Need a Reason to Move to Utah? We’ve Got at Least Five.
There is one good thing to come from the global pandemic that’s forced shutdowns and mask mandates throughout the United States and around the world. We’re all re-evaluating where we work and more importantly where we live.
Work-from-home options have expanded during COVID and many of us are now looking to live a little closer to the great outdoors. Places where we can mountain bike, snow ski, go for a trail run, hike, camp, or just sit around a fire under the stars now call out to us.
Or maybe the stress of living in a state where lockdowns ran wild and vaccinations became mandatory has you thinking you need a little more room, a little more freedom, and a little less government in your life.
No matter why you’re wanting to move, Utah’s got a whole lot of reasons you’ll like living here.
Just to get you started thinking about the move, here are five reasons we came up with, just off the tops of our heads.
#1 – The Outdoors
A move to Utah puts you within a day’s drive of all five of the state’s National Parks. No matter what corner of the state you choose to call home.
Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef are nicknamed “the Mighty Five.” And they earn the moniker. They feature some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet.
On top of those crown jewels, there are state parks. Like Snow Canyon and Sand Hollow. And National Monuments like Cedar Breaks, Bears Ears, and the Grand Staircase-Escalante is within Utah’s borders as well.
And in the surrounding states, the Grand Canyon, Great Basin, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton are all within a short drive.
There are trails galore in the state as well. Whether you’re looking for opportunities to go hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, OHV riding, or you just want to get out and explore nature, the options in Utah are endless.
#2 – It’s A Business Friendly State
Utah has long been known for its business friendliness. And it continues to be a great reason to move to Utah.
“Business friendliness has been a bedrock principle in Utah because of the natural inclination for entrepreneurship to be found among our residents,” said Governor Gary R. Herbert. “It is in small business innovation that we find the catalyst for our future large businesses.”
The state consistently ranks high on lists of the most business-friendly states.
Low-income tax rates. Low unemployment rates. Great infrastructure, including an abundance of broadband throughout the state. These attributes have all combined to consistently keep Utah in the conversation of the best places to start a small business.
#3 – A Move To Utah Means Meeting Friendly Neighbors
Community and family are important to the vast majority of Utahns. You’ll likely receive a warm welcome from the neighbors. A welcome note attached to a freshly baked batch of cookies is not an uncommon sight on the porch of folks new to a neighborhood here in Utah.
When times get tough, we all chip in to help one another and when it’s time to play, the opportunities for some friendly recreation are endless.
The newest rage is pickleball, and courts are springing up all over the state. The Huntsman World Senior Games call St. George home. And the Utah Summer Games are held each year in Cedar City. There are endless arts opportunities in the state as well. The Tony Award-Winning Utah Shakespeare Festival and world-class musicals take place at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts all summer long. Just to name two.
#4 – Low Crime
Utah has the second-lowest violent crime rate (2.4 incidents per 1,000 residents) in the Mountain region. This places it second only to Idaho and Wyoming. Both of which are tied for the lowest rate at 2.2 incidents per 1,000 people.
And it’s no surprise the smaller the town, the lower the crime rates get.
Smaller towns like Hurricane, Santa Clara, Washington, and Ivins in southern Utah, routinely come in at the top of lists of the safest towns in Utah.
#5 – A Great Real Estate Market
An investment in the Utah real estate market is often a wise and lucrative one.
Southern Utah, in particular, continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. And demand for new housing continues to push home values higher.
Many of the neighborhoods in southern Utah feature resort-style living. They’re surrounded by golf courses and other opportunities for recreation. And the market for vacation rentals can make an investment in Utah real estate a passive income-generating opportunity as well.
Of course, there have been ups and downs in the market over time. But over the long haul, the words of Mark Twain, who said “buy land, it’s the only thing they aren’t making any more of,” ring especially true in Utah.
Couple the great investment opportunities here with the high prices of real estate in places like California and the reasons to move to Utah can increase exponentially. California buyers moving to Utah can often afford ten times the homes they owned in Orange County, Anaheim, San Diego, San Fransisco and have money left over.