6 Salt Lake City Suburbs to Consider When Relocating to Utah
If you’re moving to the Salt Lake City area, one of the hardest parts isn’t finding houses for sale.
It’s figuring out where you actually want to live.
The Salt Lake Valley can look relatively compact on a map, but Sandy, Draper, Holladay, Farmington, Cottonwood Heights, and Daybreak can give you very different experiences when it comes to commuting, housing, mountain access, snowfall, walkability, and everyday amenities.
I’m Sarah Lipich, a Utah real estate broker, and my husband Tyler and I help people relocate to the Salt Lake area every week.
My background before real estate was in cybersecurity and risk management, so I tend to look at relocation a little differently. I don’t think there is one universally “best” suburb of Salt Lake City.
The better question is:
Which Salt Lake suburb makes the most sense for the way you actually want to live?
Here are six areas I frequently think are worth understanding when you’re moving to the Salt Lake City area.
Watch: 6 Salt Lake City Suburbs to Consider When You’re Relocating
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In this video, I break down six Salt Lake-area suburbs, including commute considerations, recreation access, housing, snowfall, and what makes each area different.
Quick Answer: What Are Some of the Best Suburbs Near Salt Lake City?
There isn’t one Salt Lake suburb that is best for everyone.
Six areas commonly worth considering are Sandy, Draper, Holladay, Farmington, Cottonwood Heights, and Daybreak in South Jordan.
The right choice depends on factors like:
Where you’ll be working
How much commuting you’re comfortable with
Whether mountain access matters to you
The type and age of home you prefer
Whether you want walkability or a more traditional suburban layout
How much snow you actually want at your house
Whether you regularly need to reach Salt Lake City, Lehi, Hill Air Force Base, or the airport
Let’s break them down.
1. Sandy, Utah
Sandy is one of the most centrally positioned suburbs on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley.
It sits south of Salt Lake City and north of Draper, with direct access to I-15 and relatively convenient access to both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
That combination is a major reason Sandy ends up on so many relocation searches.
Depending on exactly where you live in Sandy and traffic conditions, you can reasonably access downtown Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City International Airport, Lehi and Silicon Slopes, and the Cottonwood Canyons without living at one extreme end of the metro.
What Is There to Do in Sandy?
Sandy has considerably more commercial development than some of the smaller east-side communities.
You’ll find restaurants, shopping, grocery stores, gyms, outdoor retailers, and major everyday conveniences throughout the city.
Sandy is also home to America First Field, where Real Salt Lake plays, and the Utah Mammoth Ice Center, the NHL team’s practice and training facility.
If you want a suburb where you don’t have to drive into downtown Salt Lake for every errand or activity, Sandy can make a lot of sense.
What Are Homes Like in Sandy?
One thing I like about Sandy from a housing perspective is that it isn’t one uniform development.
Depending on the neighborhood, you can find:
1960s and 1970s homes
Split-entry and rambler-style houses
Larger established properties
Updated older homes
1990s and 2000s construction
Some newer construction and infill
That gives buyers more variety than you’ll find in some of the newer master-planned areas.
How Much Snow Does Sandy Get?
Where you live within Sandy matters.
As you move farther east toward the Wasatch foothills and higher elevations, you generally see more snow than you will closer to the valley floor and I-15.
That east-versus-west difference is something you’ll see throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
Two houses with a Sandy address can have noticeably different winter conditions depending on elevation.
What Should Buyers Think About Before Choosing Sandy?
Sandy is convenient, but convenience also means you’re living in a busier part of the valley.
Traffic around major east-west roads and canyon access can become significant during commuting hours and winter recreation traffic.
If you’re buying farther east because you want quick ski access, I would pay attention not only to the distance from the canyon but also to the roads you’ll use to get there.
2. Draper, Utah
Draper is immediately south of Sandy and sits near the southern end of the Salt Lake Valley.
It can be especially convenient for households that need access to both Salt Lake County and Utah County, because Lehi and the Silicon Slopes employment corridor are directly to the south.
Draper also has convenient access to I-15 and relatively quick access to the east-side mountains.
What Is Draper Known For?
Draper has a strong outdoor-recreation component that you may not realize just by looking at a map.
The city has an extensive trail network, mountain biking, hiking, and access to Corner Canyon.
The Point of the Mountain Flight Park is also well known for hang gliding and paragliding.
So while Draper has plenty of newer suburban development, there is also a substantial outdoor component woven into the city.
What Are Homes Like in Draper?
Much of Draper developed later than communities like Holladay or Cottonwood Heights.
Because of that, you’ll find a large amount of housing built from the 1990s forward, including many homes from the 2000s and newer.
There are also older properties and original homes mixed throughout the city, but Draper generally feels newer than many of the east-side suburbs farther north.
Housing can change dramatically depending on whether you’re near the valley floor, along the east bench, or up in SunCrest.
What Is SunCrest in Draper?
SunCrest deserves its own explanation because living there is very different from living in lower Draper.
The community sits high above the valley at roughly 6,000 feet in elevation.
You reach it by driving up a winding mountain road, and once you’re there, it can feel surprisingly removed from the development below.
SunCrest has direct access to hiking and mountain biking trails and expansive valley and mountain views.
But the elevation comes with a tradeoff:
Winter is much more serious up there.
SunCrest receives substantially more snow than the valley floor, and snow tends to remain on the ground much longer.
If someone tells me they love the idea of living in the mountains, I want to make sure they love the reality of the mountain too — including snow, winter driving, elevation, and getting up and down the hill.
That doesn’t make SunCrest good or bad.
It makes it very specific.
What Should Buyers Think About Before Choosing Draper?
One of the biggest things I would consider is where you work.
Draper can be extremely convenient if you regularly travel south toward Lehi.
If you commute north into Salt Lake City every day, traffic can make that drive feel very different during rush hour than it does when you test it on a quiet weekend afternoon.
I would also pay close attention to elevation.
Lower Draper and SunCrest may share the same city name, but they are not the same living experience.
3. Holladay, Utah
Holladay is one of the more established communities on Salt Lake City’s east side.
It sits southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and has a noticeably different feel from newer suburbs like Draper or Daybreak.
If you like mature trees, established streets, older architecture, and neighborhoods that developed over decades rather than all at once, Holladay is worth understanding.
What Are Homes Like in Holladay?
This is one of the areas where Salt Lake’s architectural variety really shows up.
Depending on the street and price point, you’ll find:
Mid-century homes
Brick ramblers
Older traditional homes
Extensively remodeled properties
Contemporary rebuilds
Larger foothill and mountain-view properties
It generally does not have the uniform look of a newer master-planned community.
That character is part of the appeal for many buyers, but older housing also means I pay particularly close attention to the condition and age of the property itself.
That can include things like sewer lines, electrical systems, plumbing, roofs, drainage, foundations, and previous renovations.
A beautifully remodeled older home can still have 60-year-old infrastructure somewhere behind the finishes.
What Is Recreation Access Like From Holladay?
Holladay sits close to Millcreek Canyon and has convenient access toward Big Cottonwood Canyon.
It also provides relatively direct access to I-215 and I-80, which can be useful if you regularly travel toward Park City.
For someone who wants to stay close to Salt Lake City while also having easy mountain access, that geography can be difficult to replicate farther west.
Is Holladay Walkable?
Parts of Holladay offer more of a neighborhood-center feel than many traditional Salt Lake suburbs.
You’ll find restaurants, coffee shops, smaller commercial areas, and pockets where walking to nearby businesses is actually realistic.
I would not describe all of Holladay as highly walkable, though.
Like most of the Salt Lake metro, the experience depends heavily on the exact neighborhood.
What Should Buyers Think About Before Choosing Holladay?
Holladay is an area where I would pay as much attention to the individual house as I do the neighborhood.
The housing stock is older and more varied, which means two similar-looking homes a few streets apart can have very different renovation histories and underlying systems.
It’s an area where thorough due diligence matters.
4. Farmington, Utah
Farmington is north of Salt Lake City in Davis County, which makes it geographically different from most of the communities on this list.
It can be an interesting option if you need access to Salt Lake City, the airport, Hill Air Force Base, or employers farther north along the Wasatch Front.
Instead of committing to the southern Salt Lake Valley, you’re positioning yourself between Salt Lake and the Ogden/Hill AFB area.
What Is Farmington Like?
Farmington has a mix of older areas and newer development, but much of the housing buyers encounter is newer suburban construction.
You’ll find:
Townhomes
Newer single-family neighborhoods
Larger detached homes
Properties farther east toward the foothills
Homes with elevated valley and mountain views
One of Farmington’s biggest amenities is Station Park, a large outdoor shopping and entertainment area with restaurants, retailers, a movie theater, fitness options, and other services.
Farmington also has a FrontRunner commuter rail station, which provides another transportation option for trips north and south along the Wasatch Front.
Why Would Someone Choose Farmington Instead of Salt Lake County?
For me, the biggest reason to consider Farmington is geography.
If one person in a household works near Salt Lake City while another regularly travels toward Hill Air Force Base, Farmington can create a middle ground that would be impossible from somewhere like Draper.
That’s why I don't think relocation decisions should start with a list of the “nicest” suburbs.
They should start with where your life actually happens.
What Should Buyers Think About Before Choosing Farmington?
If your social life, work, recreation, and regular errands are all concentrated in the southern Salt Lake Valley, Farmington can feel farther away than the mileage suggests.
But if your life is split between Salt Lake and northern Utah, the location can work extremely well.
This is one of those areas where your commute map matters more than someone else's ranking.
5. Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Cottonwood Heights is one of the most geographically distinctive cities in the Salt Lake Valley because it sits between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon.
If skiing, climbing, hiking, or canyon access is a major part of why you're moving to Utah, this area is probably going to come up during your research.
Alta and Snowbird are up Little Cottonwood Canyon, while Brighton and Solitude are up Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Living in Cottonwood Heights puts you very close to the entrances of both.
What Are Homes Like in Cottonwood Heights?
Cottonwood Heights is an established community.
A lot of the housing was built between roughly the 1960s and 1980s, although you'll also find:
1990s and 2000s construction
Remodels
Infill development
Newer luxury homes
Larger properties closer to the foothills
Mature trees and larger established lots are common in many neighborhoods.
Again, because much of the housing stock is older, the condition of the individual house matters tremendously.
Is Cottonwood Heights Good for Ski Access?
Geographically, it is difficult to get much closer to the Cottonwood Canyons without actually living in the canyon.
But there's an important distinction between living close to skiing and getting to skiing quickly every single day.
Winter canyon traffic, weather, parking restrictions, road conditions, and powder-day demand can dramatically change how long that trip takes.
If canyon access is one of your primary reasons for choosing Cottonwood Heights, I would make sure you understand what that looks like during actual ski-season traffic — not just what Google Maps says on a Tuesday in September.
What About Snow in Cottonwood Heights?
Like Sandy and Draper, snowfall varies with elevation.
Homes closer to the foothills and canyon mouths generally experience more snow than properties farther west and lower in the valley.
If you're specifically moving here because you want winter, that may be a positive.
If you're moving from somewhere warm and are nervous about snow removal and winter driving, it's something to think about before choosing a higher-elevation property.
What Should Buyers Think About Before Choosing Cottonwood Heights?
For buyers who prioritize canyon and mountain access, Cottonwood Heights is difficult to ignore.
But I would also factor in canyon traffic, the age of the housing stock, elevation, snow, and where you need to commute for work.
Being 10 minutes from the canyon entrance is fantastic if that's where you spend your free time.
It's less useful if you drive to Lehi five days a week.
6. Daybreak in South Jordan, Utah
Daybreak is different from everything else on this list because Daybreak is a master-planned community within South Jordan, rather than its own city.
And it was intentionally designed to feel different from a traditional suburban subdivision.
Walkability, trails, parks, community spaces, commercial areas, and housing are integrated throughout the development.
What Is Daybreak Like?
One of Daybreak's biggest defining features is the way the community is laid out.
You'll find extensive sidewalks and trails, neighborhood parks, shops and restaurants, light-rail access, and Oquirrh Lakeintegrated into the community.
Downtown Daybreak has also grown into a larger entertainment and commercial district.
The Salt Lake Bees now play at The Ballpark at America First Square in Downtown Daybreak, bringing professional baseball directly into the community.
That's a very different setup from most suburban neighborhoods in the Salt Lake Valley.
What Are Homes Like in Daybreak?
Most Daybreak housing is newer because development began in the 2000s.
You'll find a broad mix of:
Single-family homes
Townhomes
Condos
Craftsman-inspired homes
Modern designs
Lake-adjacent homes
New construction
One thing buyers relocating from other parts of the country sometimes notice is that many Daybreak homes have smaller private yards than they expected.
That's intentional.
The design puts more emphasis on shared parks, trails, open spaces, and community amenities rather than giving every property a huge private backyard.
Some people love that.
Others absolutely do not.
That's exactly why I don't like calling any community “the best.”
What About the Daybreak HOA?
Daybreak has an association structure and community standards, so buyers should understand what they're agreeing to before purchasing.
I would review the HOA documents, fees, rules, maintenance responsibilities, and any applicable assessments just like I would with any other HOA property.
Don't decide whether you like an HOA based solely on the monthly fee.
Understand what it covers and what restrictions come with it.
What Is the Commute From Daybreak Like?
Daybreak is on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley.
That can work well if your daily life is centered in South Jordan, the southwest valley, or areas accessible from Mountain View Corridor and Bangerter Highway.
If you're commuting to the east side every day, however, you'll be crossing the valley.
That's something I would test during the hours you'll actually be driving.
Daybreak may look close to everything on a map, but east-west travel is one of the biggest things relocating buyers underestimate about the Salt Lake Valley.
How Do You Choose the Right Salt Lake City Suburb?
Start with your actual week.
Not the neighborhood photos.
Not a generic “best suburbs of Salt Lake City” article.
And definitely not somebody else's lifestyle.
I would start by mapping:
Where you work
How often you commute
Which airport you use
Where you plan to ski or recreate
Where the people or activities you'll regularly visit are located
How much driving you're comfortable doing
Whether you want older or newer housing
Whether you want a large private yard or more shared amenities
How comfortable you are with snow and elevation
Then start comparing communities.
One of the biggest relocation mistakes I see is falling in love with a neighborhood first and figuring out the logistics later.
I prefer doing it the other way around.
Figure out what your life needs, then find the neighborhoods that support it.
Sandy vs. Draper vs. Cottonwood Heights: Which Is Better for Mountain Access?
All three put you on the east or southeast side of the Salt Lake Valley, but they work differently.
Cottonwood Heights puts you directly between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
Sandy offers very convenient access toward Little Cottonwood Canyon while also providing a large amount of shopping and everyday infrastructure.
Draper puts you farther south but gives you access to Corner Canyon, extensive mountain biking and hiking, and a shorter drive toward Lehi.
The best choice depends on whether your priority is ski access, trail access, commuting north, commuting south, or some combination of those.
East Side vs. West Side of the Salt Lake Valley
This is one of the first geographic differences I explain to people relocating here.
The east side sits closer to the Wasatch Mountains.
That generally means quicker access to the Cottonwood Canyons and, depending on elevation, more snowfall.
The west and southwest sides put you farther from those canyon entrances but can offer newer development, different transportation corridors, and communities like Daybreak.
Neither side is automatically better.
The question is which set of tradeoffs works better for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Salt Lake City Suburbs
What are the best suburbs of Salt Lake City?
There is no single suburb that is best for everyone.
Sandy, Draper, Holladay, Farmington, Cottonwood Heights, and Daybreak in South Jordan are six areas worth considering because they offer different combinations of housing, commuting, recreation, walkability, and access to Salt Lake City.
The best fit depends on where you work and how you actually plan to spend your time.
What Salt Lake City suburb is closest to skiing?
Cottonwood Heights is positioned directly between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, providing particularly convenient geographic access to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude.
Parts of Sandy are also very close to Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Actual ski-day travel times can change dramatically with weather, traffic, parking, and canyon restrictions.
Is Sandy or Draper better for commuting to Lehi?
Draper is directly north of Lehi and generally provides the shorter geographic commute into the Silicon Slopes employment corridor.
Sandy is farther north but can make sense if you want to remain more centrally located between Salt Lake City and Lehi.
Commute times should always be checked during the hours you'll actually be traveling.
Is Farmington a suburb of Salt Lake City?
Farmington is a separate city in Davis County north of Salt Lake City, but it is part of the broader Wasatch Front metropolitan area and is frequently considered by people relocating to the Salt Lake region.
Its location can be particularly useful for people who need access to both Salt Lake City and northern Utah.
Is Daybreak a city?
No.
Daybreak is a large master-planned community located within South Jordan, Utah.
It includes multiple villages and districts, parks, trails, Oquirrh Lake, commercial areas, light rail, Downtown Daybreak, and The Ballpark at America First Square.
Is Daybreak walkable?
Daybreak was intentionally designed around walking and biking more than most traditional suburban developments.
Its neighborhoods include extensive trails and sidewalks connecting parks, community amenities, schools, commercial areas, and transit.
Walkability still varies depending on which part of Daybreak you live in and where you're trying to go.
Does the east side of Salt Lake City get more snow?
Generally, higher-elevation areas closer to the Wasatch Mountains receive more snow than lower-elevation areas farther west in the valley.
However, snowfall can vary considerably even within the same city.
A property on the east bench can have a noticeably different winter experience from a home closer to the valley floor.
What is SunCrest in Draper?
SunCrest is a high-elevation residential community in Draper located above the main Salt Lake Valley.
It is known for mountain and valley views, hiking and mountain biking access, and substantially different winter conditions from lower Draper because of its elevation.
If you're considering SunCrest, I would specifically evaluate winter driving, snowfall, and the commute up and down the mountain rather than treating it like any other Draper neighborhood.
Which Salt Lake suburb is best if I work at Hill Air Force Base?
If Hill Air Force Base is your primary workplace, communities north of Salt Lake City may make more sense than Sandy, Draper, or Cottonwood Heights.
Farmington is one option because it positions you between Salt Lake City and Hill AFB, but buyers working at Hill should also compare communities farther north based on the gate they use and their preferred commute.
Which Salt Lake suburb is best if I work in Lehi?
Draper is one of the closest Salt Lake County communities to Lehi and can be particularly convenient for people working in the Silicon Slopes area.
South Jordan and Daybreak may also be worth comparing depending on the location of your employer and the transportation route you use.
Where should I live if I'm moving to Salt Lake City?
Start with your workplace, desired commute, housing budget, preferred home style, recreation priorities, and how often you need to access different parts of the valley.
From there, compare neighborhoods based on those criteria rather than choosing a city solely from an online ranking.
The Salt Lake metro is compact enough that many areas look close together on a map, but traffic, mountains, elevation, and east-west travel can make the actual experience very different.
Moving to Salt Lake City and Trying to Figure Out Where to Live?
If you’re relocating to the Salt Lake or Park City area and planning to buy a home, Tyler and I would love to help.
We own Lipich Realty Group and work directly with our clients throughout the buying process. We’re not a mega team where you get passed from one person to another — when you work with us, you get both of us.
We help relocating buyers figure out where they actually want to live, compare neighborhoods and commute patterns, understand the things that are unique to buying a home in Utah, and evaluate the risks that come with individual properties before closing.
My background is in cybersecurity and risk management, and Tyler and I are both Air Force veterans, so our approach has always been a little different. We want you to understand what you’re buying, why it makes sense for you, and what potential problems you should know about before they become your problems.
Whether your move is 10 weeks away or 10 months away, you’re welcome to reach out.
Sarah & Tyler LipichLipich Realty Group
Salt Lake City • Park City • Northern Utah
Call or text: 801-652-4007 Email: sarah@thelipichgroup.com
Website: SarahAndTyler.com
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