Salt Lake City...could I live there?

[ben h]

I've lived and worked in a lot of different parts of the country, but I've always kept a home in Salt Lake City (Sugarhouse). I grew up there and really enjoy it. We were technically LDS but didn't do anything with the LDS church, so we weren't ostracized or anything, but that was an issue 30 years ago; I doubt it is now unless you're in a highly LDS area like Utah or Davis county. SLC is not really that LDS. Summit county to the east is even less LDS and if you're wanting to be out of the dreaded winter inversion, you'll want to be in Summit or Wasatch county. The air quality in SLC is one of the things I really don't miss much; it can be pretty bad at times due to being situated in a big basin and if wind or storms don't move the air out it's pretty nasty. Good news is if you want to get out of it and enjoy a hike, you're only a few miles from the mountains, gain a little elevation, and you're out of it. I've been working in Tennessee for the last 6 months and the thing I miss the most about Utah, is public land EVERYWHERE. There's lots of land in other places except it's mostly private.....drives me nuts out here.

 

[Like2hunt]

I live in a little town in Utah and going up north to salt lake is not a place I ever like going. It seems like one big city all the way from payson up. I would hate to live there. If you lived up there I wouldn’t worry too much about not being LDS especially being in a big city like that.

 

[roadrunner]

Don't let any of the stereotypes about UT and religion make the decision for you because it's really a non-issue.

I might be taking a serious look at relocating up that way myself as well...

 

[ramsdude47]

Definitely not a non-issue IMO, but should be minimized in SLC compared to smaller towns. The state government is almost completely LDS, the odds that is a non-issue seems pretty slim. I live 20 minutes away from UT in CO partially because I love visiting UT, and there is next to no chance I would move to UT.

 

[IH8Cali]

The whole LDS thing is a bunch of old stereotypes from a long-gone era. I've lived in UT for about 8 years now, am a proud and devout atheist, and my LDS neighbors and I get along absolutely fine. We all help each other out, look after one another, and mind our own business. I've never once been approached about the church etc., and my kids aren't ostracized for not being into fantasy.

Last night after working in the shop, I enjoyed some herbal therapy alongside a frosty Sierra Nevada, in "LDS Government ran" Utah. This isn't your parents Utah, but it isn't without its quirkiness...just like EVERYWHERE else. Now, if you can afford to buy a house here now, is a completely other story.

 

[JCohHTX]

Thanks all for the responses and PMs. Rokslide has the answers to all of life's questions! Wife and I have a lot to discuss.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[zion zig zag]

If you like to ski, climb, mountain bike or hunt, but your job requires you live in a city, SLC is probably the best place in the US.

The air quality is a bummer though, the winter inversions can be long and nasty.

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[mtnrunner260]

Dude don't be fooled by all these spam accounts obviously from the UT tourism office. No one wants to come here and partake of Utahs outdoor activities.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Place is way too "woke" for me, and the mentally ill homeless roaming
the streets doesnt help any.

 

[CorbLand]

SLC wouldn’t be my first choice but it has jobs and good access to what ever you want.

Don’t worry about being non LDS. If your not an asshole about it you will find that most aren’t assholes back. I live in a way small, higher percentage LDS area of Utah and I don’t have issues as non LDS. Recognize that you are moving to an area like that and that it’s important to Utahans and their identity/history, respect it and you will be fine.

I think most people that are non LDS people in Utah spend more time thinking/wanting to be judged than they actually are.

 

[zion zig zag]

Place is way too "woke" for me, and the mentally ill homeless roaming
the streets doesnt help any.

Bless your heart.

 

[JCohHTX]

Just as an update, we are passing on the SLC opportunity. Went out there with the wife for some recon. Really like the city and neighborhoods, but the air quality is a major issue for us and the three little kids. When we went it wasn't an inversion or summer fires, but the air was still bad due to dust blown in from the Great Salt Lake. As that lake recedes due to the mega-drought, more dust with heavy metals gets blown into SLC (and some scientists say it darkens snow pack and leads to early runoff). Burned our eyes and throat and makes the mountains hazy. Locals don't seem to notice so I guess you get used to it.

 

[Wolf_trapper]

Just as an update, we are passing on the SLC opportunity. Went out there with the wife for some recon. Really like the city and neighborhoods, but the air quality is a major issue for us and the three little kids. When we went it wasn't an inversion or summer fires, but the air was still bad due to dust blown in from the Great Salt Lake. As that lake recedes due to the mega-drought, more dust with heavy metals gets blown into SLC (and some scientists say it darkens snow pack and leads to early runoff). Burned our eyes and throat and makes the mountains hazy. Locals don't seem to notice so I guess you get used to it.

The things so many people can ignore or be blissfully ignorant to blows my mind. I'm just glad people are happy staying in places like that instead of moving to greener pastures.

 

[kmag74]

I have lived in utah for a number of years. I own a ATV rental company st george ut and I highly recommend that you explore southern part of the state. Not a lot of people know, but there are a number of ATV trails and sand dunes that are very unique to the area. Utah is very diverse in the terrain and if you are an outdoor guy then this will be heaven for you!

 

[UTJL]

I know you passed on the opportunity but thought I’d add my two cents, in case someone else is considering it. I’ve lived in SLC over two spans in the past 10 years, for 6 years total.

Pros:
Great airport, you can fly most places direct
Great economy especially with the tech companies moving here
Easy access to the mountains from the city (20-30 minutes)
You can take weekend trips from Yellowstone all the way to Zion NP
7 Ski resorts with 1.5 hours
Some bigger city amenities, if you like that

Cons:
It’s getting crowded on the trails, rivers and ski slopes (expect 2 hour stop and go traffic to get to go skiing on the weekends)
House prices have gone way up and the supply is low
Inversion/pollution
The big game populations are low for the people population, so LE tags are great and OTC tags are like CO
Rush hour traffic is now a thing (not like LA, but you have to plan for it)
The water shortage is a real issue that will need to be addressed

Religion isn’t an issue in SLC. I have LDS and non LDS friends. The alcohol laws are over exaggerated and CO had similar laws until 2019.