Utah County

Utah County bows at the feet of its queen – the glorious Mt. Timpanogos. Rising 11,957 feet above sea level, Timpanogos rules the Wasatch mountain range.She not only provides year-round recreation, but she protects her valley from the harsh snowstorms that attract skiers and snow boarders every year to Utah.

Come autumn, the leaves of Timpanogos and the surrounding mountains paint Utah County’s backdrop in golden and red tones, welcoming residents to the new season.

Living at the feet of Timpanogos is some of the most educated and hard-working people in the nation. Not to mention friendly. Their focus on families is evident. Just pick a neighborhood and take a stroll down its sidewalks on a summer evening.As the warm breeze tickles your nose with a waft of barbecued hamburgers, you’ll hear laughter, children splashing around in the pool, and the thunder of a well-worn basketball missing the rim and bouncing off the garage door.

But Utah County isn’t only for families.  Provo, the county seat, is about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City and the home Brigham Young University, one of the largest private universities in the nation. BYU entices students from all over the world to Utah Valley. The student population of 30,000 wakes up Provo’s otherwise drowsy nightlife with the theater, movies, concerts and dance clubs.

And Orem, next door neighbor to Provo, is home to Utah Valley State College which boast its own cadre of students now approaching 30,000 in number.

About 341,000 people live in Utah County, with the highest concentration in twin cities Provo (101,000)and Orem (83,000). If that’s too big for you, there are 21 other smaller cities and towns that offer a rural feel, just a short drive away from the big city amenities.

Alpine

At the very northeast end of Utah County is Alpine, so named because of the town’s likeness in beauty to the Swiss Alps. Alpine residents literally open their windows to a lush mountain landscape. While driving through downtown Alpine on Main Street, living history is at your right and left.Some of the houses date back the early as the early Twentieth Century. But as you travel closer to the mountains, the homes become bigger, newer and more luxurious.

The population of Alpine is close to 6,000. The largest employer is Kencraft Inc., (specialty candies) with 343 employees.Most Alpine residents travel about a half hour to work in Provo, Orem or Salt Lake County.

American Fork

If you want a small town lifestyle with all the big city conveniences, maybe you should make American Fork your new home. The small town perks of this city of 22,000 are the friendly, family-oriented folks, as well as the peaceful atmosphere and the accessibility to outdoor recreation at American Fork Canyon. And the big city perks are nearby shopping centers and business parks.

American Fork’s largest employer is the Utah State Developmental Center, with 850 employees; it is also the home of Dentrix, a technology company that makes computer software especially for the management of dental offices.

Cedar Fort

Located a few miles west of Utah Lake is Cedar Fort, population 300. Cedar Fort residents have a frontier spirit and our proud of the old west atmosphere.

There is only one employer in Cedar Fort, the Cedar Valley Country Store, that employs five people. Many of the residents work for the Tooele Army Depot or are farmers and ranchers.

Cedar Hills

Land and sea meet in Cedar Hills. This city of about 1,600 is located in the foothills above Highland. Mt. Timpanogos is in residents’ backyards and out the front is a panoramic view of Utah Lake. And popular recreation spots like American Fork Canyon are just a short jaunt away.

Cedar Hills residents have the youngest average age in all of Utah County – 16. This low age can be attributed to the fairly large families of Cedar Hills. The average household size is 4.40. There are no employers in Cedar Hills. Most residents work in Provo, Orem or Salt Lake County.

Eagle Mountain or Eagle Mountain Online

Eagle Mountain is master-planned city, one of the few in Utah since pioneer times that was planned before it incorporated. The developers’ goal for Eagle Mountain, which incorporated in 1996, is to be a pedestrian friendly town that will retain 40 percent of its area in open space. Eagle Mountain’s current population is 1,200 but growing every month.

Eagle Mountain is located about 42 miles south of downtown Salt Lake and 27 miles northwest of Provo. A shopping center is in the works, but until then, nearest shopping center is in Lehi, about 12 miles away. But people don’t move to Eagle Mountain so they can be closer to shopping. They move to Eagle Mountain to be closer to open space, starry nights and outdoor recreation. People living in Eagle Mountain work in Provo, Orem and Salt Lake County.

Elk Ridge

Elk Ridge loves families, big families. Elk Ridge has the largest household size Utah County – 5.21. Families are attracted to Elk Ridge because of its open spaces, clean air and amazing views of the Utah Valley from the south looking north. And golfers love Elk Ridge because it borders the Gladstan Golf Course, a public course owned by Payson City.

About 1,700 people live in Elk Ridge. There are no commercial buildings in Elk Ridge and most residents like it that way.

Genola

Genola is a tiny town in the southern most part of Utah County.Most of the 900 residents own orchards and dairy farms. While Genola is small in population it is big in heart and friendliness.

Goshen

Goshen is Utah County’s slowest-growing town. Goshen also has the least expensive homes in the county. Its population is 600 and it is located in south Utah County near wildlife reserves. There are no commercial industries in Goshen.

Highland

Highland’s dedication to open spaces and large-acre lots helped it receive the designation of “Tree City, USA.” Highland residents pride themselves in their family-oriented community set at the backdrop of hills resembling the highlands of Scotland, after which it was named.

The largest employer is Kohlers Foods, with 125 employees. Highland is primarily a residential suburb of large lots and horse properties.Most residents commute about a half-hour to Provo, Orem or Salt Lake County.

Lehi

Lehi is attractive to homeowners and developers because of its midpoint location between Salt Lake City and Provo. It was that centrality that attracted the builders of a $20-million, 83,000-square-foot dinosaur museum-the internationally acclaimed North American Museum of Ancient Life at Lehi’s Thanksgiving Point. Thanksgiving Point also boasts a $12-million performing arts center.

As you drive past Lehi on Interstate 15, you’ll probably notice the Lehi Roller Mills, the often-recognized setting for a major scene in the 1984 movie Footloose. (Incidentally, most of Footloose was filmed at Payson High School and its surrounding area; the movie has scenes at a Provo drive-in restaurant as well.)

About 16,000 people live in Lehi. Lehi’s largest employer is Thanksgiving Point, with 350 employees, however, many Class A office buildings and industrial parks are springing up all over.

Lindon

Lindon was named after an old eye-catching linden tree, but when city officials had sent a petition to Washington, D.C. for a post office, the city’s name was mistakenly spelled with an “o” instead of an “e” on the authorization forms. The spelling stuck and today Lindon has close to 7,000 residents.