Utah is known for its majestic landscape, which looks much like something straight out of a Warner Brothers' Road Runner cartoon. Its painted rocks and dry deserts are both dramatic and cinematic. But there are also thriving communities that make for great places to settle down, and they're not just in the Salt Lake City area.
With a modest population of about 16,500, Farmington is a quaint little community tucked away between Great Salt Lake and one of Utah's most picturesque mountain ranges. Employment in the city proper isn't the best considering the town's small size, but it's just a quick commute to both Salt Lake City and Hill Air Force Base, which is the sixth-largest employer in Utah. Life in this satellite city doesn't come cheap. Median family incomes are above $100,000, while housing prices average $275,000. But crime rates are exceptionally low, golf courses are plentiful and there are even quite a few ski resorts in the immediate vicinity.
Another suburb of Salt Lake City, Draper is a picturesque town of about 40,000. The community has all the plush amenities including a golf course, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a new library and dozens of parks. As would be expected, life in Draper isn't cheap. The median annual family income is $100,000 while housing prices average $360,000. More than three-fourths of the residents have completed at least some college, partly due to the eight universities, colleges and professional schools in the area. Draper is also very community focused, with its year-round celebration called Draper Days, which offers concerts, races and festivals.
Yet another city that neighbors Salt Lake City, Bountiful is a growing city of 44,000 residents. Unlike other surrounding suburbs, Bountiful offers enough entertainment and amenities to keep its residents from commuting to the nearby metropolis, which is easily accessible thanks to the presence of a commuter train. The community's cost of living is more reasonable than other suburbs, with a median annual family income of $78,000. Home prices are a little steep at about $230,000. Golf courses, libraries and even ski resorts are located within the city or within close proximity, as are hiking trails and camp sites.