |
| 2009 | $960 | $904 | $951 |
| 2007 | $927 | $861 | $880 |
| 2005 | $910 | $831 | $850 |
Utah Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Utah was 7.47% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Utah
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Utah | 7.47% | +1.29% | +1.23% |
Trends in Utah Rental Vacancy Rate
At 7.47%, Utah residential rental vacancy rate in 2019 is at the highest point since 2005, the beginning of our reporting for this series.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Utah, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Utah
| Date | US | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 7.47% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 6.18% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 6.15% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 6.24% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 4.81% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 5.27% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 5.96% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 5.89% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 5.36% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 6.59% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 6.49% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 5.59% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 6.95% |
Utah Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Utah, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Utah, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.39% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Utah Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Utah | 17.39% | -0.14% | +0.04% |
Trends in Utah Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Utah household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2012 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 17.90%. Since then it has fallen by 0.51% to 17.39%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Utah, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Utah
| Date | US | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 17.39% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 17.53% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 17.31% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 17.35% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 17.64% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 17.45% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 17.69% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 17.90% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 17.66% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 17.45% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 17.27% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 15.96% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 16.65% |
Renter Fraction in Utah
You can calculate the renter fraction in Utah in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Utah as a fraction of total Utah households. In 2019 29.36% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Utah Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Utah | 29.36% | -0.16% | -0.74% |
Trends in the Utah Renter Fraction
The Utah household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 31.12% and is now 1.76% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Utah, US
History of Utah Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 29.36% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 29.52% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 30.13% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 30.10% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 31.12% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 30.84% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 30.78% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 30.38% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 30.62% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 30.10% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 28.50% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 28.27% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 29.44% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
