These 10 Cities In Utah Aren’t Big And Aren’t Too Small...They’re Just Right
By Catherine Armstrong|Published June 25, 2016
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Much of Utah is rural – towns of less than 10,000 people are spread out throughout the state. Utah’s small towns are beautiful and they often offer tons of outdoor recreation, but they don’t have tons of amenities because their population just can’t support dozens of restaurants and other businesses. If you’re looking for a mega movie theater or large shopping mall, you’ll have to hop in the car and drive. (This is exactly the reason that people who live in small Utah towns love them!) Read about 15 of these adorable towns here.
Utah’s large cities, which include Salt Lake City, Provo, Orem, St. George, Ogden and several Salt Lake county suburbs such as West Jordan and West Valley, are the exact opposite. Here, you’ll find endless strip malls, restaurants, parks, music venues and other businesses. It’s a concrete paradise, folks. (But you have EVERYTHING at your fingertips!) Check out this article that lists 17 underrated things about living in Salt Lake City.
Luckily, Utah does have some cities that offer an in-between. These cities have populations between 18,000 and 50,000. They’re large enough to offer a nice mixture of restaurants, shopping and other amenities, but small enough that their residents still connect with nature and enjoy that hometown, community pride. Here are just 10 of our favorite Utah cities that aren’t too big and aren’t too small…but are just right! They’re listed alphabetically.
American Fork is a wonderful blend of rural farms and city amenities. It’s approximately 27,000 residents enjoy plenty of dining and shopping activities, but they’re also located right at the base of American Fork Canyon, so there’s tons of outdoor recreation, too!
Brigham City might just possibly have the most adorable Main Street in the state! It’s the home of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, the famous Maddox Ranch House and of course it’s famous for its amazing peaches. Brigham City has a population of around 18,000 people.
Cedar City is well-known for being the home of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, but there’s much more to this little town than just fabulous theater! The approximately 30,000 people who live here enjoy a historic Main Street with restaurants and shops. The students at Southern Utah University keep things lively, and the university supplies plenty of recreation and entertainment for residents.
Farmington has grown by leaps and bounds over the last couple decades, and its population hovers around 22,000 people. Lagoon has always provided entertainment, but the recent addition of Farmington Station means that Farmington residents enjoy tons of shopping and even more local restaurants.
Kaysville was settled in 1850, as a farming community, but now it’s home to nearly 30,000 residents. Kaysville is a quiet little city with quick access to the larger communities of Layton and Ogden. You’ll find Cherry Hill Water Park here, and nearby Lagoon (in Farmington) provides additional family entertainment.
The city of Lehi is in Utah county, but only by a few miles. To the north, the much larger Salt Lake Valley provides all those big-city amenities. Not that residents of Lehi are in need of them - the city of 47,000 has Thanksgiving Point, with its beautiful gardens, and museums, and plenty of dining and entertainment.
Logan’s population is just under 49,000, making it the largest medium-sized city on our list. Home of Utah State University, this city has a nice mix of young, college students and older folks. (And, it’s the home of Aggie Blue Mint ice cream!)
Nearly 35,000 people live in Pleasant Grove, which really lives up to its name. It’s a quiet, peaceful little community near Utah Lake. The city hosts its annual Strawberry Days festival every June, bringing Utahns from all over the state to visit.
The community of Roy (population around 37,000 people), is a great place to live! It was a very rural town for a long time, but has grown a lot during the last 30 years. Residents of Roy have access to plenty of amenities such as movie theaters, restaurants and shops. The city is also close to the larger city of Ogden, which provides even more amenities.
St. George’s smaller cousin, the city of Washington, has about 24,000 residents, and they enjoy the proximity of the larger town, while still keeping some of the more rural and suburban vibes. In addition to great neighborhoods, Washington is close to several of Utah’s National Parks.
