The 10 Best Places To Live In Utah For 2024


The best places to live in Utah for 2024 are Kaysville, Syracuse, and South Jordan. Find out where your city or town ranks.

What do 3 million Utah residents know that we don’t? They know that the best places to live in the Beehive State are some of the best places to live in America.

You can thank some of Utah’s best places to live for Frito Lay and Skywest Airlines. And you can thank the other half for higher education institutions like The University of Utah and Brigham Young for educating the future of those companies.

How’d we find the best places in Utah? We used Saturday Night Science to compare Utah places with 5,000 or more residents. We took into account factors like home prices, household income, education, and safety.

Here are Utah’s unique utopias.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Map | Methodology | Summary


What is the best place to live in Utah? The best place to live in Utah is Kaysville. Kaysville also made the list as one of the best Utah places to retire for 2024.

Coincidence? We think not.

Look below for more about Utah’s top places and a complete ranking of every place in Utah.

For more reading, check out:

The 10 Best Places To Live In Utah For 2024

Best Places To Live In Utah Map

Kaysville, UT

Source: Wikipedia User Tricia Simpson | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Kaysville Utah
Population 32,714 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 1
Median Home Value $612,119 $510,835
Median Income $121,867 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 2.6% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0086 0.0270

More on Kaysville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

We don’t go handing out 10/10 SnackAbility scores to just any old city; they have to have a solid market for jobs and housing, safe streets, excellent schools, and be affordable. That’s just what you get with Kaysville, a city between Salt Lake City and Ogden. Kaysville’s crime rate is about 65% below the national average and ranks as the 6th lowest in Utah. Unemployment and poverty rates are sub-4%. Schools have a student-teacher ratio 35% better than the statewide average. And rent in Kaysville costs just $1,342/month, the lowest you’ll find on this list and substantially lower than the average rent in Utah.

All of these factors came into play when we named Kaysville Utah’s best city for retirement. Plus, when it’s time to have the grandkids over for a visit, having Cherry Hill Waterpark in the neighborhood is an extra treat.

Syracuse, UT

Source: Public domain
Stat Syracuse Utah
Population 32,798 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 4
Median Home Value $553,580 $510,835
Median Income $125,602 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 1.2% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0097 0.0270

More on Syracuse: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Nestled between the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake, Syracuse offers a diverse economy, family-oriented community, and a beautiful natural setting. As for the last point, Syracuse is the gateway to Antelope Island State Park, which has backcountry trails for bikers, hikers, and horseback riders, along with several campsites and sandy beaches. Look out for bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and antelope while you’re here.

Rent in Syracuse is pretty expensive at $2,044/month, but over 90% of residents own their homes, which are moderately priced at around $553,580. Why would someone choose to settle down in Syracuse? Well a crazy low 1.2% unemployment rate, a high rate of health insurance coverage (97.4%), and the 16th lowest crime rate in Utah are just some reasons, off the top of my head.

South Jordan, UT

Source: Public domain
Stat South Jordan Utah
Population 78,118 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 7
Median Home Value $631,787 $510,835
Median Income $119,822 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 2.5% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0150 0.0270

More on South Jordan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

A popular bedroom community of Salt Lake City, South Jordan’s population has ballooned by nearly 50% in the last decade. Sure, having the capital as a neighbor is a big draw, but South Jordan’s got plenty going for it on its own. There’s Oquirrh Lake for anglers of every ability, The District, a mixed-use development where you’ll find entertainment and restaurants aplenty, and more parks than you can shake a stick at.

We just hope you’re comfortable kicking it with the state’s elite, because South Jordan is one of Utah’s richest cities, with a median household income of $119,822/year. Unemployment is sub-2%, and the poverty rate sits at 2.6%. And the city’s tax dollars go to all the right places, seeing as South Jordan’s school district spends 25% more per student than the statewide average. Just be prepared for housing costs over 50% higher than your typical city in Utah.

Centerville, UT

Source: Wikipedia User Tricia Simpson | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Centerville Utah
Population 16,740 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 11
Median Home Value $547,704 $510,835
Median Income $113,697 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 1.4% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0194 0.0270

More on Centerville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

We’re wrapping our tour of Utah’s best of the best with Centerville, a city of 16,740 just 15 minutes north of Salt Lake City. Being next to the state’s capital comes with obvious perks; weekend trips to Temple Square are a real treat, for example. But Centerville has its own culture as well. You can catch a local production at the Centerpoint Legacy Theatre and history buffs can learn about the region’s heritage at the Whitaker Museum.

At 38, Centerville has the oldest median age of cities on this list. That doesn’t mean they don’t support the next generation, though. On the contrary, Centerville’s school district spends 15% more per student than the statewide average. That love of learning doesn’t disappear after high school either; about half of Centerville’s residents have a college degree, and nearly 20% have a master’s degree or higher as well. The median household income in Centerville is $113,697/year and a typical home sells for $547,704. Both of those numbers went up by around 5% since last year, so things just keep getting better in Centerville.

Farmington, UT

Source: Wikipedia User Tricia Simpson | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Farmington Utah
Population 24,463 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 3
Median Home Value $629,364 $510,835
Median Income $115,278 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 2.2% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0141 0.0270

More on Farmington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

It may have been a silver medalist last year, but in 2024, Farmington takes the top spot for best place to live in Utah. Situated on Interstate 15 between Salt Lake City and Ogden, Farmington’s a great city for just about everyone. It topped our list of the best cities for families in Utah, thanks in part to its 9.5/10 education score. More importantly (for the kids, anyway), Farmington is home to Lagoon Amusement Park, with over 60 thrilling rides and a water park. And even the most voracious shopaholic will meet their match at Station Park, an outdoor mall with shopping and restaurants galore.

The poverty rate in Farmington is just 4.7% and the unemployment rate is a very low 2.2%. Farmington is also safe and the cost of living is relatively low, besides housing. Homes in Farmington are around $629,364 and property values went up nearly 10% just last year, so there’s no time like the present if you’re thinking of moving here.

Highland, UT

Source: Wikipedia User Eric Ward from Provo, UT, USA | CC BY-SA 2.0
Stat Highland Utah
Population 19,267 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 5
Median Home Value $877,307 $510,835
Median Income $166,429 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 2.8% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0327 0.0270

More on Highland: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Located in the Utah Valley between Salt Lake City and Provo, Highland ranks as Utah’s 6th best city. Here you’ll find a quiet, tight-knit vibe with one-acre minimum lot sizes, keeping the residential areas decidedly suburban. You’ll also find the youngest locals of anywhere on this list, with a median age of 24. These young-uns are super smart, seeing as around 60% of residents have a bachelor’s degree, and nearly a quarter of folks have a master’s, PhD, or professional degree. That kind of educational success doesn’t happen overnight; Highland’s public schools are some of the best in Utah and have achieved the 12th lowest high school dropout rate statewide.

The poverty rate in Highland sits at a measly 2.0% and 95.3% of residents have health insurance, the 19th highest rate in Utah. Fair warning: no city on this list has a higher cost of living than Highland, which outstrips the statewide index by over 30%. Housing is especially expensive; just about double Utah’s average price. The median rent in Highland is $2,122/month and homes sell for around $877,307. Luckily, Highland residents also have the highest median household income in the state at $166,429/year.

Mapleton, UT

Source: Wikipedia User An Errant Knight | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Mapleton Utah
Population 11,756 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 2
Median Home Value $683,277 $510,835
Median Income $123,534 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 3.1% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0052 0.0270

More on Mapleton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Situated on the majestic foothills of Sierra Bonita Mountain 10 miles southeast of Provo, Mapleton comes in as the 7th best place to call home in Utah. 60% of the land in Mapleton is undeveloped, so you can expect property values to keep rising here (they went up 5% last year alone). Mapleton is a warm and welcoming community that loves to party. For evidence of this statement, just come to the Pioneer Day celebration in summer, for incredible food and an out-of-this-world fireworks show.

Mapleton knows how to keep things civil; it ranks among Utah’s safest cities, with crime being 75% less common than your typical city in Utah. Seeing as crime and poverty go hand-in-hand, that peaceful vibe seems to be fostered by a ridiculously low poverty rate of 2.8%, the 9th lowest statewide. Homes in Mapleton may be the 7th priciest in the state, but having the 8th highest median household income at $123,534/year helps offset that cost in a big way.

Fruit Heights, UT

Source: Public domain
Stat Fruit Heights Utah
Population 6,018 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 13
Median Home Value $671,857 $510,835
Median Income $117,123 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 0.8% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0208 0.0270

More on Fruit Heights: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Fruit Heights, located in eastern Davis County, Utah, offers an attractive lifestyle with a population of 6,018. The city showcases a strong economy, as shown by its 117,123 median income and a median home value of $671,857. The town has a low crime rate of 0 per capita.

Strategically situated as part of the Ogden-Clearfield Metropolitan Area near Farmington and Kaysville, Fruit Heights provides access to outdoor adventures in the Wasatch Mountain Range.

Salem, UT

Source: Wikipedia User An Errant Knight | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Salem Utah
Population 9,467 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 8
Median Home Value $578,428 $510,835
Median Income $101,700 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 3.2% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0051 0.0270

More on Salem: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

A rural farming community located 20 minutes south of Provo, Salem comes in as the 9th best place to live in Utah. If you need a breath of fresh air, there’s nowhere better than Salem Pond, a serene spot for fishing, birdwatching, and picnicking, complete with walking trails and a playground. Come August, be ready to don your party face, because the week-long Salem Days is a non-stop celebration of Salem’s community.

Salem is nicknamed the City of Peace, and it’s easy to see why; Salem has the 3rd lowest crime rate in Utah, with only one violent crime being reported in the last year of available data. Unemployment and poverty rates hover around 3%, so you know everyone gets a piece of the pie here. A pretty big piece, actually, when you consider that the median household income in Salem is $101,700/year.

Stat Cedar Hills Utah
Population 9,977 3,283,809
Rank Last Year 6
Median Home Value $625,536 $510,835
Median Income $130,847 $86,833
Unemployment Rate 2.8% 3.4%
Crime Per Capita 0.0327 0.0270

More on Cedar Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cedar Hills, the 10th best place to live in Utah for 2024, is a city known for its low cost of living and abundant attractions. Situated in north-central Utah County, the town is nestled on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos, providing breathtaking views and outdoor adventures like hiking and biking. Additionally, Cedar Hills is surrounded by American Fork Canyon and Alpine Loop.

Cedar Hills is a vibrant community with top-notch schools, making it an ideal place for families. The city’s median home price is $625,536, making it one of the more affordable places to live.

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Utah

Best Places To Live In Utah Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Utah, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

  • Cities — Populations over 5,000
  • Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
  • Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This filter left 83 cities, 72 towns, and 137 small towns.

We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Utah have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Utah

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in Utah across a number of criteria from one to 83, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Utah.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking Utah’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Utah. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Kaysville at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Summary: The Best Places In Utah

If you’re looking at areas in Utah with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The best places to live in Utah are Kaysville, Syracuse, South Jordan, Centerville, Farmington, Highland, Mapleton, Fruit Heights, Salem, and Cedar Hills.

Kaysville made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Utah for 2024.

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Utah according to the data:

  1. Ogden (Pop. 86,754)
  2. South Salt Lake (Pop. 26,315)
  3. Roosevelt (Pop. 6,884)

For more Utah reading, check out:

Best Places To Live In Utah Table

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income Rent Crime Per Capita
1 Kaysville 32,714 2.6% $612,119 $121,867 $1,342 0.0086
2 Syracuse 32,798 1.2% $553,580 $125,602 $2,044 0.0097
3 South Jordan 78,118 2.5% $631,787 $119,822 $1,679 0.0150
4 Centerville 16,740 1.4% $547,704 $113,697 $1,462 0.0194
5 Farmington 24,463 2.2% $629,364 $115,278 $1,446 0.0141
6 Highland 19,267 2.8% $877,307 $166,429 $2,122 0.0327
7 Mapleton 11,756 3.1% $683,277 $123,534 $1,184 0.0052
8 Fruit Heights 6,018 0.8% $671,857 $117,123 $1,640 0.0208
9 Salem 9,467 3.2% $578,428 $101,700 $1,481 0.0051
10 Cedar Hills 9,977 2.8% $625,536 $130,847 $1,894 0.0327
11 Bluffdale 17,460 2.2% $594,901 $119,009 $1,663 0.0099
12 Pleasant View 10,942 1.9% $617,557 $121,086 $1,395 0.0081
13 Saratoga Springs 40,391 2.2% $568,121 $117,005 $2,061 0.0094
14 Draper 50,635 2.2% $740,373 $126,041 $1,735 0.0183
15 Alpine 10,260 1.6% $974,238 $161,602 $2,814 0.0327
16 Pleasant Grove 37,453 2.6% $519,347 $91,322 $1,410 0.0105
17 Providence 8,418 2.4% $493,068 $98,454 $1,350 0.0153
18 West Point 11,226 0.9% $515,823 $114,801 $1,541 0.0208
19 Perry 5,579 0.3% $505,366 $97,259 $1,042 0.0222
20 South Weber 7,939 2.7% $567,755 $130,769 $2,000 0.0208
21 Midway 6,019 4.4% $869,808 $130,648 $3,358 0.0094
22 Smithfield 13,658 2.7% $454,486 $87,175 $1,050 0.0037
23 Bountiful 45,353 2.6% $535,803 $96,060 $1,410 0.0130
24 Cottonwood Heights 33,257 3.2% $689,403 $110,197 $1,547 0.0204
25 Riverton 44,864 3.5% $595,710 $115,869 $1,665 0.0117
26 West Bountiful 5,905 1.4% $557,642 $123,379 $1,574 0.0208
27 Spanish Fork 42,694 1.9% $501,782 $93,989 $1,308 0.0115
28 Farr West 7,747 1.6% $593,451 $108,862 $836 0.0508
29 Sandy 95,635 2.2% $611,302 $108,165 $1,640 0.0330
30 Herriman 55,301 3.2% $581,187 $115,198 $1,702 0.0093
31 Lehi 77,110 4.4% $571,784 $117,243 $1,681 0.0327
32 Heber 16,943 2.9% $604,874 $98,934 $1,415 0.0094
33 Holladay 31,563 3.1% $738,414 $106,099 $1,505 0.0835
34 North Ogden 21,065 3.2% $495,123 $101,766 $1,419 0.0090
35 Lindon 11,478 3.7% $667,420 $101,188 $1,389 0.0327
36 Nephi 6,507 0.7% $416,654 $89,026 $1,040 0.0088
37 North Salt Lake 21,875 3.1% $551,467 $94,365 $1,507 0.0196
38 Hyde Park 5,264 3.4% $535,069 $93,306 $1,055 0.0153
39 Washington 29,161 0.8% $546,786 $94,655 $1,328 0.0167
40 Woods Cross 11,432 2.3% $501,407 $101,742 $1,417 0.0198
41 Clinton 23,389 5.3% $471,171 $102,712 $1,710 0.0133
42 Nibley 7,373 2.6% $484,518 $100,108 $1,449 0.0153
43 American Fork 33,986 3.3% $514,944 $90,490 $1,583 0.0327
44 Roy 39,064 2.6% $425,210 $83,959 $1,376 0.0121
45 Vineyard 12,663 1.8% $538,594 $94,018 $1,729 0.0327
46 North Logan 10,981 2.2% $494,144 $80,597 $1,413 0.0153
47 Harrisville 6,909 2.6% $436,056 $82,232 $1,328 0.0333
48 Springville 35,195 2.7% $482,657 $84,699 $1,367 0.0121
49 West Haven 18,334 1.8% $541,856 $92,425 $1,553 0.0508
50 Layton 81,726 2.3% $502,176 $93,453 $1,314 0.0189
51 Enoch 7,563 3.3% $431,273 $74,438 $1,112 0.0040
52 Eagle Mountain 46,109 3.4% $518,567 $100,837 $1,740 0.0327
53 Santaquin 14,463 3.1% $483,728 $91,301 $1,122 0.0088
54 Payson 21,529 4.9% $450,962 $81,387 $1,258 0.0099
55 Murray 50,041 3.2% $519,317 $81,693 $1,376 0.0529
56 South Ogden 17,476 2.1% $419,515 $80,762 $1,252 0.0138
57 Orem 97,100 3.4% $484,882 $77,568 $1,290 0.0188
58 Hooper 9,080 2.0% $598,358 $103,661 $0 0.0508
59 St. George 96,174 3.3% $502,643 $69,333 $1,335 0.0136
60 Santa Clara 7,625 3.4% $533,956 $91,625 $1,813 0.0352
61 Logan 53,246 2.5% $383,131 $52,473 $976 0.0153
62 Hyrum 9,680 3.3% $421,932 $75,951 $953 0.0153
63 West Jordan 116,383 4.2% $525,155 $99,002 $1,489 0.0248
64 Ivins 9,174 6.2% $581,574 $67,354 $1,497 0.0352
65 Grantsville 12,939 4.5% $501,504 $94,260 $964 0.0110
66 Washington Terrace 9,220 2.9% $387,788 $72,558 $1,085 0.0508
67 Ephraim 5,739 8.4% $427,176 $70,677 $907 0.0087
68 Provo 114,400 4.4% $459,320 $57,943 $1,089 0.0154
69 Moab 5,329 2.2% $553,694 $52,385 $963 0.0272
70 Tremonton 10,273 2.5% $393,053 $67,335 $1,020 0.0169
71 Clearfield 32,369 3.0% $412,470 $69,889 $1,372 0.0178
72 Sunset 5,443 3.1% $370,865 $64,604 $1,046 0.0182
73 Midvale 35,609 3.0% $470,067 $70,742 $1,379 0.0835
74 Vernal 10,141 8.9% $265,391 $58,869 $786 0.0096
75 Richfield 8,213 5.3% $313,784 $70,477 $756 0.0328
76 Riverdale 9,313 4.4% $447,847 $73,642 $1,267 0.0508
77 Price 8,174 8.2% $278,094 $47,724 $800 0.0150
78 Hurricane 20,609 3.2% $486,730 $64,182 $1,147 0.0181
79 Tooele 36,315 3.9% $424,381 $84,225 $1,117 0.0239
80 Taylorsville 59,729 4.5% $473,731 $81,417 $1,345 0.0835
81 Ogden 86,754 4.3% $374,519 $66,226 $1,056 0.0310
82 South Salt Lake 26,315 4.8% $426,533 $57,125 $1,190 0.0835
83 Roosevelt 6,884 6.8% $307,294 $66,552 $855 0.0292

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.