Salt Lake City, Utah

What’s it like living in Salt Lake City, specifically downtown?

Current downtown resident here. Keep in mind that everything is relative, so when you see people claim the homeless problem is overwhelming, where are you coming from? It’s not as bad as the PNW, but it is worse than the cities/suburbs most of the people on this sub live in.

Downtown has some cool spots and good bars/restaurants (with more on the way), but it was starting to get a true “feel” to it before covid hit. You would see full trax trains, pedestrians walking Main St and theatre crowds mixing in. That has come back a little bit, but there’s still very few people coming downtown for work.

Downtown is expected to triple its residents in the next 5-7 years with developments currently planned or under construction, so you’d be moving to a neighborhood in transition.

What else? The downtown area is in a “free fare zone,” so buses and trains are free until you pass certain stops. Our blocks are way too big and the streets are very wide, so it’s difficult to get the communal feel comparable sized cities have for a downtown entertainment district.

Overall I would recommend it, I love living here and I’d be happy to answer any further questions if you have any.

And it snows, but that’s actually a good question, because it is now fairly rare for it to stick very long with climate change and being a lower elevation than the nearby benches.

What’s it like living in Salt Lake City, specifically downtown?

if you want the full city social experience, downtown is the best part of SLC to live in (food, music, farmers marker, events, parks, public transit, etc.). My favorite part of all of it is how bike-friendly it is and nowhere else really compares in the state. Public transit is also top notch. My fiancé and I are waiting for our one lease to run out then we’re going to only do one car. In terms of outdoors:

memory grove park & city creek for hiking/biking

ensign peak is a great easy hike for sunsets

Capitol Hill is an excellent cycling area

avenues have great trailheads near there

plenty parks nearby for pickleball/tennis/hanging out

If you have other specific questions, I’d love to answer. Sorry a lot of the responses here aren’t helpful - its a big sub so gotta expect it.

What is it like to live in Salt Lake City, UT?

It's a great place to live. So much to do here if you're of the mind to make the most of it. All the great mountain locations are a mere 20-30 minutes away. Great hiking and skiing. I've lived here since 1978 and still love it. Salt Lake City is clean with a revitalized downtown. Good restaurants, music and cultural events. It's quite diverse generally because of the University of Utah and transplants from out of state. I lived at Alta my first 7 years and that was quite an experience. Alta in no way represented the culture of the city. I was ready though to move down to the valley. Lots of alternative people and perspectives. I'm at home here and can't imagine living anywhere else. Utah has 5+ national parks all within a 4-5 hour drive. Mountains, desert and much more to explore.

The LDS church rules the government which is unfortunate but Salt Lake itself is mostly Democrat and only about 40% LDS. We have an openly gay mayor and have always had Democrats in that office since the 70's. As I said we're quite diverse and all generally get along. Utah is known for its strong values and volunteerism. We can always do better though.

Downsides include the air quality. So many wildfires, smoky and ozone polluted air make even the summer difficult. Don't get me started about the awful winter inversions. We now have great public transportation options and more people should use them.

Despite the downsides Salt Lake is a great place to live. You need find your niche and experience it all.

What is it like to live in Salt Lake City, UT?

I have lived here for 65 years. I am not a Mormon, and I have traveled to every state, most of Canada and Mexico and I cannot think of any place better. We have four seasons, lakes, mountains, deserts, national parks all close by. Our streets and neighborhoods are beautiful. There are many job opportunities .We have many diverse restaurants serving some of the best foods you can want.If you are so inclined we have bars and taverns to satisfy most. And of course we have college and professional sports.

What Nobody Will Tell You About Living In Salt Lake City, Utah