Utah Rental Portfolio Guide
What you need to know before building or growing a rental portfolio in Utah — property tax burden, state income tax, security-deposit rule, source-of-income law, and the metros that actually cash-flow after accounting for local taxes.
Tax burden on Utah rentals
Property tax
0.57%
effective rate on median home value
At 0.57% effective, this is one of the lowest property tax burdens in the country (rank 8 of 51). Portfolio holding costs stay low even in appreciating markets — a big structural advantage for long-term holds.
State income tax
4.55%
top marginal rate
A top marginal rate of 4.55% is moderate. Portfolio income above the federal deduction stack still faces this rate on top of federal, so tax-optimized holding structures (installment sales, 1031s, cost-segregation) matter more here than in no-tax states.
Security deposit rule
No statutory cap on security deposits. Landlords set the deposit at whatever the market accepts — typically one to two months' rent, sometimes more for higher-risk applicants or pets. Local ordinances may still apply.
Deposit rules change; verify current statute before drafting a lease.
Best cash-flow markets in Utah
Modeled monthly cash flow on a median-priced single-family purchase at 20% down, 30-year fixed, using Utah’s 0.57% effective property tax rate plus 25% of rent for insurance, maintenance, vacancy and management.
| Market | Median price | Median rent | Annual property tax | CF / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernal, UT | $359,129 | $1,433 | $2,047 | $-979 |
| Cedar City, UT | $412,278 | $1,496 | $2,350 | $-1,235 |
| Logan, UT | $469,336 | $1,477 | $2,675 | $-1,575 |
| St. George, UT | $530,009 | $1,929 | $3,021 | $-1,584 |
| Ogden, UT | $520,531 | $1,630 | $2,967 | $-1,754 |
| Provo, UT | $546,641 | $1,825 | $3,116 | $-1,756 |
State median across the metros: $525,270 home, $1,635 rent, $-1,669/mo modeled cash flow.
Track your Utah rental portfolio
The Pro Portfolio Tracker rolls up every property in your portfolio, auto-revalues them monthly against local price data, and flags DSCR risk and equity milestones. Each Utah property carries the state-specific tax burden shown above through to the cash flow calculation.
Property tax rate: Tax Foundation. Security deposit rule: state statute. Verify current law before making decisions — statutes change and this page is a planning reference, not legal or tax advice.