Moving back to Utah soon and need advice on the best place to live in Utah county.

Let me give some background: yes, I know what I'm getting myself into so looking more for some positive vibes here. :-)

My life in a paragraph: I grew up in small-town Utah as a good Mormon girl. Got married in the big house, had a half-dozen kids, did everything expected of me, yada, yada. Saw the light when I was about 40, took the requisite few years to grow the kahunas to actually leave (most difficult yet best decision of my life!) moved a few thousand miles away, got divorced. Now I'm newly married (interestingly enough to an ex-Mo from the east coast) and he's just been offered a new job in Utah, but Utah county of all places. I'm excited because I have a lot of family there, including most of my kids. Understandably a little sick knowing full well the culture I'm moving back to.

My question is, where's the best ex-mo place to live within commuting distance? What are some of the best venues and things to do that don't involve cookies and kook-aid? (Haha, typo, but I'm leaving it!) I need my excitement to outweigh my worry. We live in Chicago right now and I'm in a job I absolutely love, but this is a positive move for us. Really! REALLY!! :-)

Suggestions?

Close to Utah County....There are diverse/nonmo pockets of normalcy in Draper and Sandy, but do your research first. Check out neighborhoods on Sun to get the vibe of them.

I work in Utah County and nonmormon co-workers of mine live up in Cottonwood Heights, Holladay and Sugar House. Longer commutes but they like where they live and less mormony for them

Bluffdale or Draper, it would take maybe 20 minutes to get to Orem. I've heard it's a lot different in that area, and maybe 40-50% LDS.

I also have exmo friends who live in Springville and are pretty happy there.

Not sure where I'd recommend in Utah County. Maybe Lehi.

I agree with the advice to drive around neighborhoods on Sunday, if you get the chance. If you see people mowing lawns or kids out playing, that could be a good sign.

We need more diversity of thought in Utah County!

YES!!! Plop yourself down right in the middle mormonville and be outspoken! Help bring down the tyranny of repression. That's what is really needed. Not hiding in less mo enclaves.

And it seems less Mormony than Provo or Orem.

As far as venues, what are you interested in? There's a vibrant music scene within the counter-culture, and bands play at places like City Limits and ABGs.

I live in Lehi and is full of LDS , also the amount of kids you see playing and making noise is unbelieved

There are lots of ex-Mo's in Utah County. You didn't specify where he's working, but I'd guess north end of the county, as that's where most of the businesses that would bring people in from other states are located.

I honestly doubt you'll have too much trouble outside of Provo or Orem. The culture has changed dramatically in the near-15 years I've lived here. In 2001, half the bill.boards were LDS-themed, and Provo/Orem was the economic engine of the county. Now, tons of tech companies are moving in -- Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe, EMC, eBay -- and bringing with them money and out-of-state talent. I don't see hardly any LDS-themed bill.boards any more.

Everybody has a family member, friend, or neighbor that left the church and resigned.

I would check out Payson and that area. Think the most reasonable property prices. Just sold out after 25 years and moved out of Utah. Good luck

Coming from the east coast, all of the property prices in Utah seem reasonable to me. You can buy a lot of house for the money there as opposed to the east or west coast.

Prices are high relative to median income.

I think Payson is nice, too. I don't know the Mormon situation, but it is so beautiful there -- rural with horse pastures and cows grazing and gorgeous mountain views unspoiled by subdivisions. Plus, hop on I-15 and the Draper area isn't too far away. Even downtown SLC isn't all that far. My first choice if I returned to Utah would be Park City but very pricey and I wouldn't want to do the commute from there to Lindon. So, Payson would be my choice.

Wow! Thanks for the quick feedback. His job is in Lindon, so sounds like there are some decent choices. I really appreciate the idea of driving around on a Sunday to see what's going on in a neighborhood. I wouldn't have thought of that! I've been away for 10 years, so I'm trying not to think of how much I've forgotten lol.

Music venues are much appreciated. My son is in a band out there, so I'm sure we'll spend many pleasant evenings listening to him in various bars as well. (So excited for that aspect of moving!)

We've been pretty spoiled here with so many offerings. We recently went on a "museum crawl" where they had drinks and food at a variety of museums with a trolley to carry us from one to the next. We're really open to most anything. Maybe catch a Real game, definitely hit the national parks, and free is always good!

My only advice pertaining to moving back to Utah would be D O N T

When my husband made noises about applying for some jobs in Utah a few years ago, I told him I wouldn't even consider moving there, for several reasons. Ugh, of all the possible places to live in the US, Utah? Oh hell no.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2014 02:18PM by serena.

So the subdivisions clustered around the thanksgiving point tech boom area seem to be okay, if not great. That's where our second home is. We are there once a month. It's slightly stifling, but livable. But we are weekenders only.

The new outlet mall, the starbucks, and the influx of outsiders is certainly helping things towards "normalcy" in that area.

Plus it's close to the frontrunner, slc, etc.

It's honestly not that bad, even in the heart of Utah Valley. Despite the aggressive Mormon presence (church buildings on every corner, Mormon-oriented businesses, extra public transit service for Mormon events, etc), non-Mos are gaining ground. There are lots of coffee shops, a decent music scene in Salt Lake, plenty of businesses open on Sunday, and an increasingly-diverse population (off the BYU campus, that is).

Family ex-Mos tell me that there are plenty of no-Mos even in Provo and Orem -- you just have to know where to go to meet them. Once you enthusiastically invite the cookie-bearing door-knockers out for coffee once or twice, they'll leave you alone.

Alpine on the North end of Utah county is close to Lindon, and Woodland Hills on the South end of Utah county are both great. I also like Mapleton just South of Springville. Living anywhere in the Canyons or even up as far as Park City or Midway area seem to be less influenced by the Mormon culture.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2014 05:56PM by builderbob.

I live in American Fork and there are a few great houses for sale in my neighborhood... :) bonus - there's a community pool!

North Utah County is probably the nicest, IMHO, but its mega-Mormany. Alpine is expensive (average homes are at 500k+), but over-the-top LDS and conservative. Highland is a bit more affordable, but I think even more LDS and conservative (think Gale Razika types) than Alpine. North-east Lehi, in the Micron/Adobe area, is very nice and somewhat high-end affordable. I have also heard that northeast Lehi is becoming much more diverse, due to an influx of out of state technology jobs. Lindon itself is a very nice town, with some neighborhoods that are quite high-end. Bluffdale is pretty much cowboys and polygamists, as is Herriman. Draper is pretty much Alpine, just on the other side of the mountain. I've been in Utah County for 15 years (8 as a nonbeliever). It's beautiful, with lots to do, but pretty uptight and conservative. Again, just IMO.

Take a look at a new development called Edgewater. A friend is downsizing and is buying a very nice townhouse for a reasonable price. Lots of amenities including a front runner stop. He says most of his neighbors so far are non-Mormon.

Mormons are the minority by the U of Utah (Federal Heights), Sugar House, Olympus Cove, East Sandy, Union Heights. Draper is better than crazy Alpine. The South Towne Center in Sandy is more of a central shopping area than is the downtown Salt Lake area. Except for the U and the cultural events, you wouldn't need to live that far north.

Park City is our favorite place, but too far away for you to live. Do go there, every chance you get! The skiing is better at Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, we think. Deer Valley is too expensive. Sundance is nice.

You could live in Heber, if you are used to a small town. The Mormons have always dominated Midway, but not Heber. It is a 20 minute drive from Provo, but the winter commute can be scary. I know a lot of people who live in Heber and work in Provo.

I have learned how to avoid Mormons. I know where they hang out, and when, and what they like to do, so I stay away from those things.

My kids and I love Utah! There is a lot of sunshine here. We love the distinct 4 seasons. We all are graduates of the University of Utah, and it was less expensive for my kids to go there, because they could live at home. We love Ute football! Behind our house is Wasatch National Forest, where we hike to our heart's content. We also mountain bike. There are lakes, rivers, canyons, rock climbing cliffs, and in the winter there is free show-shoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding. I only miss a few days of walking my dog--when the temperature drops below 26 degrees, that's my limit! Snow and rain aren't a problem. Southern Utah is always a fun getaway, when we need warmer weather.

My ex-Mormon children live just down the street, and some in Union Heights. I wouldn't live anywhere else. I have lived by the ocean, but there were always crowds of people, and not as much of a variety of things to do. In the summer, we water ski and wakeboard at Jordanelle, which is smoother than the ocean and bay. We have friends who sail on the Great Salt Lake.

Salt Lake's ballet and symphony are excellent, and so are the few operas. Major musical groups perform here, and we get excellent broadway shows. There's a Shakespeare festival in Cedar City. We enjoy the Bees, as well as the Real, and Ute basketball.

Ignore the Mormons. Set boundaries, and don't allow them to cross over into your private life. We have a "No Solicitors" sign on our door. When someone ignores that, I try to get them to give me MONEY for my many charities. They don't come back. Enjoy all the good, positive things that the Mormons often overlook, such as jamming in a bar with your kids. Have fun!

Thank you! This is all such fantastic information. Even more important than the actual advice is seeing that we won't be alone and that there are pockets of independent thinkers out there.

I like to think that my attitude has changed since being there and that I can step back and feel some compassion for the poor brainwashed souls but I'm also realistic enough to remember the herd mentality of self-righteousness. I do, however, think I can handle it better now.

The missionaries stopped by our house a few weeks ago and asked for us by name. Still reeling from the shock lol. My husband considered asking them in for a glass of wine but was afraid we'd never get rid of them. I would have been angry and paranoid a few years ago but now I can just laugh at how persistent they can be. I'm pretty immune. I care so little now and will never get myself drawn back in. Even my visit to the recovery board to post my question was a throwback to my past life. It's quite amazing how peaceful I feel toward it all after all the angst I felt when leaving.

Warning: Downer alert. If you've been loving living in Chicago, transitioning to Utah Valley is going to suck. I also grew up a very good Mormon girl in Utah Valley, graduated from BYU, spent 23 years living outside of "Zion" in Atlanta and LA. Moved to SLC almost 2 years ago from LA and have been shocked at how much we don't care for SLC. We feel we got really misled by very well-meaning people when we asked questions about the cultural offerings, community feel, schools and air quality. Before your husband takes that job, you MUST do some Google searches regarding the winter air quality in Utah's Northern valleys. Also, PLEASE Google info about Utah's schools. Hint: Utah's schools have the lowest per-pupil spending in the nation and the highest average class sizes. And the Alpine school district (covers Utah valley) is the worst offender on both those counts. As I re-read your post, I realize I'm not clear on whether or not you still have school age kids. Please forgive me if I'm giving you relevant info. But the air quality; that's a deal breaker. Best of luck in your decision.

"Hint: Utah's schools have the lowest per-pupil spending in the nation and the highest average class sizes."

As a Utahn (not native though)...this statement is correct. The elementary school curriculum, and teacher mindset (some, not all) can be mormonish in the aspect that some teachers (again, not all), think and teach as more of babysitters instead of educators..

I researched my neighborhood, found a nice nonmormon hamlet of houses around me, and the local elementary school, that had some of Utah's highest test scores and ratings..

Note...I said highest amongst UTAH'S elementary schools, basically, the bar is set VERY low overall and I ended up putting my kid in a charter school...as do other parents, especially Mormons who care about their kids' education...

As you discovered, test scores do not tell the entire story. I've had some parents of suburban kids put their kids into my school due to its good test scores. What they don't know is that teachers get those scores despite a lack of materials and resources, and with often large class sizes and kids with wild behavior.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2014 01:12PM by summer.

That being the case, having a teacher for my 8 yr old son come home from school..e.after one month of the school year to still not have any homework but have the teacher talk about her eight kids with one that died in childbirth was the straw that broke the camels back for me