Salt Lake County · City comparison
South Jordan vs Taylorsville, Utah
South Jordan and Taylorsville are both Salt Lake County cities only a short drive apart in the same valley, so the climate and the commute are nearly identical and the real differences are age, price, and the feel of the streets. My own base is Southern Utah, so for South Jordan and Taylorsville 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.
South Jordan and Taylorsville sit only a few miles apart on the floor of the Salt Lake Valley, so the two things people usually weigh first, the weather and the drive to downtown, land close to a wash. Both run four seasons with hot dry summers and mountain snow above, both sit within 100 feet of each other in elevation, and both are inside a 20-mile ring of Salt Lake City International. What separates them is timeline: South Jordan is still filling in a master-planned community launched in 2004, while Taylorsville has been a built-out, incorporated city since 1996, and that gap in age shows up first in the price of a home.
South Jordan's growth centers on Daybreak, the 4,000-plus-acre community that former Kennecott mining land became, organized around the man-made Oquirrh Lake and still adding homes toward a planned buildout near 20,000. Taylorsville formed in 1996 when the historic Taylorsville and Bennion communities voted to incorporate together, and today its job base runs through the state government offices on 2700 West rather than a builder's phase map. One city is still being built out; the other has been finished and settled for almost three decades. Below, I lay out what that difference means for price, commute, and daily life.
Side by side
South Jordan vs Taylorsville at a glance.
| Category | South Jordan | Taylorsville |
|---|---|---|
| County | Salt Lake County | Salt Lake County |
| Population (city) | ~77,000 | ~60,000 |
| Elevation | ~4,400 ft, valley floor | ~4,300 ft, mid-valley floor |
| Climate | Four seasons, mountain snow | Four seasons, mountain snow |
| Typical summer high | ~90 to 95 °F | ~94 °F |
| Annual sunshine | ~230 days | ~230 days |
| Median home price | ~$620,000 | ~$500,000 |
| Property tax (primary home) | ~0.6% effective | ~0.6% effective |
| Median household income | ~$130,000 | ~$86,000 |
| University | Roseman University (health sciences); SLCC Jordan Campus nearby | Salt Lake Community College flagship campus; University of Utah nearby |
| School district | Jordan School District | Granite School District |
| Getting there | Salt Lake City International (SLC) ~18 mi; TRAX Red Line (3 stops) + FrontRunner | Salt Lake City International (SLC) ~12 mi; MVX bus rapid transit; TRAX & FrontRunner at Murray Central nearby |
| National parks nearby | Oquirrh Lake in Daybreak; Cottonwood Canyons & Park City ~45 to 60 min | Jordan River Parkway along the east edge; Millrace Park; Utah Olympic Oval nearby in Kearns |
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 clearest gap between these two is the price of a home. South Jordan's median sits around $620,000 against roughly $500,000 in Taylorsville, so the same budget reaches a good deal further in Taylorsville. Much of that comes down to age and inventory: South Jordan is one of the valley's newer growth cities with a lot of recent and master-planned construction, while Taylorsville is largely built out with an established, more moderately priced housing stock.
The rest of the cost picture runs closer together. Effective property tax on a primary home sits near 0.6% in both cities, since both are in Salt Lake County. Median household income is higher in South Jordan, around $130,000 versus about $86,000 in Taylorsville, which tracks with its newer and larger homes. Day to day costs like groceries, utilities, and fuel are broadly similar across the valley; housing is where these two genuinely part ways.
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 elevation gap between these two barely exists: South Jordan sits around 4,400 feet and Taylorsville about 100 feet lower near 4,300 feet, both squarely on the Salt Lake Valley floor. That gap is too small to change the pattern, so both get the same four-season Wasatch Front weather, hot dry summers, a real spring and fall, and winters with valley snow and heavier snow in the mountains above. Summer highs run close, roughly 90 to 95 degrees in South Jordan and around 94 degrees in Taylorsville, and each averages about 230 sunny days a year.
What separates these two cities is not the weather, it is everything else on this page. Both catch the same midwinter inversions when cold air and haze settle into the valley, look out at the same mountains east and west, and reach the same canyon snow on about the same drive. So if you came here trying to pick a climate, South Jordan and Taylorsville will not give you a reason to choose one over the other; that decision belongs to price, commute, and the kind of neighborhood you want instead.
Size & amenities
Big-town options vs small-town ease.
South Jordan is the larger and faster-growing of the two, around 77,000 people and still adding homes on the southwest side of the valley. The Daybreak area gives it a built-in town center feel with shops, trails, and Oquirrh Lake, and getting around leans on the freeways plus the TRAX Red Line, which has three stops in the city, and FrontRunner for the longer north to south runs. Salt Lake City International is about 18 miles away.
Taylorsville, around 60,000 people, trades some of that newness for a more central position in the valley. It is more built-out and a little closer to the middle of everything, with Salt Lake City International only about 12 miles away, MVX bus rapid transit through town, and TRAX and FrontRunner reachable at Murray Central nearby. The upside of mid-valley is short hops in every direction; the upside of South Jordan is the newer, master-planned layout. Either way the two cities are a short drive apart, so each one borrows the other's amenities easily.
Lifestyle & outdoors
Two very good backyards.
Both cities put the same big outdoors within reach, since they share the valley. The Cottonwood Canyons and Park City are about 45 to 60 minutes from South Jordan for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking, and closer to home Daybreak's Oquirrh Lake adds in-town paddling, trails, and open water that is unusual for the valley floor.
From Taylorsville the same canyons are a comparable drive, and the everyday outdoor life centers on the Jordan River Parkway running along the east edge of the city, Millrace Park, and the Utah Olympic Oval just over in Kearns, a legacy venue from the 2002 Winter Games. Both cities sit close to the valley's full menu of trails, reservoirs, and mountain access; the difference is more about the in-town water feature in South Jordan versus the river parkway and Olympic venue near Taylorsville than about how far the mountains are.
Schools & higher ed
Districts and universities.
South Jordan schools fall under the Jordan School District; Taylorsville schools fall under the Granite School District, one of the larger districts in the state. 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 both can change. For more on each city's schools, see the South Jordan and Taylorsville guides.
For higher education, each city sits near campuses. South Jordan is home to Roseman University, which focuses on the health sciences, and has an SLCC Jordan Campus nearby. Taylorsville hosts the flagship campus of Salt Lake Community College and sits a short drive from the University of Utah. Both put continuing education and a steady rental market near campus within easy reach.
The verdict
Which one fits you?
The decisive trade here is newer and pricier against established and central. South Jordan asks for roughly $120,000 more on the median home in exchange for Daybreak's master-planned setting, Oquirrh Lake, and TRAX stops inside the city; Taylorsville trades that newer inventory for a lower entry price, a spot at the geographic center of the valley with I-215 running through it, and the shortest drive to Intermountain Medical Center across the river. Use whichever column sounds more like the life you are picturing.
Lean South Jordan if
- A newer, master-planned setting with Daybreak and Oquirrh Lake appeals to you.
- You want recent construction and a built-in town center over an older neighborhood.
- TRAX Red Line stops inside the city are part of your commute plan.
- You are comfortable with a higher entry price for the newer housing stock.
Lean Taylorsville if
- A lower entry price on a home matters to your plan.
- You want a more central, mid-valley location with short hops in every direction.
- An established, more built-out neighborhood suits you better than new growth.
- Being close to the SLCC flagship campus and the Olympic Oval is a plus.
Because the climate is a wash and the drive between them is short, most South Jordan vs. Taylorsville decisions really come down to what the extra $120,000 buys you and how much a central, mid-valley address is worth to you. Reach out and I will connect you with a local partner agent who can walk both markets with you.
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 South Jordan
Neighborhoods, cost of living, schools, recreation, and everything worth knowing about the fast-growing southwest-valley city and Daybreak.
Open the South Jordan hub Browse South Jordan homes for saleMoving to Taylorsville
Neighborhoods, cost of living, schools, recreation, and the full picture of life in the established mid-valley city.
Open the Taylorsville hub Browse Taylorsville homes for saleThinking of selling in South Jordan or Taylorsville 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 South Jordan and Taylorsville.
The scorecard shows the deltas; these answers get into what they mean when you are choosing between these two specific cities.
What does the same home budget buy in South Jordan versus Taylorsville?
The price ladders make the gap concrete. South Jordan's brackets run from an under $600,000 entry tier up through over $1 million, with the median landing near $620,000. Taylorsville's ladder is shorter, from under $500,000 up to over $700,000, with a median near $500,000. A $700,000 budget sits mid-pack in South Jordan but tops Taylorsville's entire price ladder, so the same number buys a starter home on the Daybreak side and a top-of-market listing on the Taylorsville side.
How does the commute compare between South Jordan and Taylorsville?
Taylorsville sits closer to the middle of the valley, with I-215 running directly through the city, interchanges at Redwood Road and 4700 South, and a mean commute of about 22 minutes per recent Census figures. South Jordan sits farther out on the southwest edge, relying on I-15 and the Bangerter Highway, though it has its own rail advantage: three TRAX Red Line stations plus a FrontRunner stop inside city limits. The airport reflects the geography too, about 12 miles from Taylorsville versus about 18 miles from South Jordan.
Does the small elevation difference between South Jordan and Taylorsville matter?
Not really. South Jordan sits around 4,400 feet and Taylorsville around 4,300 feet, both on the same valley floor with the same four-season pattern, so the 100-foot gap does not show up in daily weather. Summer highs land within a few degrees of each other, and both average roughly 230 sunny days a year. Unlike comparisons that span the length of Utah, this pair is close to a true tie on climate, so the decision comes down to price and geography instead.
How do the job markets compare in South Jordan and Taylorsville?
South Jordan's largest private employer is Merit Medical Systems, a medical-device manufacturer headquartered in the city with roughly 2,086 employees per the city's own figures, alongside continued build-out at Daybreak. Taylorsville's economy leans institutional: the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Lake Complex on 2700 West houses the headquarters of the Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Department of Public Safety, and the state paid about $56 million in 2019 to buy and renovate the former American Express campus for roughly 1,500 state employees. One town's job base is a manufacturer and a master-planned community; the other's is state government that does not relocate for a cheaper lease.
Which is closer to a hospital, South Jordan or Taylorsville?
Taylorsville has the shorter drive to a full-service hospital: Intermountain Medical Center sits directly across the Jordan River, roughly 3 to 5 miles away via 5400 South or 4700 South. South Jordan's in-city option today is the South Jordan Health Center and its 24-hour ER, with a larger regional hospital, the Eccles Health Campus in nearby West Valley City, targeted to open outpatient services around 2028. For most everyday care both are fine; for the nearest existing full hospital, Taylorsville has the edge.
Common questions
South Jordan vs Taylorsville FAQ.
Is South Jordan or Taylorsville cheaper to buy a home in?
Taylorsville generally has the lower median home price, around $500,000 versus about $620,000 in South Jordan, though both move with the market, so check current numbers before you plan.
Is the weather different in South Jordan and Taylorsville?
Not really. Both sit on the Salt Lake Valley floor around 4,300 to 4,400 feet with four seasons, summer highs in the low to mid 90s degrees, about 230 sunny days a year, and snow in the mountains above. Climate is close to a tie.
How far apart are South Jordan and Taylorsville?
Only a short drive. Both are Salt Lake County cities in the same valley a few miles apart, so it is easy to compare neighborhoods in both on the same day.
Which has more to do, South Jordan or Taylorsville?
They share the valley's options, so the difference is local flavor. South Jordan has the Daybreak area and Oquirrh Lake with in-town trails and water; Taylorsville has the Jordan River Parkway, Millrace Park, and the Utah Olympic Oval nearby in Kearns. Both are close to the Cottonwood Canyons and Park City.
Comparing both? I can help.
Tell me what matters most in your move, the budget, the commute, the feel of the neighborhood, and I will connect you with a local partner agent who knows both cities and give you the honest read on which one 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.