I am contemplating relocating to Utah and wondered what if anything current residents had to say. I'm looking for good and bad points.

I am contemplating relocating to Utah and wondered what if anything current residents had to say. I'm looking for good and bad points.

I'm not sure what kinds of comments you're interested in. Could you be a bit more specific? I'd sure be glad to see another RL on the road!

I lived in SLC for 6 months during a rotational assignment with the Feds. I could be of some service if you let me know what in particular you are asking about.

Just as a little hint, pretty much anything you find in a big city you will find in SLC. You will either have to look harder or become a member.

I really enjoyed living in SLC and remember the days fondly. I will say this also......it will help if you are a member of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon), but things are changing.

I am contemplating relocating to Utah and wondered what if anything current residents had to say. I'm looking for good and bad points.

WHAT!!?? No No No...Stay in Ory-gun..( no offense Utahians :D )Todd and I are retiring there in 5 years to the Elk Lake Area. Would love the company.

We just spent a week in southern Utah and it is BEAUTIFUL! If you like hiking and 4 runners, those seem to be the biggest hobbies around there. Cedar City seemed like a nice, clean, small town with a university and some new developments and is close to Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. We stayed at a ski resort on top of a 10,000 ft mountain nearby (Brian Head), right by Cedar Breaks Nat'l Monument. Lots of snowmobiling going on even in June this year! Also, as you travel east from there past Bryce, the country is spectacular!

I'm not sure what kinds of comments you're interested in. Could you be a bit more specific? I'd sure be glad to see another RL on the road!
I don't know just some of the basics. Why you like Utah (good schools, decent climate, great snowboarding and mt. biking, oh and stable economy). What you would change if you could?

ps. the air around Bryce Canyon is as clean and clear as anywhere in the US.

Beutiful state, great mountain biking with alpine veiws. Freindly natives.

No Ridgelines seen when I was there.

It is important to know how they practice safe sex there, they tie a red ribbon on the sheep that kick.

Beutiful state, great mountain biking with alpine veiws. Freindly natives.

No Ridgelines seen when I was there.

It is important to know how they practice safe sex there, they tie a red ribbon on the sheep that kick.

Hey Steve, you're a funny guy! The lamb I saw had a blue ribbon tied to it. I wonder what that meant?!?

It was because it was a little lamb, what do think the people in Utah are pediphiles?

LOL, I thought it meant it was just "special". I also wondered why it's hind end was shaved?

On a more serious note. The state as a whole is beautiful. There are gobs of outdoor activities to enjoy. The natural settings in Utah are amazing.

Like I stated earlier, I lived in SLC for half a year. The city and surrounding communities are very clean and it seems most people take pride in that. The school system is good, mostly because Mormons value education and hard work VERY highly. There are bars in Utah, you just have to become a member of one. I think the fees vary by location or by bar I don't remember. I just bought the occasional temporary membership. All alcohol and liquor sales are through the state owned liquor stores and are heavily taxed. The people are very friendly. They are even more friendly if you are a Mormon, which leads me to the only downside. I heard stories of non-Mormons being kind of ignored when it came to utility/service calls. However, I do believe that is changing as more and more people move into the area. I, for the most part, was under most people's radar. I was young and I am clean cut. In other words I did not appear to be the older un-married rebelious non-mormon type.

I will restate that I really enjoyed my brief time in Utah. I did as much hiking as possible (I was there over the summer and fall months, no skiing). The people are kind and courteous (not as much road rage as you would expect given the population). The mountains are gorgeous to look at and the city is clean.

I live in Utah and I am a Mormon. I need to make a comment regarding the statement of "non-Mormons being kind of ignored when it came to utility/service calls". This is simply not true. It is unlikely that the person doing the service would know what religion you belong to. You might get good service or bad service but it will not be based on religion rather it will most likely be based on the person or company you are dealing with.

As for moving to Utah I think it is a great place to live, but it really comes down to what you are looking for. I think several people have posted pretty good comments about what to expect.

Utah is a pretty big place and I can only speak for the Salt Lake/Ogden area...

First of all the scenery is gorgeous! I love having a view of the mountains and 4 seasons that actually change. There are plenty of outdoor activites to keep you occupied. There is very little crime and I have not found what I would consider "the ghetto" anywhere in Utah. There are some not so good parts in Ogden and Salt Lake, but very minimal (and I'm from California).

The downside to Utah is that wages are low. Unless you have a degree or are transferring with your job I wouldn't expect to make a killing, especially if you're not white. There's a little racism mixed with religious preference, not much you can do about it since this is a Mormon controlled state. And since wages are low so are home prices and the cost of living. You can still get a 2400 sq ft home for about $160k (depends on how close to the mountains you want to live) and property taxes are about .75%. Our gas is cheaper than yours, but we do pump it ourselves. Sales tax is about 6.5% dpending what city/county you're in.

Also, Utah is the #1 bankruptcy and divorce state. Everyone has a new house, new car, new trailer, new ATV's...you can see where this is going. And this is why our home prices stay low and home values are only projected to rise at 5% for the next 5 years. Plenty of foreclosed homes to devalue the rest of our houses.

And finally, the worst thing here are the drivers. The locals here love to act as the police and do their best to make sure no one can go faster than 65mph in the fast lane. I amazed that there is not more road rage, but I do understand the reason for all the accidents as people cut one another off.

That's about all I can think of unless you have a more general question. Good luck!!

I will restate what I already stated, but not with any other text around it.


I heard stories of non-Mormons being kind of ignored when it came to utility/service calls. However, I do believe that is changing as more and more people move into the area.


This is not first hand. If you read the rest of my post you will see I have very positive things to say about all things SLC.

We just spent a week in southern Utah and it is BEAUTIFUL! If you like hiking and 4 runners, those seem to be the biggest hobbies around there. Cedar City seemed like a nice, clean, small town with a university and some new developments and is close to Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. We stayed at a ski resort on top of a 10,000 ft mountain nearby (Brian Head), right by Cedar Breaks Nat'l Monument. Lots of snowmobiling going on even in June this year! Also, as you travel east from there past Bryce, the country is spectacular!

yeah, ditto on what Ridgeowner3 said. I guess I qualify to answer your question, and the answer is we don't take kindly to outsiders coming in and stirring up trouble :D :D :D Just kiddin. You'll be welcome, we just don't like the californians. :D. The benefits are all the extra wives you get to help with the chores and such. I've got 5 myself. Come on in the waters warm. Now that I've lost all credibility, I'll shut up now.

Utah is an outdoor enthusiast's wonderland. The diversity of terrain and outdoor activities is a joy to explore. If that is what you're looking for, you will be in the right place.

It can be frustrating, even infuriating to be in Utah if you are anything left of a staunch conservative. It is a guarantee that you will have things to amuse you or annoy you if you are unfamiliar with or unaccepting of the LDS presence in the state.

Some people detest it here and long to get out. Others love it. Many of us go through life here with a bit of a love/hate relationship with the body politic. It helps to have a healthy sense of humor.

If you are not of the fold, you can still have a deep and comfortable life here. There are lots of subculture strands to explore and find a place that you are connected and content. That being said, do not be surprised at finding yourself in a period of culture shock. Much as some will get defensive and deny it, there is snubbing and/or discrimination that takes place for people who are non-mormon or not white. It has improved and is much easier to assimilate into the larger towns and cities than it was a decade or two ago. Some of the smaller, more rural areas can still be a tough go for an outsider. There are a few more progressive exceptions such as Moab, St. George, Torrey, etc.

I am a mountain girl to my core. I could never live away from mountains. I love looking out my windows and seeing the majestic landscape here. We have great sunrises and sunsets. Someone already mentioned having four seasons. There are extremes of temperatures. The humidity is very low. We live in a high desert. We have a very high percentage of blue sky days. If that appeals to you, you might like it here.

Wages and job opportunites are less than wonderful. This is a right to work state, which means you have very few rights as an employee.

Traffic along the Wasatch Front (Brigham City south past Provo) is increasing terribly fast. Farm land is turning into subdivision sprawl. Land in the valleys to the east of the Wasatch Front is very desireable and becoming something only the rich can afford.

Have you been to Utah before? I would hope before making such a big decision that you have the luxury of coming here and looking around.

These are my opinions and observations as a life long Utahn. I love my state. I'm a rabid advocate of exploring southern Utah. That is the place on earth that makes my heart swell with the pure glory of creation. There are also things about Utah that are peculiar and make me crazy.

I hope that all of this information helps you with your decision. Please ask more specific questions if we haven't covered the things you're curious about.

Beutiful state, great mountain biking with alpine veiws. Freindly natives.

No Ridgelines seen when I was there.

It is important to know how they practice safe sex there, they tie a red ribbon on the sheep that kick.

:D :D :D :D

Thanks to all of you that responded. I just visited Utah on business and found the climate fairly pleasant even though it was 100+ the entire time I was there, but hey that's what AC is for right. My travels took me down I-15 to 215 E as well as North into Idaho. The country is quite nice although not as green as Oregon but I think I could get over that after a day of snow boarding at Park City :D .

I don't know just some of the basics. Why you like Utah (good schools, decent climate, great snowboarding and mt. biking, oh and stable economy). What you would change if you could?
I like Utah cause it has a little of everything within pretty close driving distance from where I am (Orem). We've got mountains, forest, desert, sand dunes, lakes, skiing, etc... Lots of good places to hike, bike, camp, or just drive and enjoy the scenery. People are friendly, very low crime. We have four seasons, if you like that kind of thing--very distinct winter and summer.

Anything else you want to know? Anything you are looking for? There is a lot of diversity and if there is something that is important to you I might be able to direct you to where you might find it.

mayfielh, I'm guessing your opportunity to move to Utah didn't come through or did you decide against it?

I stumbled upon this old thread while looking for photos of trucks owned by Utahns. The thread helped me identify two more Utahns than I had on my ROC list before now. They'd slipped by my watch but I'm sending PMs out to them now to see if I can drum up more attendance on our ROC meet at the end of the month.