It sounds like you really value proximity and time (reading between the lines, I'd also bet you place a priority on social interactions with peers).
For those who value things like quiet, longer-term stays in lower-turnover areas, space, or new-ness, Provo doesn't have as much to offer.
As for the changes, I think the flurry of building activity in Mapleton, Springville, and Spanish Fork, plus MIL apt deregulation statewide and the new builds west of State St and I-15 in Vineyard, PG, and AF has changed Utah County's housing dynamic quite a bit over the last 10 years.