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Bordered by Wyoming in the north, Colorado in the east, Arizona in the south and Nevada in the west, Utah offers a variety of landscapes including everything from snow capped Rocky Mountains to verdant river valleys and hot arid deserts.

In contrast to the diverse topography, Utah is also famous for being one of the most homogenous U.S. states in terms of religion, with Mormons making up more than 60% of the churchgoing population throughout the state.

Major industries of Utah include salt production around the Great Salt Lake, as well as oil production, mining and cattle ranching. Specific employers who hire heavily throughout the state include Delta Airlines, Walmart and Home Depot. Other top industries include health care, education and banking.

Tourism is also a major contributor to the overall economy with most of the state given over to five national parks, including Zion National Park, one of the nation's top ten most visited. Also known for world class skiing, Utah ski resorts are located in Provo, Ogden, Park City, Cedar City and near its capital, Salt Lake City.

Utah quality-of-life statistics

Demographics : (Utah Census Data)
Major cities: Salt Lake City (capital), Provo, Orem, Ogden, Sandy, St. George
Population : 2,550,063
White : 93.8%
Black, African American : 1%
Hispanic : 10.9%
High school graduates : 87.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher : 26.1%
Average household income: $47,224

Cost of Living: Sperling's Best Places - Utah - Compared to the rest of the country, Utah's cost of living is 0.30% higher than the U.S. average.

Property Taxes : Utah Tax Climate - Among the nation's lowest, Utah per capita property tax collections equaled $689 for all levels of government in FY2004, ranking it 39th nationally.

Personal Income Taxes: Utah's state tax system imposes a 5% flat rate on all income and wages. Residents must file state taxes using form TC-40 each year by April 15.

Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Utah Real Estate
Home ownership rate : 71.5%
Average home price : $178,500
Average travel time to work : 21.3 minutes

Schools : In 2010, Utah ranked 41st in the nation according to several critieria including state financing, K-12 achievement and standards. Also see Utah State Office of Education

Weather : Utah weather is generally influenced by elevation. Most of the state enjoys low humidity throughout the year, with even drier conditions in the Great Salt Lake Desert region. In stark contrast, some 300-plus inches of snow falls annually in mountain regions.

Crime : see Utah Crime Statistics

 

also see -> Utah taxes | Utah eviction laws | Utah tourism

Utah beaches | Christmas in Utah

Utah kids party locations

More about relocating to Utah around the Web:

Moving to Utah - Extensive guide from the State of Utah government with information on Utah schools & districts, voting information, real estate listings, job classifieds and related resources.

Life in the Valley Magazine - One-stop browsing for information on Salt Lake City services, demographic, jobs & real estate listings, parks & recreation, senior resources, health care & hospitals, mass transit and highways, maps, pictures.

Ogden City - The official site with current news, city services, job listings, homes for sale, schools, parks & recreation, weather facts, maps.

Living in Provo - Extensive portal to information on Provo school districts & higher education, municipal jobs, housing & real estate, parks & visitor attractions, city services, demographics, virtual tour.

St. George Utah Relocation Information - Complete guide to city communities, schools, employment, home buying, demographics, safety & crime data, weather facts and relocation packet order form.

Utah real estate, apartments & job classifieds:

Salt Lake City : Deseret Morning News | Salt Lake Tribune
Logan : Herald Journal
Ogden : Standard-Examiner
Provo Daily Herald
St. George : Spectrum