Retiring in Park City: Cost of Living, Taxes and Healthcare

Park City draws retirees for obvious reasons: two major ski resorts, hundreds of miles of trails, a walkable historic Main Street, a real arts calendar and an international airport 35 minutes away. We work with clients who have retired here from California, Texas, the Midwest and the East Coast, and with longtime Utahns who moved up the canyon. The appeal is not in question. The planning is.

What a Park City home really costs

Park City and the surrounding Snyderville Basin are the most expensive residential markets in Utah. Prices in Old Town, Deer Valley and the newer developments along the Jordanelle sit well above the Wasatch Front, and homeowners association fees in resort communities can be substantial. Kimball Junction, Jeremy Ranch, Pinebrook and Silver Springs offer somewhat lower entry points with easier access to Interstate 80, and many retirees find the trade worthwhile.

Utah’s property tax has a feature that matters here. A primary residence is taxed on 55 percent of its market value because of the 45 percent residential exemption. A second home is taxed on 100 percent. If you keep a home elsewhere and treat Park City as the second residence, your property tax bill will be nearly double what a full-time resident pays on the same house. Summit County requires a signed declaration to claim the exemption.

Everyday costs beyond housing, such as groceries, fuel and services, run higher than in the Salt Lake Valley but not dramatically so. Utah applies a reduced state sales tax rate to groceries. Winter brings snow removal, higher heating costs and, for many, a second vehicle with four-wheel drive.

State taxes, and the second-home trap

Utah’s income tax is a flat 4.45 percent for 2026, and it applies to pensions, IRA withdrawals and capital gains alike. Social Security is the exception for many retirees: a state credit removes the tax on benefits below an income limit. There is no estate or inheritance tax.

For Park City buyers the bigger lever is often property tax. As noted above, keeping Utah as your primary residence nearly halves the bill on the same house. On the income side, retirees from California or Oregon usually come out ahead, while those from Nevada or Texas take on a new cost. Our article on Utah’s income tax for retirees moving from other states runs the comparison.

Healthcare up the canyon

Intermountain Park City Hospital, near Kimball Junction, is a full-service community hospital with an emergency department, surgery, imaging and a growing roster of specialists. For complex cardiac, cancer or neurological care, most residents go down to University of Utah Health or Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, each 35 to 50 minutes away depending on weather and traffic. Heber Valley Hospital is a second nearby option.

Two practical points. If you plan to use Medicare Advantage, confirm that the plan’s network includes the Park City and Salt Lake providers you expect to use; networks are regional and a plan from your previous state will not travel. And if you have a condition that is sensitive to altitude, talk with your physician before committing. Park City sits near 7,000 feet, with many neighborhoods higher.

Lifestyle factors to test before you buy

• Winter. Snowy roads, early darkness and a season that lasts from November into April. Many retirees love it; some discover they would rather visit.
• Seasonality. The town fills at Christmas, Sundance and summer weekends, and quiets considerably in the spring and fall shoulder seasons. Services and restaurants adjust accordingly.
• Distance to family. The airport is close, which helps, but the drive from the valley in a storm is a different experience than in July.
• Rent first. A ski-season lease followed by a summer stay tells you more than any number of visits.

Questions to settle before you buy

Cash flow. The carrying cost of a Park City home, including property tax, insurance, HOA dues, utilities and maintenance, is the anchor of the budget. We build the retirement income plan around it, then ask whether Social Security timing, pension options and withdrawal sequencing still work. Our article on building a retirement budget is a starting point.

Selling the old home. Timing the sale against the purchase, the capital gains exclusion on a primary residence and the state you are leaving all matter. Leaving a high-tax state requires clear evidence that your domicile has moved; our article on updating your estate plan after moving to Utah covers the documents that establish it.

Estate plan. Utah documents, Utah beneficiary review and, if you keep property in another state, a trust that avoids two probates.

The portfolio. A home that represents a large share of net worth argues for a more conservative, liquid investment portfolio, since the house cannot be sold in pieces. That is a conversation for the Plan with Purpose step.

Meeting with us from Park City

Our Salt Lake City office is about 35 minutes down Parleys Canyon, and we meet Park City clients there, at their kitchen table or by video. The first conversation is usually about the home: what it will cost to carry, and how the income plan has to work around it. More on our approach is on the Salt Lake City financial planning page.

Frequently asked questions

Written by Trevor Hanson, Founder | President | Author | Wealth Advisor, RJFS. Last reviewed: October 28, 2026.