Youre in the right place.
Ive lived in Salt Lake City for more than a decade (theres so much to love!).
But, thats not to say itsallsunshine and rainbows.
Living in Salt Lake City | (shutterstock/Maciej Bledowski)
But first, whats it like living in Salt Lake City if youre not Mormon?
Contrary to popular belief, there are thriving secular and non-religious communities in Salt Lake City.
In my experience, people are respectful of different faiths and world views.
Living in Salt Lake City, Utah
The biggest challenge of living in SLC as a non-Mormon?
But look at me already getting ahead of myself!
The Perks of Living in Salt Lake City
1.
Living in Salt Lake City | (shutterstock/f11photo)
Unparalleled Access to Nature
Nature nuts, rejoice!
Locals are spoiled for choice with the diversity of landscapes.
Heck, you dont even need to leave town to get access to the great outdoors.
Living in Salt Lake City (Shutterstock/Sean Pavone)
Theres735 acres of parklandlocated in SLC.
Which means youre never more than a few minutes away from green spaces.
If you’re free to code, youll be in high demand.
Living in Salt Lake City (Shutterstock/Jason Finn)
Seasoned professionals are not forgotten and jobs are fairly easy to come by.
The current unemployment rate is merely2.6%, which is well below thenational average.
However, we all know the old adage that its not aboutwhatyou know, butwhoyou know.
Wildfire in the mountains outside SLC | Living in Salt Lake City
Yep, more than half the folks living in Salt Lake City, Utah are between 27-42 years old.
Thankfully a little overprice avocado toast never hurt anybody.
I ended up moving to SLC from the Pacific Northwest (where this tool was non-negotiable).
Living in Salt Lake City (shutterstock/Layne V. Naylor)
But, I should clarify, the city offers plenty of sunshine, but the temps span the gamut.
I liken SLCs weather to an indecisive aunt trying to choose a restaurant.
Further still, the city gets a perfect100 score from the Human Rights Campaignfor LGBTQ+ friendly cities.
The University of Utah is largely to thank for the cosmopolitan attitude attracting students from all over the world.
As with most places, cities are way more diverse than the more remote areas.
Theres a lot going on downtown!
No small feat, especially considering a lot of towns took a hit post-COVID.
The people-watching opportunities are endless!
Its not hard to see why, the city has so much to offer!
The Great Food Scene
Foodies thinking about moving to Salt Lake City can rest easy.
The restaurant scene in Salt Lake is both surprisingly and incredibly diverse with flavors from all over the world.
Salt Lake City recentlyranked as one of the cleanest citiesin America.
Simply walking the streets is a job because the city feels so clean.
Whats not to love?
Cons of Living in Salt Lake City
1.
Well, if youre curious about that then youre in the right place, because thats my current situation.
Most of my neighbors are Mormon, theyre some of the kindest people I know.
Just being honest here.
The constant threat of wildfires have become a part of daily life in SLC.
Locals wait, with bated breath, to see if the upcoming summer will be worst than the last.
The current median home price in Salt Lake City is580K,which is much higher thanthe national average.
I like to think of the housing market as a mirage.
I hear locals talk about affordable housing like its a mythical creature.
Weve heard the tales, but were not entirely sure it exists.
But its not hard to see why housing is on the rise.
Salt Lake City has experienced significant economic growth, particularly in sectors like technology, healthcare, and finance.
Thriving job markets and expensive housing go hand in hand.
The recent spike in job opportunities has led to an influx of workers, increasing demand for housing.
Restrictive Alcohol Laws
Alright, heres another give away that Im not Mormon, I love a strong libation.
After all these cons youre probably ready for a drink, eh?
Alcohol laws in Salt Lake City are some of the most restrictive in the country.
All liquor transactions directly to the public must happen at state-run liquor stores.
Getting higher gravity beers requires a visit to one of aforementioned state run liquor stores.
Ready to head back home to that expensive house?
You better hope those pours were as light as the state requires.
Air pollution has been a growing problem for many years now and doesnt show signs of slowing anytime soon.
Part of the problem is the constant wildfire smoke that engulfs the city come summer.
Easy to assume that the air quality improves in the winter.
But not so fast!
The frequent winter inversions are worth considering.
The winter months are infamous for inversions that trap the valley with pollutants for days at a time.
All this to say, brace from poor air quality before moving to Salt Lake City.
Moving to Salt Lake City?
Think Drought & Dry Skin
The drought in Salt Lake City has become a major concern in recent years.
The greatSalt Lake itself is drying upand reaching record low levels every year.
Just getting to the lake itself requires a considerable hike because of how much water has receded.
But the drought conditions dont stop there.
Heck, according to the latest statistics Utah ranked as the2nd driest state in America.
And, as I mentioned earlier, 62% of the population identifies as Mormon.
Well, thats been my experience, yours may be different.
