Utah - Real Estate

Move to Utah

Famous for its dramatic beauty, Utah's redrock canyons, lush forests, snowcapped mountains and countless streams and lakes attract visitors and residents alike into the great outdoors. Utah is also known for the gathering of Mormons residing here. In addition to being the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Utah hosts the Sundance Film Festival and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. It also has countless natural attractions, including Bonneville Salt Flats, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (where the popular tourist destination Lake Powell is located) and Dead Horse Point State Park. The Great Salt Lake also calls Utah home as the largest lake west of the Great Lakes. Utah is one of the Four Corners states, and is bordered by Idaho and Wyoming in the north; by Colorado in the east; at a single point by New Mexico to the southeast (at the Four Corners Monument); by Arizona in the south; and by Nevada in the west.

Utah is the fifth most affordable state in the nation, with an average cost of living at 10% below the average, and housing costs coming in at 15% below the national average. The 2.2 million residents of the state enjoy unmatched natural beauty, a low cost of living and an excellent quality of life. Housing prices are very affordable, with a median home price of $141,000.

In recent decades, tourism has become a significant factor in the economy, along with aerospace, biomedical and high-tech businesses. Utah provides a high standard of living. The state's economy boasts rapid job growth, low unemployment and increasing diversity among industries. There isn't much cultivated land in the state, but significant amounts of livestock and various crops are grown. Utah has long been a leader in the mining of gold, silver, lead and other minerals, and oil has become a major product as well.

While Salt Lake City and its 175,000 residents get most of the attention, the majority of Utah residents live scattered in small towns of 20,000 or less. The largest cities in the state include Provo, West Valley City, Sandy and Orem. Favorite recreational activities include hiking, camping, fishing, biking, whitewater rafting, skiing and snowboarding. Utah has many high-quality colleges and universities, many of which rank competitively in academics and athletics, including Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Westminster College and Utah State University.

Most of Utah is arid and high in elevation. Snowfall is common from late November through March in the lower elevations and from October through May in the mountains. In the summer, high temperatures average between 85°F and 100°F. Spring is the wettest season across the north while late summer and early fall is when the most precipitation happens in the south and winter is the snowiest season in most of the mountain areas. Temperatures during the winter across much of Utah are below freezing.

To learn more about specific communities in Utah, request a Free Relocation Packet prepared by a HomeRoute Preferred™ local community expert. This exclusive guide will be customized to your specific home search and help you prepare for your upcoming move to Utah.

Information provided courtesy of HomeRoute.