Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Utah

You think about moving to Utah but want to get additional information on overall quality of life, living costs, housing situation, safety, climate, entertainment options, nature, cultural diversity, job market, income prospects and much more before making your final decision regarding this important topic?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Utah in the following chapters.

Living in Utah – Overview

Advantages of Living in Utah

1. Unemployment is not a big problem in most parts of Utah
2. Many people moving to Utah find decent jobs rather quickly
3. Decent income level in Utah
4. Many big corporations to work for in the major cities of Utah
5. You may be able to build a strong business network
6. Moving to Utah may be favorable for your career in general
7. Utah offers nice locations where you can hang out in nature
8. Many nice things you can do outdoors in Utah
9. Moving to Utah may help you stay fit
10. You may no longer have to go to the gym
11. Decent air quality in many parts of Utah
12. Utah provides a decent mix of city life and natural environments
13. Utah is a rather relaxed state
14. Rather low population density in Utah
15. You will find more than enough spaces for yourself in public
16. Traffic is not a big deal in most parts of Utah
17. It is not hard to find a parking lot in most parts of Utah
18. Utah is a pretty safe state
19. You can learn quite a lot about nature in Utah
20. Utah may be a great place to raise your kids
21. Utah may be a great place for retirees
22. Studying in the big cities of Utah may be pretty interesting
23. Moving to Utah can be great if you want to slow down your life
24. You may be able to live a pretty original life in Utah
25. Utah may be an interesting place to live a self-sufficient life
26. You can get to the big cities of Utah in an efficient manner
27. Decent internet connection in most parts of Utah
28. Decent medical infrastructure in the biggest cities of Utah
29. Many recreational spaces in Utah
30. Utah is not flooded by crowds of tourists yet
31. Moving to Utah can be great if you love nature
32. Decent sports teams in the biggest cities of Utah
33. You may be able to visit some really interesting museums in Utah
34. You can meet many tolerant people in Utah
35. Many people in Utah are pretty helpful
36. Many people in Utah are genuine and honest
37. Easy to socialize in the big cities of Utah
38. You may be able to make many friends for a lifetime
39. You can enjoy interesting climatic conditions in Utah
40. Utah is a pretty interesting state
41. Decent supply of material goods in Utah
42. Utah becomes increasingly popular by people from all over the US
43. Decent future outlook for Utah

Unemployment is not a big problem in most parts of Utah

One advantage of living in Utah is that unemployment is not a big deal in most regions of the state and you will therefore not have to worry about losing your job as much as in regions where unemployment rates are much higher and people have to be concerned in this regard on a regular basis.

Many people moving to Utah find decent jobs rather quickly

Thanks to rather low unemployment rates, you will likely also find a new job after moving to Utah fairly quickly and may be able to earn substantial amounts of money right after you have arrived so you may not get into financial problems or have to take out a loan in the moving process.

Decent income level in Utah

You should also know that income levels in Utah are above national average and this means you will be able to make pretty good money from your job as long as you have decent education and also skills you can monetize in the job market in a reasonable manner.

Many big corporations to work for in the major cities of Utah

As long as you move to the big cities of Utah, you will also find some really big corporations to work for so you may be able to make decent money and may also be able to climb the corporate ladder fairly quickly.

You may be able to build a strong business network

Since you can make pretty good money in the big cities of Utah, those regions also attract many ambitious people from all over the US and you will therefore be able to meet many smart people and connect with them and may be able to greatly benefit from this business network in the long run.

Moving to Utah may be favorable for your career in general

Since you can grow a solid business network and may also be able to work for some really big names in your industry, moving to Utah may also make sense from a general career perspective and you may be able to succeed with what you are doing quicker than in states with weaker economies.

Utah offers nice locations where you can hang out in nature

Another upside to living in Utah is that you will also find many nice natural habitats where you can relax and reload your batteries while you can still have a great time with your loved ones.

Many nice things you can do outdoors in Utah

People in Utah can also do many nice nature activities. For instance, you can go rock climbing, camping, fishing and do many other nice things outdoors and this can make your life just much better since you can get lots of oxygen so your body and your brain may work properly in the long run.

Moving to Utah may help you stay fit

Since you can do so many nice things outdoors, you may also be able to stay in shape in the Utah region while people moving to other states may just sit indoors pretty often since they may not be able to enjoy nice nature and may get out of shape fairly quickly.

You may no longer have to go to the gym

Since you can exercise in a pretty natural manner, you may also be able to burn many calories on a regular basis and may no longer have the need of going to the gym but may have more time to spend on more enjoyable things instead.

Decent air quality in many parts of Utah

Another benefit of moving to Utah is that you will also have pretty decent air quality outside of the big cities and by spending lots of time in those clean environments, you may be able to reduce your risk of suffering from serious health conditions in the long run.

Utah provides a decent mix of city life and natural environments

Since there are some rather big cities but you will also have so many things to do in nature, you will have a decent mix of city life and nature activities and may be able to stay mentally and emotionally balanced since you can work decent jobs but will still have many opportunities to relax during the weekends.

Utah is a rather relaxed state

You should also keep in mind that Utah is also a rather relaxed state where people often spend lots of time in nature and are often rather calm and laid-back and living in Utah may therefore not be as hectic as living in Washington D.C. or other much busy regions.

Rather low population density in Utah

You should also know that Utah is not the most crowded state and population density is rather low so you will not run into large groups of people on a regular basis but will rather be able to enjoy your life by hanging out by yourself in peaceful environments.

You will find more than enough spaces for yourself in public

Thanks to rather low population density, you will also find many places in public where you can be on your own during times you just don’t want to talk to other people but need time for yourself so you can think about complex problems that need to be fixed in your life and don’t want to get distracted by others.

Traffic is not a big deal in most parts of Utah

Since Utah is not the most crowded state, also traffic is not a big problem in most regions yet and you will be able to get around by car in a pretty efficient manner since you will rarely get stuck in traffic jams while people moving to Los Angeles may have to worry in this regard quite often.

It is not hard to find a parking lot in most parts of Utah

Since traffic is not a big issue, finding a parking lot is also fairly easy in most regions of Utah and you therefore don’t have to spend lots of time and money in this regard in most cases.

Utah is a pretty safe state

Another advantage of moving to Utah is that it is also a pretty safe state where crime rates are rather low and you may therefore feel pretty safe at home and when going out and this can greatly improve your overall quality of life in the long run since feeling safe is crucial to succeeding in various parts of life.

You can learn quite a lot about nature in Utah

Since there are so many natural environments you can hang out, you will also really learn to appreciate our environment and can learn a lot about nature in general so you may become a more mature character and may also be able to hand over your knowledge to the next generation at some point.

Utah may be a great place to raise your kids

Since Utah is a rather safe state and there are many nice things you can do outdoors in nature, it can also be a great state to raise your kids since by making nice nature excursions, you can have a great time with your loved ones while you can also teach your kids about the importance of protecting our planet as best as possible so they can turn into responsible adults later on.

Utah may be a great place for retirees

Since there are many free things you can do in Utah nature and you will still have many amenities in the big cities, Utah may also be an interesting place to retire and you will also be able to meet many like-minded people of the older generation in many regions of Utah.

Studying in the big cities of Utah may be pretty interesting

While studying in Utah may not be as popular as studying in New York City or other bigger metropolitan regions, it may still be a secret tip for students since student life in the big cities of Utah can be pretty interesting while you can still spend many nice days with nature activities and can have a great time in general.

Moving to Utah can be great if you want to slow down your life

Also in case you currently feel stressed with your life and urgently want to make a change, moving to Utah may also make sense if you search for a place where you can slow down your life and reload your batteries so you may be able to recover from your current low and may be able to succeed in the long run.

You may be able to live a pretty original life in Utah

Utah is also a place where you can still live a life in line with natural forces so you may be able to preserve some noble traditions and value the knowledge of your ancestors while you can still use our modern technologies to make your life more convenient.

Utah may be an interesting place to live a self-sufficient life

Also in case you may no longer want to be dependent on society, moving to Utah may be great for you since you may be able to live a self-sufficient life in this region by buying a piece of land, raising farm animals, growing veggies and fruits and becoming independent of conventional stores in general.

You can get to the big cities of Utah in an efficient manner

While the rural parts of Utah are often not well-connected to the world, you will have a rather easy time getting to the big cities since you can use big airports to travel the world and your family and friends from other parts of the US may also have a rather easy time visiting you in the major cities.

Decent internet connection in most parts of Utah

As long as you move to the urban parts of Utah, chances are you will also be able to enjoy pretty good internet connection and this can be pretty important for your professional career but also makes your life more comfortable and efficient in general.

Decent medical infrastructure in the biggest cities of Utah

You will also find many decent doctors and hospitals in the big cities of Utah and can therefore get solid medical treatment in case you get sick or suffer from a serious health condition in general.

Many recreational spaces in Utah

Since there are so many things you can do in nature, you will also find many recreational spaces where you can just hang out on your own or with a rather limited group of people so you may be able to really enjoy the atmosphere and relax quite a bit so you may be prepared for the challenging times yet ahead of you.

Utah is not flooded by crowds of tourists yet

Another upside to moving to Utah is that you will also not run into large groups of tourists on a regular basis and this gives you the opportunity to really focus on your own life without getting distracted from your goals by other people.

Moving to Utah can be great if you love nature

In general, as long as you love nature and spending your time in natural environments, chances are you will have a great time in most parts of Utah since there will be many interesting things you can do outdoors.

Decent sports teams in the biggest cities of Utah

Also in case you are a sports fan and want to watch many games live in person, moving to the big cities of Utah can make quite a lot of sense for you since you will be able to find many teams to support in this regard no matter whether your passion is basketball, football or other sports you want to follow at a pretty high level.

You may be able to visit some really interesting museums in Utah

In the biggest cities of Utah, you will also have some really nice museums where you will find many unique pieces of art and even in case you are not an art fan in general, you may become one in the long run since you may be surprised by how interesting art can really be.

You can meet many tolerant people in Utah

Utah is also a place where you will be able to meet many tolerant people and no matter what your background is and where you come from, you can still hang out with many like-minded people who will often be curious about your story and what you have experienced in life in general.

Many people in Utah are pretty helpful

You should also know that you will meet many helpful people in Utah and this can be really great during your first weeks in your new home when you may need some assistance to find everything you need and to become a valued member of society in general.

Many people in Utah are genuine and honest

Since it is not all about the money in Utah and you will be able to meet many genuine people in this region, you will also learn to trust your friends in Utah and this can be a great feeling since you can be pretty sure that your friends will have your back in case something unpleasant happens and you urgently need support.

Easy to socialize in the big cities of Utah

Since there are many nice locations where you can meet new people on a regular basis, you may also have a rather easy time socializing with other people in this region so you may find many new social connections rather quickly and may not have to worry about getting socially isolated.

You may be able to make many friends for a lifetime

Since you will be able to meet many genuine people in this state, you may also be able to meet people that will stay with you for quite a long time and some of those people may even become really great friends for a lifetime.

You can enjoy interesting climatic conditions in Utah

Utah is also a state where you can experience real seasons and many different climatic conditions and this can make your life pretty interesting since you can experience hot summers with plenty of sun while you may still be able to enjoy the snow in winter and you may therefore have a much more interesting life compared to people moving to El Paso or other regions where it may just be warm all year long.

Utah is a pretty interesting state

Since there are so many nice things you can do in nature while you can still enjoy many amenities in the big cities, it is also a pretty interesting and diverse state and chances are you will always find something to do with your leisure.

Decent supply of material goods in Utah

Another benefit of moving to Utah is that you also don’t have to worry about running out of important material goods since overall supply of goods is pretty decent and you will often find most things you need pretty close to your home.

Utah becomes increasingly popular by people from all over the US

Over the past decades, Utah has also become much more popular by people from all over the US and if this trend continues, many people from other states may move to Utah sooner or later which will make this state even more diverse and interesting in the long run.

Decent future outlook for Utah

Due to rather low unemployment and crime rates and since Utah has a lot to offer in general, it may also have a pretty decent future outlook and overall quality of life may increase even further over the next decades.

Now that you know why you should move to Utah, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of moving to Utah so you will get a more comprehensive picture of reality and will be better able to decide whether you still want to move to Utah or rather want to live in Minnesota or other interesting regions instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Utah

1. Living costs in Utah are above the national average
2. High rents in the big cities of Utah
3. Property prices are hardly affordable for the general public in the major cities
4. Housing shortage is a serious problem in the major metropolitan regions of Utah
5. Significant financial pressure for people living in Utah
6. You may have to make pretty good money from your job to afford a decent lifestyle
7. Hard to live the classic American dream for many people in Utah
8. Winters in Utah may be too cold for you
9. Hard to enjoy big city life in Utah
10. Limited entertainment options outside of the big cities of Utah
11. Many young people consider leaving the rural parts of Utah
12. You may get bored with living in Utah in the long run
13. Your loved ones may not understand your decision of moving to Utah
14. Utah is not located at the coast
15. Natural disasters will become more common in Utah
16. Water scarcity may become a serious problem in many parts of Utah
17. Costs of homeowners insurance will likely go up
18. Some regions may not be as tolerant as you might have hoped for
19. Some dodgy neighborhoods in the big cities of Utah
20. Nightlife in Utah is not great in most rural regions
21. Hard to get around by public transport
22. You may need a car to live your life in an efficient manner
23. Some remote regions are hard to reach
24. Poor road conditions in some parts of Utah
25. Hard to meet many international tourists in Utah
26. You may miss cultural diversity in the smaller towns of Utah
27. You may not find as many fancy shopping options as in many other states
28. Utah may be overrated right now

Living costs in Utah are above the national average

One problem with living in Utah is that living costs are pretty high and will likely increase even further in the future and this means you have to spend quite a lot of money on various things of life in the big cities while people moving to Kansas or other cheaper states may be able to afford much more for the same budget.

High rents in the big cities of Utah

You should also not forget that rents can be pretty high in the biggest cities of Utah and this means you may have to spend a significant fraction of your income on housing and may not have enough money left to save for retirement or for other important things.

Property prices are hardly affordable for the general public in the major cities

Not only rents are pretty high but also property prices in Utah have increased significantly over the past decades and many people are no longer able to buy decent homes in this region.

Housing shortage is a serious problem in the major metropolitan regions of Utah

While housing shortage is not a big deal in many rural regions of Utah, it has still become a serious issue in the major cities and it may therefore take you quite a long time finding a decent place to stay after moving to Utah.

Significant financial pressure for people living in Utah

Another downside to living in Utah is that people often have to deal with significant financial pressure due to high living and housing costs and this financial pressure and worries about money may also turn into serious emotional problems in the long run.

You may have to make pretty good money from your job to afford a decent lifestyle

Since most things in Utah are rather expensive, you may also have the pressure of making pretty good money from your job and you may therefore have to work many extra hours and may not have enough time for your loved ones or your favorite hobbies.

Hard to live the classic American dream for many people in Utah

Due to rather high living and housing costs, living the classic American dream has also become increasingly unaffordable for many people in this region and buying a home is almost impossible since many people just don’t make enough money for saving up enough equity and may not be able to get a mortgage.

Winters in Utah may be too cold for you

Depending on what parts of Utah you live in, winters can be really cold and if you are the type of person who can’t stand cold weather at all, you may be better off moving to Florida or other states that provide milder winters.

Hard to enjoy big city life in Utah

Since there are not really big cities in Utah, you may also miss classic big city life you may be used to from many other big metropolitan regions and may just not get the special feeling that comes along with being surrounded by fancy skyscrapers and the unique atmosphere in general.

Limited entertainment options outside of the big cities of Utah

Another disadvantage of living in Utah is that overall entertainment options are rather limited once you get to the rural parts of the state and in case nature is not interesting to you, you may just not find enough things to do in your leisure and may not get happy with the Utah lifestyle in the long run.

Many young people consider leaving the rural parts of Utah

Since many people in the rural parts of Utah miss great career prospects and also want to move to more vibrant regions, you may just not find as many young people to hang out with in those regions anymore and if you are still at a rather young age, you may want to move to the biggest cities of Utah or rather want to move to Las Vegas or other regions where meeting many young people of your age will not be a problem at all.

You may get bored with living in Utah in the long run

Since there may not be as many exciting things to do outside of the big cities of Utah as you may have hoped for, you may also get bored in this state fairly quickly and may consider moving to more interesting places.

Your loved ones may not understand your decision of moving to Utah

While Utah has become increasingly popular over the past decades, it may still not be the most popular place to live yet and your family and friends may not understand your decision of moving to Utah and you may have to explain yourself quite a lot in this regard.

Utah is not located at the coast

Another problem with moving to Utah is that it doesn’t have a coastline and you will therefore not have the same great opportunities to go surfing or doing water sports compared to people moving to Oregon or other coastal regions.

Natural disasters will become more common in Utah

You should also know that storms and other natural disasters may become more common in Utah due to climate change in the future and in case you are unlucky, you may get hit heavily by those extreme events and may just lose everything that has ever been important to you in your life.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem in many parts of Utah

You should also keep in mind that Utah is already a state with pretty dry climatic conditions and due to global warming, water scarcity may become an even more serious problem in the future and many people may have to leave their homes and move to other regions in the long run.

Costs of homeowners insurance will likely go up

Due to the increasing risk of natural disasters, also costs of homeowners insurance will likely go up and this will make living in Utah even more expensive and some people may just no longer be able to afford to live in this region.

Some regions may not be as tolerant as you might have hoped for

While you will be able to meet many open and tolerant people in the big cities, you may still meet many rather conservative people in the rural parts of the state and if you want to practice an alternative way of life, you may have a rather hard time to become a valued member of society.

Some dodgy neighborhoods in the big cities of Utah

Another downside to moving to Utah is that while it is a rather safe state, there are still some dodgy districts in the big cities of Utah that you may want to avoid at all costs since you may just meet the wrong people at the wrong time and may get involved in serious incidents if you are unlucky.

Nightlife in Utah is not great in most rural regions

Even though there are some solid bars and clubs in the biggest cities of Utah, you may still not get happy with nightlife in the rural parts of the state if you have the ambition to party on a daily basis and need lots of action in this regard.

Hard to get around by public transport

You should also not forget that overall public transportation infrastructure is pretty poor in most parts of Utah and getting around by bus or train is almost impossible in a reliable and efficient manner.

You may need a car to live your life in an efficient manner

Since relying on public transport is often not a real option, you may also urgently need a car to get around in an efficient manner and people who are not able to drive may just get stuck at home in many rural regions and may not be able to really enjoy their lives in the best possible manner.

Some remote regions are hard to reach

Another disadvantage of moving to Utah is that there are also some really remote regions that are hardly accessible within a reasonable period of time and if you want to move to one of those remote regions, you may just not have many guests since many people may not be willing to make the effort of getting to your place and you may get socially isolated in the long run.

Poor road conditions in some parts of Utah

You should also know that road conditions are often not great outside of the major cities and in case you have to spend lots of time in your car due to long distances in the rural regions, you may just get fed up with your overall lifestyle quite a lot sooner or later.

Hard to meet many international tourists in Utah

Since Utah is not the most popular place to visit for international tourists, you may also not be able to get in touch with as many interesting people from all over the world as you may have hoped for which may decrease your overall quality of life since you may just not be able to learn as much about the world as people living in Chicago or other regions that are frequented by international tourists on a mass scale.

You may miss cultural diversity in the smaller towns of Utah

While you will be able to meet many people with different social and cultural backgrounds in the big cities of Utah, you should still know that the overall level of cultural diversity may be rather limited in the rural parts of the state.

You may not find as many fancy shopping options as in many other states

You may also not find as many fancy boutiques to go shopping as in many other states and Utah may therefore not be the best place to follow latest fashion trends.

Utah may be overrated right now

Since most things have become pretty expensive over the past decades and Utah may get heavily hit by climate change, it may be an overrated state right now and you may get the same quality of life in many other regions of the US at a cheaper price.

Top 10 Moving To Utah Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Utah A Good Place To Live?

While moving to Utah can be great for people who love nature and want to spend their lives in a rather quiet atmosphere while they can still benefit from decent income levels and low unemployment and crime rates, you should still know that public infrastructure gets much worse outside of the big cities and water scarcity may become a serious problem in the future.

In the end, it is on you to have a close look at the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Utah on your own so you can make the best possible decision according to your individual preferences.

Most Popular Cities To Live In Utah – Comparison

Alternative States To Live

If you no longer want to move to Utah, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in South Carolina

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Tennessee

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Texas

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/UT

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.