If you’re thinking about moving to Utah to start your career as a young professional, then you’re probably considering living in
Salt Lake City.
While the shopping, dining, and entertainment in Salt Lake City may be appealing, the cost, traffic, and lack of open spaces aren’t a great fit for everyone. Fortunately, these 10 suburbs are great for young professionals who want the best of both worlds.
1. Woods Cross
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 877
- Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent
Woods Cross kicks off our list with a population of just over 10,000, making it the perfect spot for a young professional who wants a close-knit community to come home to. Modern townhouses are a great fit for young professionals, while new construction Tudor and Mediterranean style houses give young professionals room to grow.
Spend your weekends relaxing at community events, including movies and concerts in the park, or stretch your legs after a day at your desk with a hike through the Legacy Nature Preserve.
2. Midvale
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 2,170
- Residents age 22-29: 20.1 percent
Midvale earns the second place spot on our list with a high percent of residents age 22-29, thousands of amenities, and plenty of chic modern condos and townhouses perfect for young professionals.
Spend your Fridays enjoying a free concert in the park, stay fit at the recently remodeled Copperview Recreation Center, or enjoy a picnic with friends on the weekend at Midvale City Park.
3. North Salt Lake
Key Stats:
- Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders: $50,769
- Residents age 22-29: 15.7 percent
Young professionals who want to be close to the action will love the third place suburb on our list, North Salt Lake. Modern townhouses, rambler style homes, and ranch houses are common in this Salt Lake City suburb.
Local golf courses and nearby mountains and nature preserves give North Salt Lake residents plenty of ways to stay active. Salt Lake City is about 10 minutes away by car, making it a perfect commuter suburb.
4. Sandy
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 4,510
- Residents with a bachelor’s degree: 25.4 percent
Young professionals who want something in-between rural and city life will find their perfect fit in the city of Sandy, which has a population of over 88,000. Modern townhouses and ranch style homes are common in this Salt Lake City suburb.
Sandy is well connected by the UTA train line, and offers convenient shopping from big name retailers at the South Towne Center and Sandy Village. Stretch your legs after a day on the job with horseback riding, biking, or hiking through scenic Dimple Dell Park.
5. Murray
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 969
- Residents age 22-29: 14.9 percent
The well-connected suburb of Murray earns the fifth place on our list. Murray’s affordable townhouses and condos are perfect for young professionals, while contemporary houses give residents room to grow.
Convenient shopping is available at Fashion Place, and nature enthusiasts can get their fix at Murray Park, which has fields, a gazebo, and an amphitheater for residents to enjoy.
6. Draper (tie)
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 1,939
- Residents in professional occupations: 48.1 percent
Draper is tied for the sixth place spot on our list with plenty of amenities for young professionals to enjoy. Home buyers in this Salt Lake City suburb have a range of housing options to choose from, including modern townhouses and cottage style homes.
Arts and culture enthusiasts will love the live shows at the Draper City Amphitheater, and community events like Summer Concerts in the Park. Active young professionals will love the city’s 35+ parks and over 80 miles of trails.
6. South Salt Lake (tie)
Key Stats:
- Cost of living: 94, compared to the Salt Lake City average of 102
- Residents age 22-29: 18.2 percent
Your hard earned money will go a whole lot further in South Salt Lake, the second suburb tied for sixth. A low cost of living and affordable townhouses with great amenities are perfect for young professionals.
Hit the links and network at the Central Valley Golf Course, or check out a new book at the local Salt Lake County Library branch. Residents are less than 10 minutes away from downtown Salt Lake City by car, and are well connected by UTA trains, which makes South Salt Lake a great suburb for commuters.
8. West Jordan
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 2,600
- Residents age 22-29: 12.6 percent
West Jordan earns the eighth place spot on our list with plenty of amenities for young professionals to enjoy on weekends. Townhouses and charming cottages are common housing options in this Salt Lake City suburb.
Golf enthusiasts can hit the links and network at the Mountain View Golf Course. Shop at unique local retailers, grab a bite to eat, or get some fresh local produce and enjoy live music at the Farmers Market at the Gardner Village shopping center.
9. South Jordan
Key Stats:
- Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders: $53,508
- Residents in professional occupations: 47.5 percent
South Jordan comes in ninth on our list of the best Salt Lake City suburbs for young professionals, with a plenty of options for home buyers. Modern townhouses, contemporary style houses, and new construction homes with a range of architectural influences are all common in this suburb.
Stay fit at the South Jordan Fitness and Aquatics Center, or hit the links and network at the Glenmoor Golf Course. Community events like the annual South Jordan Art Show are a great way to meet other young professionals and enjoy local talent.
10. Centerville
Key Stats:
- Residents in professional occupations: 47.7 percent
- Unemployment rate: 3.5 percent
The scenic suburb of Centerville rounds out our list with modern townhouses and farmhouse style homes available for potential home buyers.
Centerville is nestled between beautiful mountains and the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, giving nature enthusiasts plenty of places to explore on weekends. The 10,000 square foot Centerville Library is a great spot to cool off and enjoy a good book on a hot summer day.
Our Methodology
To create this list of the best Salt Lake City suburbs for young professionals, we looked at the following criteria:
- Percent of residents age 22-29
- Percent of residents who attained a bachelor’s degree
- Median earnings for those who attained a bachelor’s degree
- Percent of residents who work in management, business, financial, or other professional fields
- Cost of living
Then, because some things are just a little more important to young professionals than others, we weighted the percent of residents age 22-29 and amenities per capita to make up 35 percent of our score. Professional opportunity made up 20 percent, and cost of living made up 10 percent.
We then averaged those weighted scores into one overall score, and the 10 lowest overall scores made the cut for this list.
Data comes from the
U.S. Census and
AreaVibes.
Want to see how other Salt Lake City suburbs ranked? Check out the table below:
Like This Post? You’ll Definitely Love These:
