Moving to Utah?
A land of sweeping vistas and breathtaking mountain views, Utah is a truly unique state that features vast swatches of uninhabited terrain left untouched and virtually pristine. Bordered by a total of six states (Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arizona), Utah manages to gather a little bit of influence from each of these places.
The name Utah is derived from the Ute tribe that originally inhabited the state, and means “people of the mountains” in the indigenous language. With plenty of places to enjoy the outdoors and hike for days unencumbered before even coming close to modern civilization, Utah is the perfect place to enjoy all that nature has to offer, from hiking to skiing and everything in between. And for the city-loving types, Salt Lake City is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country.
If you’re moving to Utah, there are a lot of things you’re going to need to know. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place.
Things to Know When Moving to Utah
Utah Climate
Utah has a semi-arid desert climate that varies greatly depending on your location within the state and your elevation. The state lies in the rain shadow of both the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Wasatch Mountains, so it does get its fair share of precipitation, particularly during the summer months. However, there is also a large portion of the state that remains fairly dry for most of the year, particularly the Great Salt Lake Desert. The mountainous areas of Utah do receive a large amount of snow during the winter months, lending to one of Utah’s main tourist attractions, its ski slopes. In the summer months, the temperatures can typically soar during the daytime, but tend to cool off substantially during the night.
Registering your Car
Upon your arrival in Utah after moving to the state permanently, you have to immediately update your registration and have your vehicle registered in the state before you may be required to pay a penalty. If you cannot immediately register it, you can apply for a 15-day temporary permit.
Obtaining a Utah Driver's License
A Utah Driver’s License can be obtained at any Utah DMV location. The state requires new Utah residents to update their license from their previous state to a Utah driver’s license. You must present proof of your identity and proof of your residence in the state of Utah. Also, there is a $25 fee to update your driver’s license.
Crime Rankings
As of 2011, Utah was ranked 6th out of 50 states in violent crime, with a total of less than 10 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state.
Industries
The state of Utah has a very diverse economy, and it thrives on the revenue from many different sectors and industries including transportation, information technology, government services, mining and tourism. Popular ski resorts contribute to the tourism revenue generated by the state as well, and Utah is a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. In addition, mining has always played a major role in the state’s economy and Utah is among the leaders in the mining of various minerals such as copper, gold, silver, zinc, and lead, along with many fossil fuels as well.
Employment Statistics
As of early 2012, the state of Utah had an unemployment rate of 5.8 percent, which is substantially lower than the national average of 8.2 percent.
Average Income
The median household income in the state of Utah is $56,330, while the average per capita income for the state is $23,139.
Moving and Storage
If you are looking for a moving company or storage facility to help you with anything, you should check to make sure the company is registered with the United States Department of Transportation or with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Real Estate
The average listing price for homes in Utah is $375,967, while the median sales price is just over $129,000. The Utah Association of Realtors is the official real estate resource for the state of Utah.
Major landmarks and attractions
Temple Square; Tuacahn Theater; Bryce Canyon National Park; Zion National Park; Snowbasin Ski Lodge; Grand Canyon North Rim; Utah Museum of Natural History
State Capital: Salt Lake City
Largest Cities: Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Orem
Schools
The Utah state educational system is one of the finest in the country and is comprised of a large and diverse network of public schools on the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. There are also a great number of private schooling options available throughout the state as well. As far higher education goes, the most well-known colleges and universities located in the state of Utah include Brigham Young University, Provo College, the University of Utah, Utah State University, Weber State University, Southern Utah University, and many others.
National Parks
Arches National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Zion National Park
State park System
Utah has a diverse system of state parks spread throughout the state. The vast diversity of landscapes that can be found throughout the state of Utah thanks to its proximity to the Grand Canyon and its abundance of mountains and desert valleys provides many opportunities to appreciate the natural wonders of Utah by hiking, fishing, biking and hunting.
Major Airports
Salt Lake City International Airport
St. George Municipal Airport
Provo Municipal Airport