Department of Numbers

Salt Lake County Utah Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Salt Lake County UT was $1,185 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Salt Lake County was $1,205 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 Salt Lake County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Salt Lake County rental vacancy rates, Salt Lake County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Salt Lake County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Salt Lake County 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%
Salt Lake County UT Median Gross Rent $1,185 +2.07% +9.72%

Salt Lake County UT Real Gross Rent Trends

At $1,185, real median gross rent in Salt Lake County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,205, real average gross rent in Salt Lake County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent: Salt Lake County UT Median, Salt Lake County UT Average, Utah Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Salt Lake County

Date US
Median
Utah
Median
Salt Lake County UT
Median
Salt Lake County UT
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,098 $1,185 $1,205
2018 $1,077 $1,062 $1,161 $1,177
2017 $1,043 $1,017 $1,103 $1,098
2016 $1,027 $999 $1,080 $1,117
2015 $1,017 $981 $1,023 $1,048
2014 $986 $935 $991 $1,033
2013 $953 $928 $992 $1,044
2012 $940 $905 $947 $993
2011 $941 $888 $928 $977
2010 $955 $889 $930 $970
2009 $960 $904 $949 $1,009

more history ...

Salt Lake County 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 Salt Lake County Utah was 7.18% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Salt Lake County Utah

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Utah 7.47% +1.29% +1.23%
Salt Lake County UT 7.18% +0.51% +2.72%

Trends in Salt Lake County UT Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Salt Lake County peaked in 2009 at 8.16%. Since then it has fallen by 0.98% to 7.18%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Salt Lake County UT, Utah, US

Rental vacancy rate in Utah

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Salt Lake County

Date US Utah Salt Lake County UT
2019 5.97% 7.47% 7.18%
2018 6.15% 6.18% 6.67%
2017 6.18% 6.15% 4.83%
2016 5.89% 6.24% 4.46%
2015 5.85% 4.81% 4.79%
2014 6.32% 5.27% 4.35%
2013 6.49% 5.96% 4.92%
2012 6.77% 5.89% 4.92%
2011 7.40% 5.36% 5.09%
2010 8.17% 6.59% 7.47%
2009 8.43% 6.49% 8.16%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Salt Lake County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Salt Lake County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.75% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Salt Lake County 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%
Salt Lake County UT 17.75% -0.79% -0.27%

Trends in Salt Lake County UT Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Salt Lake County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2018 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.54%. Since then it has fallen by 0.79% to 17.75%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Salt Lake County UT, Utah, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Salt Lake County Utah

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Salt Lake County Utah

Date US Utah Salt Lake County UT
2019 20.03% 17.39% 17.75%
2018 20.50% 17.53% 18.54%
2017 20.13% 17.31% 17.97%
2016 20.43% 17.35% 18.02%
2015 20.63% 17.64% 17.61%
2014 20.89% 17.45% 17.98%
2013 20.78% 17.69% 18.30%
2012 20.65% 17.90% 18.15%
2011 20.70% 17.66% 18.35%
2010 20.50% 17.45% 17.61%
2009 20.12% 17.27% 17.53%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Salt Lake County Utah

You can calculate the renter fraction in Salt Lake County 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 Salt Lake County as a fraction of total Salt Lake County households. In 2019 32.73% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Salt Lake County 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%
Salt Lake County UT 32.73% -0.51% -0.94%

Trends in the Salt Lake County UT Renter Fraction

The Salt Lake County household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 34.41% and is now 1.68% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Salt Lake County UT, Utah, US

Fraction of renters in Salt Lake County

History of Salt Lake County Renter Fraction

Date US Utah Salt Lake County UT
2019 35.89% 29.36% 32.73%
2018 36.05% 29.52% 33.24%
2017 36.13% 30.13% 32.85%
2016 36.88% 30.10% 33.67%
2015 36.97% 31.12% 34.41%
2014 36.90% 30.84% 34.33%
2013 36.50% 30.78% 33.94%
2012 36.09% 30.38% 33.76%
2011 35.42% 30.62% 34.19%
2010 34.65% 30.10% 32.30%
2009 34.13% 28.50% 31.18%

more history ...

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.