Known as The Beehive State, Utah residents are revered for their hard work and community. And, like a hive that homes thousands of honeybees, Salt Lake City is full of diverse neighborhoods that more than 200,000 people call home.
Each community offers something unique for everyone. From the hip area of Sugarhouse to busy Downtown to eclectic 9th and 9th, you can find a living area you'll love anywhere in Salt Lake City. We've compiled a list of Salt Lake City facts for 10 different neighborhoods so you can get a taste for what each has to offer.
As the Mormon Pioneers settled into Salt Lake City, they organized the streets in a numbered grid system. Temple Square is located in the prime meridian, or zero East, zero West, zero North, zero South. From there, the street located one block south would be called 100 South (1st south); the street located two blocks south would be 200 South and so on and so forth.
So, you'll find the area of 9th and 9th located roughly nine blocks away from Temple Square. This neighborhood in Salt Lake City is eclectic, festive and full of great coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques.
Five fun facts about 9th and 9th
- 9th and 9th frequently boasts it's a “locals only" neighborhood as the majority of restaurants and shops are locally-owned, small businesses
- The Coffee Garden is an infamous Salt Lake City coffee shop nestled into the heart of this neighborhood. The Coffee Garden even has a framed photo of an old, neighboring Starbucks sign being dismantled in the spirit of staying local.
- Each September, the neighborhood of 9th and 9th hosts a street festival where locals can buy and sell their homemade goods
- To enhance the neighborhood, artist Troy Pillow created and installed nine kinetic sculptures inspired by Greek muses. The nine muses symbolize 9th and 9th. These sculptures represent things like the muse of music and anatomy and are scattered throughout the area.
- Local real estate agents have named this Salt Lake City neighborhood the “zenest" in the city because you'll often see yogis walking to and from their daily yoga class
The Avenues is another popular neighborhood located northeast of downtown Salt Lake City. As the oldest neighborhood in the city, it's full of old-world charm and class but is now comprised of a primarily younger crowd.
Five fun facts about The Avenues
- Streets in the Avenues used to be named after different types of trees and fruits. However, the streets are now named after letters and numbers.
- Homes in the Avenues are a wide variety of styles, from Gothic to Queen Anne to Craftsman
- Located in the Avenues, you'll find an artisan chocolate shop called Hatch Family Chocolates. The owner, Steve Hatch, and his wife were featured on TLC's TV show called “Little Chocolatiers" in 2009.
- Back in the day, the Salt Lake Railroad Company offered mule and horse-drawn trolley rides through the Avenues. Unfortunately, that perk is no longer available today.
- The Cathedral of the Madeleine was the first cathedral built in Utah under the direction of the first bishop in Salt Lake. This beautiful cathedral is located right in the center of the Avenues.
Photo courtesy of Block 44
If you're looking for a mix of downtown and suburban life, this neighborhood is for you. Central City is within a 10-minute drive of downtown Salt Lake, but when you're home in your neighborhood, you'll be surrounded by families enjoying the evening in their front yards. This area is hip and alive and full of fun things to do.
Five fun facts about Central City
- Liberty Park is the second-largest park in the city and features more than 80 acres of open space to play. The park has a large pond, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a small amusement park and an aviary.
- Located at Liberty Park in Central City is the Tracy Aviary. This bird sanctuary is the largest and oldest free-standing aviary in the country.
- Salt Lake City used to have a thriving trolley transportation business in the late 1800s. Known today as Trolley Square, you can shop and dine around in what used to be a former hub for Salt Lake's trolley cars.
- Trolley carts also play a part in U.S. history. In 1880, the Salt Lake Power, Light and Heating Company was formed and Salt Lake City became the world's fifth city with a central source of electricity. The city used this electricity to run street and trolley cars throughout the city and even down to Provo.
- Central City is part of a historic zone because the original 10 acres remain intact and were part of Joseph Smith's original city plan
It's not surprising that the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Salt Lake City gets its name from the state capitol building located close by. Built between 1912 and 1916, the capitol is nestled into the slopes that overlook the entire downtown valley.
The magnificent building is the focal point of this neighborhood, but there are plenty of Salt Lake City fun facts specific to the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Five fun facts about Capitol Hill
- Because the capitol building is located in the heart of this neighborhood, there are a few interesting facts about it. Each summer, the city hosts an outdoor family movie night where anyone is welcome to enjoy city views and catch a flick on the lawn.
- When people visit Salt Lake City, they often visit Temple Square to see the spectacular granite structure and place of worship of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But, you may now know that the capitol is made from the same gorgeous granite that the temple is. The granite was mined from local Little Cottonwood Canyon and even had a dedicated railroad that was used to haul granite from the quarry to the hill.
- Located near Capitol Hill is the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Like all cemeteries, there are gravesites representing the final resting place of those gone before. But, the oldest grave in Salt Lake is located here where little Mary M. Wallace was buried in 1847.
- When the Mormon Pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City, they surveyed the entire city on top of what is now called Ensign Peak. Right in the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, residents can hike the steep but short hike to the top and have incredible views of the city and the Great Salt Lake.
- Memory Grove Park lives up to its namesake as it's a park made as a memorial to Utah's veterans. This serene park is located within the Capitol Hill neighborhood and is a great space for running, walking or enjoying a peaceful moment outdoors.
Downtown Salt Lake City is the thriving capital of Utah. Between the beautiful City Creek Mall and the infamous Temple Square, the Downtown neighborhood is a fun place to live. The largest city in Utah, Downtown Salt Lake is home to 200,000 people.
Living in Downtown Salt Lake offers residents more diverse and eclectic options. Historically, the eastern bench was more expensive to live in because of the views of the mountains and the location of the railroad. Now, downtown housing varies in pricing but offers options for everyone.
Fun facts about Downtown
- Long before the Mormon Pioneers settled in Salt Lake City, the valley was home to Native American tribes for thousands of years
- Downtown Salt Lake City is the world headquarters of the Mormon Church
- More people visit Temple Square annually than they do the five National Parks in Utah
- Ty Burrell, better known as Phil Dunphy from Modern Family, owns two bars in Downtown Salt Lake City, Bar X and Beer Bar
- Downtown Salt Lake is home to the Utah Jazz, where you may see a basketball player or two around the arena
Located on the east side of the city at the base of the Wasatch Mountain Range, you'll find an affluent neighborhood called the East Bench. This neighborhood is mainly residential, but you'll find some strip malls scattered throughout.
In the East Bench, you'll find popular state landmarks like the Hogle Zoo, the University of Utah campus, Red Butte Gardens and This Is The Place Heritage Park. Residents living in the East Bench have views of both the stunning mountains and the twinkling city.
Five fun facts about the East Bench
- Billionaire Jon Huntsman, Sr., a philanthropist and businessman lived in the East Bench. His legacy lives on as his foundation continues to research cures for cancer.
- Looking for a great garlic burger? Try the hole-in-the-wall bar called The Cotton Bottom. Located near the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon, you can try one of the state's best burgers.
- Utah hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002. While those games may have ended, you can still check out the location of the Olympic Torch at Rice Eccles Stadium.
- At an elevation of more than 9,000 feet, Mt. Olympus is one of the most prominent peaks in Salt Lake and is definitely recognizable for those who live in the East Bench. While it's a tough hike, it's completely worth it for the views.
- Before the Mormon Pioneers settled, Shoshone and Ute tribes were the first inhabitants of the East Bench area
This neighborhood in west Salt Lake City has spirit. Originally part of Glendale and near Rose Park, the area of Poplar Grove wanted to be its own defined neighborhood and broke away in the early 1990s. Now, it is its own distinct neighborhood with elected officials, official boundaries and a strong sense of community.
The western side of Salt Lake is full of diverse populations, and Poplar Grove is no exception. You'll find a variety of cultures and ethnicities within this small suburb. Also, housing is affordable, especially compared to pricing on the East Bench.
Five fun facts about Poplar Grove
- Poplar Grove gets its name because a developer planted a large grove of trees that still exist today
- Because of the diversity, Poplar Grove residents will see a strong Latino influence in everything from restaurants to grocery stores to shops
- Taqueria El-Ray, a local restaurant, ranked on Yahoo's list of best burritos in America in 2015
- Red Iguana 2, another local favorite, serves world-renowned mole, so make sure to add this restaurant to your bucket list
- Poplar Grove is the second-largest neighborhood in Salt Lake City
Rose Park is a very small, very diverse neighborhood in Salt Lake City. Located just five minutes northwest of downtown Salt Lake City, residents will find themselves in a neighborhood where housing is still affordable for first-time homebuyers.
The neighborhood gets its name because of the street layout and design. The developer arranged the streets in a rose pattern, with the main street being the stem of the rose.
Five fun facts about Rose Park
- The city planner wanted the Rose Park neighborhood to look like a rose from a bird's-eye view. Each street is short and curves around one another like rose petals and the neighborhood's main street is named “American Beauty Drive." While you may not see the rose-shaped pattern on the day-to-day, you can still see the roots of the story in the street names as some are named after rose types.
- Do you like Mexican cuisine? Well, then you're in luck because Utah's most popular Mexican restaurant, Red Iguana, is right in the heart of Rose Park.
- Rose Park has a strong community council dedicated to making the neighborhood thrive and help change the stigma around the neighborhood's reputation
- Each spring, Rose Park hosts a small street festival to engage the community
- The neighborhood hosts an annual Turkey Bowl between Rose Park and Glendale neighborhoods
The Sugar House neighborhood in Salt Lake City is liberal, vibrant and active. The area offers a healthy blend of boutique, locally-owned stores, as well as strip malls. Located in the center is a private college, Westminster College, which adds a fun flair and “college town" vibe to the neighborhood.
The homes in this neighborhood are generally older, but with the age, comes beautiful tree-lined streets.
Five fun facts about Sugar House
- You'd never guess now, but Sugar House was the area of the first prison in Utah
- Remember "High School Musical?" The popular Disney movie featuring Troy Bolton, the dreamy, singing basketball star was filmed at East High School, located in the Sugar House neighborhood.
- Two Olympic athletes reside in Sugar House: Jared Goldberg and Logan Tom
- The neighborhood owes its namesake to Margaret McMeans Smoot who was the wife of the mayor. She coined the name Sugar House because of the sugar beet factory in the area.
- Come to Utah for the Greatest Snow on Earth? You're not alone. You can access almost all of the world-famous ski resorts within 30 minutes from Sugar House.
Photo courtesy of Blue Koi
No, the Yalecrest neighborhood doesn't feature an actual Ivy League school, but the area is often referred to as the “Harvard-Yale" neighborhood because multiple streets are named after the prestigious schools. While you won't see any Yale Bulldogs about, it's still a great neighborhood to raise a family. Located on the East Bench of Salt Lake City, this neighborhood is vibrant, family-friendly and an overall great place to live.
The schools are highly-rated nationwide and its located near the U of U campus. You'll experience a mix of families with elementary school-aged children, as well as college students.
Five fun facts about Yalecrest
- Before it became an expensive neighborhood, the area now known as Yalecrest used to be farmland
- Ezra Taft Benson, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture during the Eisenhower administration, used to live in the Yalecrest neighborhood
- Also, many prominent LDS leaders call this neighborhood home, including the current Mormon Prophet Russell M. Nelson
- TV's favorite dad, Phil Dunphy, a.k.a. Ty Burrell, has lived in this neighborhood, too
- Nestled into the neighborhood you can find the Miller Bird Refuge and Sunnyside Park, which are two beautiful parks dedicated to preserving nature and wildlife
Choosing a Salt Lake City neighborhood for you
While Salt Lake City is a relatively small metro area compared to cities like Chicago or New York, you'll still find a wide variety of housing options and neighborhoods to call home. These 50 Salt Lake City facts can help you make a decision of where to settle down.
