Salt Lake County · City comparison
Herriman vs West Jordan, Utah
These two sit in the southwest corner of Salt Lake County, both in the Jordan School District, only about fifteen minutes apart. My own base is Southern Utah, so for Herriman and West Jordan I connect you with a trusted local partner agent who knows the market and stay on the file for the homework and the financing. Here is the honest side by side.
Herriman and West Jordan are next-door neighbors on the southwest side of the Salt Lake Valley, and people weigh them against each other constantly because they share a county, a school district, and a lot of the same daily orbit. The real split is age and position. West Jordan is the larger, longer-established valley city built out across the flat valley floor; Herriman is the newer, higher community climbing the Oquirrh bench at the far edge, where much of the growth has happened in the last twenty years.
That difference in position drives most of the trade. West Jordan puts you closer to the center of the valley, on a TRAX rail line, with a more finished mix of older and newer housing across seven price tiers starting under $500,000. Herriman trades some of that connectedness for elevation, open foothills, and newer construction, on a price ladder that starts a full bracket higher and a property tax rate well above West Jordan's. The numbers below spell out exactly what that trade costs and buys in each direction.
Side by side
Herriman vs West Jordan at a glance.
| Category | Herriman | West Jordan |
|---|---|---|
| County | Salt Lake County | Salt Lake County |
| Population (city) | ~55,000 | ~117,000 |
| Elevation | ~5,000 ft, climbing the Oquirrh bench | ~4,373 ft, valley floor |
| Climate | Four seasons, snowier on the bench | Four seasons, mountain snow |
| Typical summer high | ~94 to 100 °F | ~90 to 95 °F |
| Annual sunshine | ~230 days | ~230 days |
| Median home price | ~$600,000 | ~$525,000 |
| Property tax (primary home) | ~1% effective, fire and police service areas | ~0.6% effective |
| Median household income | ~$123,000 | ~$108,000 |
| University | None in city; SLCC and University of Utah nearby | None in city; SLCC Jordan Campus in town, U of U nearby |
| School district | Jordan School District | Jordan School District |
| Getting there | Salt Lake City International (SLC) ~27 to 30 mi; no rail, nearest TRAX at Daybreak | Salt Lake City International (SLC) ~16 to 18 mi; TRAX Red Line, four city stations |
| National parks nearby | Blackridge Reservoir; Oquirrh foothills trails; Wasatch ski canyons ~45 to 60 min | Jordan River Parkway in town; Oquirrh foothills west |
Sources: U.S. Census (population, income), USGS (elevation), National Weather Service (climate), county assessors (property tax), and the local MLS (median home price). Figures are approximate and were last reviewed in June 2026. Home prices and tax rates move, so confirm current numbers before you plan.
Cost of living
What a budget buys in each town.
The first gap to know is the home price. Herriman's median runs around $600,000 against roughly $525,000 in West Jordan, so for the same budget West Jordan generally reaches a little further. A big piece of that is housing age and type: Herriman's inventory skews newer and larger on the bench, while West Jordan has a deeper supply of established homes across more price points.
Property tax is where the two genuinely diverge. West Jordan's effective rate sits near 0.6%, in line with most of the valley, while Herriman runs closer to 1% because of its fire and police service areas, so the carrying cost on a similar home is higher there. Household income tracks both cities upward (about $123,000 in Herriman and $108,000 in West Jordan), but on the monthly math the tax difference is the line item buyers most often miss.
If you are weighing what either price means for a monthly housing scenario, the affordability calculator lets you explore the range a budget might support, and the cost-of-living guide breaks the categories down further.
Climate & elevation
The real difference.
The roughly 600-foot elevation gap between the valley floor and the Oquirrh bench is most of the story here. West Jordan sits around 4,373 feet on the valley floor, with summer highs around 90 to 95 degrees. Herriman climbs to roughly 5,000 feet up the bench, where summer afternoons can run a touch warmer at 94 to 100 degrees but evenings cool off faster and the higher ground tends to pick up more snow in winter.
In practice the day-to-day weather is similar enough that it rarely decides the move on its own. The thing to plan for is Herriman's bench position: more snow to manage on the upslope streets in a hard winter, against West Jordan's flatter, more uniform valley-floor conditions. Both share the roughly 230 sunny days a year that the rest of the Salt Lake Valley sees.
Size & amenities
Big-town options vs small-town ease.
West Jordan is the bigger city by a wide margin, around 117,000 people against roughly 55,000 in Herriman, and it shows in the amenities and the connections. West Jordan has a fuller spread of shopping and dining built up over decades, the SLCC Jordan Campus in town, and the TRAX Red Line with four city stations, so getting downtown or to the University of Utah without driving is realistic. The airport is about 16 to 18 miles north.
Herriman, around 55,000 people, is the newer and quieter of the two, set against the Oquirrh foothills at the valley's edge. It has no rail of its own, so the nearest TRAX is at Daybreak just to the north, and the airport is about 27 to 30 miles out. The upside is space and a less built-up feel, with West Jordan's larger amenity base only about fifteen minutes away, so Herriman residents borrow it easily and head home.
Lifestyle & outdoors
Two very good backyards.
Herriman's edge is open space close to home. Blackridge Reservoir sits right in town for summer swimming and paddling, the Oquirrh foothills trails climb straight off the west side of the city, and the bench location puts you a little nearer the open country, with the Wasatch ski canyons about 45 to 60 minutes across the valley.
West Jordan keeps its recreation closer to the water and the valley grid. The Jordan River Parkway runs through town for walking and biking along the river corridor, with the same Oquirrh foothills accessible to the west. For the big mountain days, both cities draw on the same Salt Lake Valley menu, the Cottonwood ski canyons and the foothill trail networks, since they sit so close together.
Schools & higher ed
Districts and universities.
This is the rare comparison where schooling is shared: both Herriman and West Jordan fall under the Jordan School District. Rather than rate schools here, I keep it factual: check current attendance boundaries and school ratings directly with the district and the independent rating sites before you settle on a neighborhood, since boundaries shift as the area grows. For more on each city's schools, see the Herriman and West Jordan guides.
Higher education tilts slightly toward West Jordan on proximity: the Salt Lake Community College Jordan Campus sits inside the city, while Herriman's closest option is the newer SLCC and University of Utah satellite campus that opened in 2023 as part of its still-building Town Center. The full University of Utah campus is a drive from either city, so the bigger factor for both is a commute, not an on-the-ground university-town feel.
The verdict
Which one fits you?
The decisive trade here is commute and job access against elevation and newer inventory. West Jordan wins on the daily numbers: a shorter ACS commute, TRAX rail into the valley, and an in-city hospital with Level II trauma care, plus a price ladder that starts a full bracket lower. Herriman wins on newer, larger housing product and a bench setting above the valley floor, at the cost of the longest nearby commute on this site and a still-developing job base. Use whichever column sounds more like the life you are picturing.
Lean Herriman if
- Newer construction and larger homes on the bench fit what you are after.
- You want open foothills, Blackridge Reservoir, and a quieter edge-of-valley feel.
- Cooler evenings and a higher setting appeal more than the flat valley floor.
- A bigger amenity base only fifteen minutes away is close enough for you.
Lean West Jordan if
- A lower typical home price and a lower property tax rate matter to your plan.
- TRAX rail and a shorter drive to the airport and downtown are priorities.
- You want the deeper, more established mix of shopping, dining, and housing.
- Being closer to the center of the valley beats living at its edge.
They are only about fifteen minutes apart, so plenty of buyers tour both before deciding. If you want to do that, I can line up the right local partner agent and stay on the file for the financing.
Financing your move
Numbers for either town.
Because I am licensed in both real estate and mortgage lending, I can help you pressure-test what each city means for your budget before you ever tour a home. The getting pre-approved guide walks the first step, and the cost-of-living guide breaks down how prices move across the state. For numbers specific to your situation, let's talk.
Go deeper
The full guide to each city.
Moving to Herriman
Neighborhoods, cost of living, schools, recreation, and everything a local partner would tell a friend about the growing community on the Oquirrh bench.
Open the Herriman hub Browse Herriman homes for saleMoving to West Jordan
Neighborhoods, cost of living, schools, recreation, and the full picture of life in this established southwest-valley city.
Open the West Jordan hub Browse West Jordan homes for saleThinking of selling in Herriman or West Jordan instead? I can connect you with a trusted local partner agent and get your home featured where buyers are already researching the move.
Weighing the two
Deciding between Herriman and West Jordan.
The scorecard shows the deltas; these answers get into what they mean when you are choosing between these two specific cities.
How much longer is the actual commute from Herriman than from West Jordan?
About 4 minutes longer each way, or roughly 8 minutes more in the car a day. Census ACS-derived figures put Herriman's mean commute at 27.1 minutes, the longest of the nearby southwest valley cities, against about 22.9 minutes for West Jordan. Part of the gap is routing: Bangerter Highway and I-15 sit east of Herriman through Riverton, so every freeway trip starts with surface miles first, while West Jordan sits directly on Bangerter, Mountain View Corridor, and the TRAX Red Line.
What does the same home budget buy in Herriman versus West Jordan?
West Jordan's price ladder starts at an Under $500,000 tier, one full bracket below Herriman's own median, and runs seven tiers up to Over $1M. Herriman's ladder begins at Under $600,000, its own citywide median, and runs six tiers to the same Over $1M ceiling. A budget around $525,000, West Jordan's citywide median, buys deep into that city's established stock, while the same number sits below Herriman's entry point entirely.
How different is winter on Herriman's bench versus West Jordan's valley floor?
Herriman climbs to about 5,000 feet on the Oquirrh bench, roughly 600 feet higher than West Jordan's 4,373-foot valley floor, and that gap shows up in daily weather. Herriman's upslope streets tend to hold more snow through a hard winter and see cooler evenings, while West Jordan's flatter grid runs a touch hotter in summer, 90 to 95 degrees against Herriman's 94 to 100. Both sit in the same Salt Lake Valley climate zone with roughly 230 sunny days a year, so the difference is a matter of degree, not kind.
How do the job markets compare between Herriman and West Jordan?
West Jordan carries a substantial daytime-jobs economy: Utah's third most populous city runs more than 3,000 licensed businesses, anchored by an Amazon fulfillment center topping one million square feet, Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley's roughly 172 beds and Level II trauma designation, and SME Steel's headquarters. Herriman is still catching up. It is a commuter city whose rooftops have outpaced its job base, and it has offered incentives to draw employers to its new Town Center corridor, where a Target-anchored retail district broke ground in June 2025 and an SLCC and University of Utah campus opened in 2023.
Which city has closer access to a hospital in an emergency?
West Jordan, by a wide margin. Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley sits inside the city with about 172 licensed beds, roughly 573 caregivers, 24/7 emergency care, and a Level II trauma designation. Herriman has no hospital of its own; the nearest is Riverton Hospital just over the city line to the east, reached via the same Bangerter Highway corridor that adds minutes to every other trip out of the city.
Common questions
Herriman vs West Jordan FAQ.
Is Herriman or West Jordan cheaper to buy a home in?
West Jordan generally has the lower median home price, around $525,000 versus about $600,000 in Herriman, and its property tax rate is lower too, though both move with the market, so check current numbers before you plan.
How far apart are Herriman and West Jordan?
About 15 minutes apart in the southwest corner of the Salt Lake Valley, which makes it easy to tour both in a single day.
Do Herriman and West Jordan share the same school district?
Yes. Both cities are in the Jordan School District. Attendance boundaries can shift as the area grows, so confirm the current boundary for any specific address with the district before you settle on a neighborhood.
Which has better transit and a shorter commute, Herriman or West Jordan?
West Jordan is closer to the center of the valley and sits on the TRAX Red Line with four city stations, and the airport is about 16 to 18 miles away. Herriman has no rail of its own, with the nearest TRAX at Daybreak and the airport about 27 to 30 miles out.
Still deciding? I can help.
Even though my own base is Southern Utah, I work with trusted local partner agents across the Salt Lake Valley, and I stay on the file for the homework and the financing. Tell me what matters most in your move and I will line up the right local read on which city fits, no pressure either way.
If you buy or sell outside Southern Utah, I connect you with a trusted local partner agent and stay involved through your move. If you work with that agent, their brokerage pays my brokerage (Real Broker, LLC) a referral fee. It comes out of the agent's compensation, not as an added cost to you, and you are always free to choose your own agent.