6 Best Places to Live in Utah

Ogden, Utah; iStock.com/DenisTangneyJr

The western state of Utah is heaven for adventure-seeking renters, with hiking and climbing spots across multiple national parks, snowy mountains ready for you to shred with your snowboard, and gorgeous canyons perfect for Instagram-worthy backdrops. The state provides a tax credit for renters and is great for families, too, with plenty of kid-friendly activities, educational museums, and fantastic schools. Discover your new hometown among these six best places to live in Utah:

1. Salt Lake City
2. Park City
3. Fruit Heights
4. Provo
5. Ogden
6. Bountiful

Salt Lake City

You’ll be surrounded by mountains and natural beauty in the state capital of Salt Lake City. With this beautiful backdrop comes access to world-class skiing, snowboarding, and gallivanting through the winter wonderland. But if you’re not a fan of snow, the resorts and parks in and around the mountains host warm-weather activities like frisbee golf and hiking. Move to the great outdoors with a one-bedroom in Salt Lake City for $1,099 per month, on average.

Salt Lake City has a mixture of kid-friendly activities and stuff for adults. Grab tickets to the ballet, orchestra, opera, or theater. Stop by Pioneer Park for free concerts and events, head over to Washington Square for arts and culture festivals, or cheer on your favorite team in soccer, baseball, hockey, football, or basketball (like the NBA team, the Utah Jazz!). Head to one of the concert venues or local bars to discover up-and-coming artists on the cusp of becoming the next big thing.

Park City

Park City has so many fun activities for you to take advantage of year-round. In the warmer months, you can go mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, fly fishing, and rafting in nature areas like Utah Olympic Park and Deer Valley Resort. When things cool down, enjoy skiing and snowboarding on the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort. You can even venture about 20 minutes to Wasatch Mountain State Park and Rockport State Park for these and more outdoorsy activities, too.

This small town boasts great shopping and dining, with unique boutiques on Historic Main Street and bargain shopping on brands you love at the Outlets Park City. In the summer, catch some thrills on coasters, ziplines, and hot air balloons. In the winter, head out to the annual Sundance Film Festival, drawing in filmmakers from all over the world to show projects starring some of the biggest names in the business. So if you want celebrity sightings without the LA traffic, Park City is a great option. A one-bedroom apartment in Park City costs an average of $1,750 per month.

Fruit Heights

As a suburb of Salt Lake City, Fruit Heights gives you access to all of the big-city amenities like restaurants and entertainment. But you get to really enjoy the great outdoors with sights of Francis and Thurston Peaks in the distance, the Gailey Trail in Nicholls Park, and hiking in Bair Canyon. And, with Cherry Hill Family Fun Center and Campground right on the edge of town, you can splash around at the water park, play a round or two of mini-golf, camp under the stars, or eat your fill of pie at Pie Pantry Restaurant.

The median rent near Fruit Heights for a one-bedroom is around $800 per month. Join the tight-knit community of Fruit Heights, which has the slogan “A City of Good Neighbors.”

Provo

Adventure-seekers and cryptozoologists unite! Provo is your town for hiking, climbing, rafting, and Bigfoot hunting. Get your thrill at Provo Canyon while climbing the ice-covered “Stairway to Heaven” or track footprints to finally find the mythical creature. If you’re looking for more traditional fun, Provo has those residents covered, too. Cheer on the Brigham Young University Cougars at a football game, fill up on delicious local food during the Thursday-night Food Truck Roundup or see a show at the Covey Center for the Arts. 

This city has some of the best family-friendly neighborhoods you’ll find in Utah. Some great spots include Maeser, Pleasant View, and Provo Bay. You can get a one-bedroom apartment in Provo for an average of $795 per month.

Ogden

Become part of the lively community in Ogden, a city of more than 85,000 people residing north of Salt Lake City. Throughout the year, the town hosts community events like the Saturday farmers market, Odgen Music Festival, Balloon and Art Festival, and Wakesurf Open. Plus, you won’t want to miss the finger-licking good Blues, Brews, and BBQs event, held every Sunday from June to October. Ogden is also close to Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Nordic Valley ski resorts. 

One-bedroom apartments in Ogden run for an average of $963 per month, putting you in the vicinity of amazing local food, brews, and cocktails in downtown, the River District, and the University District.

Bountiful

In between Fruit Heights and Salt Lake City, you’ll find the beautiful, bustling suburb of Bountiful, Utah. Split your time between the capital city’s amenities and Bountiful’s local parks, golf courses, and nature areas. Blaze trails like Deuel Creek, Mueller Park, and North Canyon. Skate around the ice rink or swim in the lap pool at the South Davis Recreational Center. Practice your swing at Bountiful Ridge Golf Course or Eaglewood Golf Course, which is just outside of town on the south side.

Bountiful has plenty of arts, culture, and entertainment, too. Visit the Bountiful History Museum and explore the story of Utah’s second settlement, the area’s first families, and a train diorama. Go see the Bountiful Centennial Monument that honors the town’s century of history. Spend time at and consider becoming a member of the Bountiful Davis Art Center, which offers art classes in comics, illustration, paper mache, and dollmaking, a family art night, an exquisite gallery, music festivals, and a gingerbread competition.

You can find one-bedroom apartments in Bountiful, Utah, for an average of $1,050 per month.

Ready to move to one of the best places in Utah? Browse thousands of apartments for rent in Utah on Zumper and find your next home.

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