Leaving Provo is hard to do

It seems logical — graduate, move out and get a fancy job in a big city.

Not so for some college graduates at Utah's major universities. For them, moving on is hard to do.

Some accept low-wage jobs in their college towns just to stay in their comfort zone. And others refuse to leave because they haven't found "the one" yet.

Staying in Provo is not easy on the pocketbook.

The Provo-Orem area ranked sixth worst in the nation with a per-capita personal income of $19,594 in 2002, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. The national average hovers near $31,000 per person.

That's nothing to worry about, said Carol-Lyn Jardine, who graduated from Brigham Young University in December 2002 and remains in Provo. She manages to get by, working a full-time job at BYU and pulling in extra work on the side.

Provo is Jardine's comfort zone. She grew up in the Utah County city, and her family is right around the corner. Her life in Provo stretches from elementary school to college. Jardine said she still hangs out with friends she met as a young child in Provo.

"To me, the income thing really isn't a big deal," said Jardine, 26. "Everyone says they want to get out of Provo. In reality, it really is a good quality of life here. There is a lot of people to hang out with."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Provo's average hourly wage is low compared to other cities in the West, at a rate of $14.66 an hour.

Just an hour or so up the road in Salt Lake City, the average hourly wage is $16.19. Seattle workers are on the high end, earning an average $20.65 an hour. And hourly workers in Houston make an average of $17.89 an hour.

Despite the low incomes, city leaders say Provo is a great place to live.

"People want to be in this area; it's a desirable area," said Dixon Holmes, assistant director of the Office of Economic Development in Provo. "I don't know if (single recent graduates) necessarily make less, but they may be willing to take something lower."

Despite her lifelong love affair with her hometown, Jardine said she doesn't plan on staying in Provo much longer.

"I don't see myself staying here very long — and I've been here forever — so I don't know if I'm going anywhere or not, but I feel like I will." Jardine said. "If I had a better job offer somewhere, I would seriously consider it."

Living in a college town also provides opportunities to meet other people that are about the same age. In Logan, about 16,000 people are between the ages of 15 and 24. And in Provo, 27,855 people are within that age range.