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Salt Lake CityUT

6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Invictus323 · CC BY 4.0
Photo of Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT · Photo: Invictus323 · CC BY 4.0 · Source ↗

Population
218,428
2025 Census estimate · +9.4% since 2020
Typical home
$569K
+2.4% in a year
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
32.9
years
Jobs based here
276,107
A job hub
TownGrade
C−
#114 of 118 in UT

What is it like to live in Salt Lake City?

For a city of 218,428, Salt Lake City does unevenly: it grades C−, 114th among Utah's 118 graded towns. Residents are healthier than 84% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and few places in the country are easier to get around without a car. The trade-offs: it reports more crime per resident than 98% of U.S. towns, including 1,906 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 80% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 237 places on the National Register. 49% of working residents work locally in Salt Lake City, against 8.2% in Utah’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Emigration Canyon and Temple Square. On civic life, just 5 of Utah’s 137 towns do better.

StrongestA+WalkabilityA+HistoryA−OutdoorsWeakestD−SafetyDHazard riskC−SchoolsCCost of living

What makes Salt Lake City stand out

Where Salt Lake City beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Brigham Young Complex
HistoryA+
Settled in 1847
A history going back 179 years.
Biggest of 4
CollegeStudents
University of Utah33,034
Ensign College1,674
Westminster University1,197
Colleges in town
4 colleges
36,435 students on campus
Students are 13% of residents.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Salt Lake City8.6
Utah2.2
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD−
3.9 times the violent crime than UT
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Brigham Young Complex
Brigham Young Complex · National Register of Historic Places
Salt Lake City’s story

179 years in pictures

Brigham Young Complex is one of 5 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1847, comes before those of 95% of the Utah towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 6,157 in 1850, 199,723 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1849 and 4 maps from 1951 on.

237 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • 1847Salt Lake City is settled
Explore the history →

How Salt Lake City grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Utah), ordered by how far Salt Lake City is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for safety (better than 2%), so the C− overall blends very different results.

WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.5 of 20; 10.8% of households have no car; 11.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA+Open →SafetyD−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →HealthLDS Hospital 0 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsC−Open →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA−Open →History33 notable people born hereA+Open →Civic life5.1 library visits per resident; 4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market27 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.9; 52% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Delta Center and 70 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Salt Lake City. Close and well known come first.

All 79 attractions →
Big drawin town Stadium & arenaDelta Centerin town Stadium & arenaRice–Eccles Stadiumin town GardenTemple Square26 mi LakeLake Bonneville13 mi Stadium & arenaAmerica First Field5 mi Stadium & arenaMaverik Center
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Delta Center: Lomrjyo, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rice–Eccles Stadium: Brenton Walker, CC BY 2.0 · Temple Square: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Lake Bonneville: Wilson44691, Public domain · America First Field: Scott Catron, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Maverik Center: Dave O, CC BY-SA 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to Salt Lake City: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Salt Lake City, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerRocky Mountain Power13.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSalt Lake City Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet11 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Salt Lake City’s trash rules yet
SchoolsSalt Lake City School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Utah you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 11 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereSalt Lake County ClerkSalt Lake County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes84116, 84104, 84105, 8410384116 18% · 84104 12% · 84105 11% · 84103 11%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 13, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City draws workers from West Valley City and beyond, but it reports violent crime at 4 times the Utah rate and carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Utah (mostly earthquakes).

SafetyD−

In Salt Lake City, property crime runs higher than in the typical Utah or U.S. town

Violent crime runs at 8.6 per 1,000 residents, 4 times the Utah rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 47.4 per 1,000 residents, 4 times the Utah rate, most of it theft.

Of the 62 Utah towns we compare, none has a higher rate of reported violence than Salt Lake City.

2%of U.S. towns report more crimeD−Safety Grade
Salt Lake CityUtah townsU.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)8.6 per 1,000 residents1.41.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)47.4 per 1,000 residents8.69.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Salt Lake City8.6
Utah2.2
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Salt Lake City47.4
Utah13.2
U.S.15.5
2nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1,906
violent crimes reported in 2025
10,527
property crimes reported in 2025
Full pageSalt Lake City’s safety reportOpen the page
Violent crime by type8.6 violent crimes per 1,000Crime over the yearsDown since 2023Vs. the neighborsBehind its 3 graded neighborsQuestions“Is Salt Lake City, UT safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

SchoolsC−

Salt Lake City’s public schools trail 82% of Utah districts

Below: Three of its 60 schools, each with why it was picked. Its public schools are run by the Salt Lake District. 6 public schools serve Salt Lake City, with 3,246 students in all.

18%of UT districts it outscoresC−School Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Wallace Stegner AcademyLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8Grades K–8683C+
West HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12Grades 7–122,503B+
Uintah SchoolTop results in townGrades K–6Grades K–6464A+
Full pageSalt Lake City’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsSalt Lake DistrictVs. the neighborsBehind its 6 graded neighborsEvery school60 schools · Wallace Stegner AcademyQuestions“Are Salt Lake City’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within UT on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

About half of working residents work right in Salt Lake City

276,107 jobs are based in Salt Lake City, 3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 203,538 in 2013 to 276,107.

The middle household income in Salt Lake City is $75,000. Jobs in Salt Lake City grew by 72,569 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 276,107. Among residents here, 14% live below the poverty line. Half commute less than 5 miles.

49%work in town
Salt Lake CityUtah townsU.S. towns
Work from home21%16%11%
Below the poverty line14%6.2%9.6%
Average trip to work20 minutes22 minutes25 minutes
Median household income$75,000$101,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Salt Lake City49%
West Valley City6%
Murray4%
South Salt Lake4%
Sandy3%
5 mi
median commute distance
276,107
jobs based in Salt Lake City
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns
Full pageSalt Lake City’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here276,107 jobs based here · A job hubWhere people work49% work in Salt Lake CityCommute times20 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 5 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

OutdoorsA−

10% of Salt Lake City is conserved land

The biggest place to walk is Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 12,489 acres with 58.5 miles of trail. Trails total 158 miles in 88 parks and preserves. For Salt Lake City, the trail network density is 1.4 miles per square mile.

#47for trails in UT
Salt Lake CityUtah townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile1.4 miles per square mile1.10.4
Conserved land10%3.4%4.3%
10%
conserved · 7,067 of 70,887 acres
158 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest58.5 mi12,489
2. Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex2.8 mi98
3. This is the Place Heritage Park2.1 mi128
Full pageSalt Lake City’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map158 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk58.5 miles of trail · Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National ForestConserved land10% conserved · 7,067 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Salt Lake City?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HealthA−

Salt Lake City earns an A− for health

Within Utah it is less healthy than 55% of the 118 graded towns: Utah sets a high bar.

7.9% of adults smoke cigarettes in Salt Lake City. Against the Utah average, Salt Lake City comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 9. Among adults here, 37% feel lonely and 26% have high blood pressure. Only 7 of the 118 Utah towns we compare have a higher share of adults who binge drink than Salt Lake City.

84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
Salt Lake CityUtah townsU.S. towns
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)68%72%79%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)37%33%33%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)26%28%35%
Depression (CDC PLACES)29%28%23%
32 measures vs. Utah
5 better18 too close to call9 worse
What stands outSalt Lake CityUT
Fewer adults who have had cancer6.1%7.2%
Fewer adults with heart disease4%4.7%
More binge drinkers16%12.4%
LDS Hospital
In Salt Lake City · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
45th
percentile among UT towns
Full pageSalt Lake City’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore binge drinkersHospitals & doctors nearbyLDS HospitalHow adults are doingMore adults lacking emotional supportEvery CDC estimateBetter than UT on 5 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D

Top of a very high hazard risk in Salt Lake City: earthquakes

FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 91% of Utah towns, with expected losses of about $1,199 per resident a year; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.

Households in Salt Lake City have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2020. 69% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by avalanches at 22%. The national flood insurance program has paid 98 claims here since 1978.

80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
80Very high riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesAvalanchesInland flooding
98
paid flood claims since 1978
1
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageSalt Lake City’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims98 paid flood claims · Since 1978Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Salt Lake CityGet readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Salt Lake City: snowy winters and hot summers

The range runs from 23° on a January night to 92° on a July afternoon, with about 52 inches of snow a winter.

52″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–40°
Spring41–62°
Summer62–88°
Fall42–65°
Oct 31
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageSalt Lake City’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 92°, January lows 23°Rain & snow52″ of snow a winter · 18 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+2.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade C

A home in Salt Lake City is worth about $569K, on Zillow’s estimate

Among 119 Utah towns, just 5 have a lower home-ownership rate than Salt Lake City. Homes sold in Salt Lake City spent a median 27 days on the market. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 2.4%.

$569KZillow home value
Salt Lake CityUtah townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home46%79%73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent51%45%48%
Median rent$1,414 a month$1,542 a month$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Salt Lake City$569K
Utah$533K
Market temperature
Seller’s marketA seller's marketBuyer’sSeller’s
27
days on market
99.6%
sale-to-list price
+2.4%
value change, 1 year
218
homes sold in May
Full pageSalt Lake City’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsUp 2.4% in a yearYears of income to buyA typical home costs 7.6 years of incomeRents$1,414 a month · Median rentVs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 6 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Salt Lake City

20pages on Salt Lake City
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 82% of UT districts · 60 schoolsSafetyD−8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than UT on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$569K typical home · up 2.4% in a yearWork & commuteB$75K median household income · 276,107 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 80% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
OutdoorsA−158 mi of trails · 10% conserved landPlacesAttractions79 nearby · Delta Center under 1 miLibraryA−5.1 library visits per residentCollegesWestminster University, in town
The story
HistoryA+Settled 1847 · 237 on the National RegisterFamous people33 born in Salt Lake CityTown Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 63 residentsClimate92° summer highs · 52″ of snow
Day to day
News2 recent stories about Salt Lake CityWeatherHandbookZIP code 84101, 84102, 84103Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

7 within 15 miles of the center of Salt Lake City

University of UtahUniversity or college · Public · Salt Lake CityIn town$9,620 in-state tuitionWestminster UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Salt Lake CityIn town$43,528 tuitionSalt Lake Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Salt Lake City7.2 mi$4,426 in-state tuition

About 13 of every 100 Salt Lake City residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Utah.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

13% of Salt Lake City is in college

4 colleges in town.

University of Utah33,034 students on campus
Admission
86%
Net price
$16,200
Graduate
65%
 Ensign College1,674 students on campus
Admission
Open
Net price
$10,824
Graduate
43%
 Westminster University1,197 students on campus
Admission
67%
Net price
$27,094
Graduate
64%
College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

237 places in Salt Lake City on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →
Brigham Young ComplexNational Historic Landmark
Emigration CanyonNational Historic Landmark
Temple SquareNational Historic Landmark
Fort DouglasNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Salt Lake City

33 notable people were born in Salt Lake City.

See all 33 →
Wilford BrimleyAmerican actor and singer · 1934–2020
Loretta YoungAmerican actress · 1913–2000
Stephen CoveyAmerican educator, author, businessman and motivational speaker · 1932–2012
Frank BorzageAmerican film director and actor · 1894–1962
R
Roseanne BarrAmerican actress and comedian · born 1952
Craig VenterAmerican biotechnologist and businessman · 1946–2026

About Salt Lake City

State capital and largest city of Utah, U.S.

Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The population was 199,723 at the 2020 census, while the Salt Lake City metropolitan area has an estimated 1.3 million residents and is the 46th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. It is also part of the larger Salt Lake City–Ogden–Provo combined statistical area, an urban corridor along a 120-mile (190 km) segment of the Wasatch Front with a population of approximately 2.8 million. It is one of the principal urban centers within the Great Basin, along with Reno, Nevada. Salt Lake C…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1847
Area
112 sq mi
Elevation
4,226 ft
ZIP code
84101, 84102, 84103
Area code
801, 385

Salt Lake City’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Salt Lake City.

Explore the map →
MillcreekSouth Salt LakeMagnaWest Valley CityNorth Salt LakeEmigration CanyonMillcreekSouth Salt LakeMagnaWest Valley CityNorth Salt LakeEmigration CanyonSalt Lake City
Millcreek
SE · 3% of Salt Lake City workers commute here
Visit
South Salt Lake
S · 4% of Salt Lake City workers commute here
Visit
Magna
W
Visit
West Valley City
SW · 6% of Salt Lake City workers commute here
Visit
North Salt Lake
N
Visit
Emigration Canyon
E
Visit
How the neighbors grade
TownUT rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Salt Lake City#114C−CD−C−A−
Millcreek#95B−C−—C−A
South Salt Lake#117DCD−C−B
Magna#107CC+—C−B
West Valley City#113C−C+C−C−B−
North Salt Lake#44A−CBB+A
Emigration Canyon——C−—C−A+

Emigration Canyon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Millcreek, Magna and Emigration Canyon report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Salt Lake City with a neighbor →

Questions about Salt Lake City

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Salt Lake City, UT a good place to live?

Salt Lake City grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #114 of 118 in Utah. It grades A− for health, D− for safety and C− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Salt Lake City, UT safe?

Salt Lake City reports more crime per resident than 98% of U.S. towns, a D− Safety Grade: 1,906 violent and 10,527 property crimes in 2025.

Is Salt Lake City, UT expensive?

That is 5.8 years of the area's median household income ($98,083 across the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.

What is Salt Lake City, UT known for?

33 notable people were born here, including Wilford Brimley and Loretta Young.