The short version
- Social Security taxed?
- Partly
- Income tax
- Flat 4.55%
- Property tax on a $300,000 home
- ≈ $1,440 / yr ($120 / mo)
- Everyday cost index (U.S. = 100)
- 102
- January / July high
- 38°F / 90°F
- Sales tax (state + local avg)
- 7.42%
Retiring in Utah
Very low property taxes and excellent Salt Lake healthcare. Watch out: it taxes Social Security (with a credit for lower incomes) and home prices have climbed.
How Utah taxes your retirement income
Social Security: this state taxes a portion of benefits, usually above certain income levels.
Pensions: Pensions taxed as regular income; a modest retirement tax credit phases out with income.
401(k) and IRA withdrawals: 401(k)/IRA withdrawals taxed as regular income.
The setup: Flat 4.55%.
Property tax & senior breaks
The average effective property tax rate is about 0.48% — roughly $1,440 a year ($120 a month) on a $300,000 home. Your county sets the real number.
Help for seniors: 45% primary-residence exemption for all owners; circuit-breaker credit for lower-income seniors.
Try your own home value in the Property Tax Estimator.
Everyday costs & sales tax
Overall cost of living runs about 2% above the U.S. average. The combined state and average local sales tax is 7.42%.
Weather
January days top out around 38°F and July days around 90°F, with roughly 222 sunny days a year. Watch out for: Wildfires, drought, and winter air inversions in the valleys.
Healthcare
University of Utah and Intermountain provide strong Salt Lake City care.