Salt Lake City, UTBest Places to Live in the U.S. in 2024

Salt Lake City residents are treated to all four seasons. The average highs and lows are 87°F and 65°F (summer) and 41°F and 28°F (winter). 

The average annual snowfall in Salt Lake City is significantly higher than the national average at more than 54 inches each year. 

The average annual rainfall in Salt Lake City is around 19 inches each year.

Salt Lake City averages 222 sunny days a year.

Pack a picnic and climb Ensign Peak, which provides a panoramic view of Salt Lake City. The out-and-back hike is a 1-mile trip. If you’re up for a challenge, hike up Mt. Olympus. With a 4,000-foot elevation gain, it’s a calf-burner but offers great views of the Salt Lake City skyline.

Explore Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City. Beautifully landscaped and covering more than 10 acres, this is home to the Salt Lake Temple, Tabernacle and other historic buildings important to the region’s history.

Hogle Zoo is a great family-friendly haunt, especially in the warmer months. At the same time, winter is a great time to visit the Clark Planetarium if your children are interested in learning more about space and science.

Salt Lake City has seen a spike in unique and eclectic restaurants in recent years. You can find everything from traditional comfort food in dives tucked in the mountains to innovative, chef-driven menus downtown. In addition to the dining melting pot, the city has a diverse array of architecture. At 210 feet tall, the six-spire, neo-Gothic-style Salt Lake Temple is the world’s largest Mormon Temple. Temple Square tours are offered in more than 40 languages.

Locals often shop at City Creek Center, a downtown shopping and dining combo. It features a mix of well-known brands and local shops while keeping you near many of the city’s prime highlights. 

The Copper Onion is a popular downtown Salt Lake City restaurant known for its modern American cuisine. The menu features locally sourced ingredients and plenty of variety to appeal to each guest.

The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, which includes the Delta Performance Hall, seats 2,468 people and has a smaller black box theater that seats 150 to 250, is the place to go for Broadway shows, concerts and other live performances in Salt Lake City.

Whiskey Street on South Main is a vintage lounge featuring creative cocktails, innovative snacks like bourbon bacon caramel popcorn, and a vast whiskey selection. Happy hour here is worth the trip, but reservations are not accepted.

Information technology, health care and Outdoor Activities are among the largest industries in Salt Lake City. Major employers include the University of Utah, Delta Airlines, Salt Lake City School District and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

In 2024, the sales tax rate in Salt Lake City is 7.75%. 

Yes, Utah has a state income tax.

The University of Utah Hospital is nationally ranked in three specialties, including cancer and ophthalmology. It is also regionally ranked as the best hospital in Northern Utah and nationally recognized as high-performing in two specialties and more than a dozen procedures and conditions.

There are several colleges and universities in Salt Lake City, including the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College.