Read Utah and thoughts naturally turn to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, polygamy, and some of the biggest family sizes in the US. Fortunately for the 3 million-plus people who live there, there’s a whole lot more to this diverse state than just that. Its stunning natural beauty is complemented by some of the US’s most attractive towns and cities, all well served by a booming property market, excellent job prospects, and some of the best schools in the land. Need any more convincing? Then take a look at our rundown of the 20 best places to live in Utah.
20. East Central/ East Liberty Park
Affordable (expect to pay just $260,925 to purchase a single-family home or $948 to rent one), safe (both violent and property crimes are well below the national average), well equipped with a good school system and some first-rate local amenities, and with a robust median household income of $58,676, the East Central/East Liberty Park neighborhood of Salt Lake City kicks off our rundown with style.
19. Sugar House
If the name itself wasn’t sufficient justification for Sugar House’s addition to our top 20, then its exceptionally low crime rate, affordable housing, diverse, friendly community, excellent schools, walkable streets, and a ton of excellent wining and dining opportunities certainly are.
18. Bonneville Hills
Bonneville Hills is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City- explanation, no doubt, for its very substantial mean property value of $469,587. If you want to benefit from its range of excellent amenities, first-class transportation links, great schools, low crime rate, and family-friendly vibe without parting with that amount of cold hard cash, then, fortunately, you can: at just $832, the price of rental property is a veritable bargain, and quite considerably below the national average.
17. Heber
As Only In Your State notes, Heber is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Located just 20 minutes from the ski slopes of Park City (more on which coming up), Heber offers the best of Utah’s great outdoors at a fraction of the price of some other districts. Whether it’s fishing, boating, waterskiing, or hiking in the Uinta mountain range, local residents are rarely short of things to do, that’s for sure.
16. East Liberty Park
Wondering why East Liberty Park deserves a position among the best places to live in Utah? Then check out its excellent school system, excellent transport links, calm, friendly atmosphere, abundance of local businesses, affordable rental prices (residents can expect to part with just $1,053 per month), and a job market that allows a very respectable median income of $77,468.
15. North Salt Lake
If you want to get a foot on the property ladder while experiencing all of the amenities and attractions of Utah’s biggest city, North Salt Lake may well be the best place to do it. A decently sized family property can be had for as little as $259,800 in this Salt Lake City suburb, while at $1030, the average price for rental property comes in at just a smidgen over the national average of $949. Crime is low, schools are good, the community is friendly, and the average median income is a very robust $77,011… what more could you want?
14. Foothill/Sunnyside
According to the Crazy Tourist, Foothill/Sunnyside constitutes the safest neighborhood in the Salt Lake City area, which is hardly surprising considering its tiny 1,500 population. Friendly, community-spirited, and a great place to either bring your family or start one, the neighborhood is so popular that residents can happily affix a $493,300 price tag to their properties and still have newcomers chomping at the bit for a slice of the action.
13. Cedar Hills
10,266 people can proudly call themselves Cedar Hills residents, and proud they indeed are. As you would be too, if you lived in an area where the local job market supported a median household income of $97,039, where you had access to some first-rate schools (including the highly ranked Cheery Hill Elementary School, Lone Peak High School, and Cedar Ridge Elementary School), excellent amenities, a low crime rate, and an abundance of outdoor leisure pursuits.
12. Farmington
Farmington, a large suburb of Salt Lake City with 22,616 residents, offers excellent access to all the jobs and attractions of the city for only a fraction of the associated cost: while residents can expect to bring home a very atypical $97,168 salary ($41, 846 more than the national average), they’ll only need to hand over $1048 in rent (a smidgeon above the average of $949). If you still need convincing of its merits, check out some of the glowing reviews on Niche. ‘Farmington is an excellent place to choose to live if you are debated on where to settle down. It is a very safe place to, and the people are very family friendly,” says one. “I have lived here my whole life and I really don’t have a desire to leave, I have loved living here. It has grown a lot in the past decade but the city has adjusted well to the growth and has taken advantage of the many opportunities from it,” concludes another.
11. Highland
Move to Highland and you can expect a truly extraordinary median income of around $128,938 (a staggering $73,616 above the national average). On the flip side, you’ll need to spend considerably more than the national average for a property: $497,800 compared to an average of $184,700. Considering the superb scenery, excellent schools, and fabulously family-friendly vibe, it’s probably a price the 17,952 residents are well inclined to pay.
10. North Logan
Middle income earners rejoice – North Logan offers a distinctly non average quality of life for a very average price tag. With a population of 10,140, it’s small enough to offer a close-knit, friendly vibe, but big enough to have all the amenities and attractions you’ll need to keep you entertained. Low crime and great schools complete the very pretty picture, while the robust median household income of $70,139 is offset by a very affordable median home value of $249,300.
9. Wasatch Hollow
Fancy moving to Wasatch Hollow? Who could blame you… with access to excellent job opportunities, a suburb local school system, safe, walkable streets, plenty of green spaces and an abundance of local shops, restaurants, and facilities, it’s one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City. Just be warned that property here doesn’t come cheap: although there’s plenty more expensive areas to live in Utah, Wasatch Hollow’s median home value of $390,695 pushes it well above the national average.
8. Yalecrest
Yalecrest- a neighborhood of Salt Lake City that enjoys the privileged (and exceedingly rare) honor of an A+ ranking on Niche. Chief among its many attractions are an abundance of leisure and recreational amenities, some of the lowest crime rates in the city, a population that’s not only extremely well-educated (32% have bachelor’s degrees and another 38% have master’s degree) but also supremely wealthy (the booming local job market guarantees a median income of $118,318), a first rate school system, and a relaxed, diverse community.
7. Kaysville
Situated just of Route 15 and offering easy access to Salt Lake City, Kaysville allows its 29,213 residents an affordable alternative to living in the city center. Thanks to its proximity to the booming job market of Utah’s county seat, residents enjoy a hefty median household income of $91,334, but only need to spend around $293,800 on a single-family home. The combination of high salaries and affordable housing make it a prime destination for young families and professionals looking to climb the first rung of the property ladder.
6. Snyderville
If you’ve got $696,800 hanging around gathering dust, you may want to use it to invest in a property in the ludicrously expensive and highly desirable town of Snyderville. If you do, you can expect to be treated to some of the best schools in Utah, a crime rate that barely exists, some friendly, highly educated neighbors, great amenities, a median income of $100,294, and easy access to Salt Lake City.
5. East Bench
The family-friendly Salt Lake City suburb of East Bench comes in at number 5. Chief among its attractions are a low crime rate, numerous green spaces for the 6,334 residents to enjoy, a highly educated citizenship (35% of residents have a bachelor’s degree and another 45% have a master’s degree), first-class schools, a welcoming, congenial atmosphere, a job market that supports a median household income of $124,991, and the kind of desirability that allows property prices to reach upwards of $515,850.
4. Summit Park
What you may notice about many of Utah’s best cities and towns is their tendency to have the word “park’ somewhere in their title… at number, 4, we see it again with the highly desirable Summit Park, a town which ranks number 1 for best public schools by Niche. Combine that with a low crime rate, excellent job opportunities (the average household can expect to net a median income of well over twice the national average at $119,839), a cosmopolitan vibe, and more amenities than a population of 7954 would rightfully know what to do with, and you’re looking at a community that is well justified in demanding $644,500 for the privilege of moving in.
3. Greater Avenues
With a population of 20,028, Greater Avenue has the kind of close-knit, community-minded feel that makes it a hugely attractive proposition to families with young children. The low crime rate, excellent schools, bombing job market, walkable neighborhoods, and abundance of recreational pursuits doesn’t hurt matters either. If you decide to make the city your next home, you can expect to earn around $84,335 and pay around $422,827 for a property (unless you choose to rent, in which case you’ll get away with just $795 per month).
2. Fruit Heights City
If you want to live somewhere safe, friendly, and affordable, you’ll find few better places than Fruit Heights. Surrounded by rolling hills and majestic scenery, the city has rightfully been described as “one of the best kept secrets in Utah.” Residents can expect an almost nonexistent level of crime, some of the best schools in the state, a stonking median household income of $104,984, friendly neighbors and a real sense of good, old fashioned community spirit.
1. Park City
Want to live in the best place in Utah? The head to Park City, a small community of just 7963 residents located in Summit County. The population of 8,167 enjoys access to some of the best schools in Utah (with Park City High School, Parleys Park School, and Ecker Hill Middle School all coming very highly recommended), beautiful parks (as you’d expect, given its name), and one of the biggest and best ski resorts in the state. Thanks to the vast number of tourists that vacation in the region on a year-round basis, everything is kept pristine, pretty, and Instagram ready at all times. You can also expect a first-class range of restaurants, shops, and bars all ready and waiting to serve both tourists and residents alike. Thanks to a booming job market, the average resident is privileged with an annual household income of around $104,182 (almost twice the national average); in fairness, they do need it… given the desirability of the area, property is at a premium, with the average single-family home going for an almighty $937,200.
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