If you’re a student who is looking to move to Salt Lake City, then finding the right neighborhood is essential. You want to feel safe, you want to be able to afford your rent, and you want to be within a reasonable distance from wherever you are attending.
Instead of spending hours having to search rental listings without even knowing what area would be good for you, you need to stop and research. Once you know what neighborhoods would be the best fit for you, that’s when you can get back to your specific search.
In this article, we’re going to be going through the best neighborhoods in Salt Lake City for students in our opinion. We’re also going to be talking you through how to choose for yourself, so if you’re interested in learning more about this, feel free to read on.
What Are Generally Seen As The Best Neighborhoods For Students?
As we’re sure that you are aware, Salt Lake City has a lot of neighborhoods. Each of them provides something different, but the majority of them provide a safe, and warm environment for students. Of course, those that are closer to Downtown tend to be closer to more social activities, so if that’s something that is important to you, you want to get as close to that as you can.
But, overall, what are generally seen as the best neighborhoods for students? It’s these:
- Sugar House
- Central 9th
- Capitol Hill
- Rose Park
- Central City
- East Central
Of course, there are others that could go on the list, but we would say that these are the top contenders for the majority of students due to a culmination of reasons. Of course, it depends what your priorities are overall.
What Are The Most Affordable Neighborhoods For Students?
One of the most important elements for students is going to be how affordable the neighborhood is. Many students are working with student loans or part time jobs, which means that they need somewhere decent to live, without having to pay through the nose for it. Generally speaking, the most affordable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City for students are as follows:
- East Central
- Liberty Wells
- Rose Park
- Central 9th
Each of these places is well known for being more affordable, with affordable housing options that are generally within walking distance of public transportation links.
Looking Into Housing Prices And Why They Matter
The problem that students have is that finding affordable neighborhoods can be tricky. This is due to house pricing constantly being on the rise, which then pushes student rent up as the general area becomes more expensive. With Salt Lake City rentals seeing an increase in price, student-specific accommodation follows, especially considering there is such a supply-demand imbalance.
During your research, it’s important to look at the overall cost of the area, rather than just the student options. The reason we recommend this is because if it seems as though rent prices are high, the chances are the student accommodation rent is going to start to rise soon also, which could cause you issues you don’t need.
That’s why looking into affordable neighborhoods like the ones we mentioned above is such a good idea.
What Are Some Of The Benefits Of Salt Lake City For Students?
Outdoor Recreation
If you love being in nature, then Salt Lake City is a fantastic option for you. With breathtaking views, from national parks and scenic hiking trails, there is plenty to do to keep fit. You will be blessed with mountain views people living in other areas can only dream, all within a reasonable distance from you.
Easy Transport Access
With a major international airport just 15 minutes away from downtown, heading home to see family, or welcoming them there to you doesn’t have to be such a challenge. As well as this, the public transportation system, the TRAX light rail, makes it super easy for students to get around without needing to have a car. It’s safe, it’s convenient, and there’s easy access to wherever you need to go, what more could you want?
A Welcoming Community
Where you live is massively important in your life, which is why you want a neighborhood that is welcoming. Well, pretty much all of Salt Lake City is welcoming of students. With its diverse culture, nobody is ever left out in the cold and made to feel as though they don’t belong. This is especially true in neighborhoods like Rose Park, Capitol Hill, and even in the city center.
Neighborhoods With Access To The Best Schools
If you’re going to be attending The University Of Utah, you want to make sure that you have easy access from where you live in Salt Lake City. Some of the recommendations that we would make are as follows:
- Yalecrest – a beautiful neighborhood with tree lined streets, and close enough to U of U to walk there
- Sugar House – also walkable to the U of U, a perfect place for college students thanks to accessibility, and the array of coffee shops on offer on the way
- The Avenues – walkable, and with amazing views of green spaces for you to look at every single day
These are the best neighborhoods with access to the University of Utah, but, if you’re one of the students with young families looking to relocate here for the public schools, with the intention of studying also, we recommend these areas for public schools:
- Cottonwood Heights
- Millcreek
- Draper
While these are not directly perfect for older students, for those students who have young families, they could be a good choice.
What Factors Should You Be Considering?
When choosing a new place to live, there are many factors to consider, and you just can’t choose randomly without much thought. So, what should you consider?
Affordability
We know that we’ve looked into affordability a fair amount in this article, but it’s still something that you should be considering deeply. Think about your budget, and find a neighborhood that is able to suit that, rather than requiring to to stretch to the limit. Ideally, you want the most affordable neighborhood within a reasonable distance from whatever college or school you are attending.
Commute Times
There are many colleges and educational institutions in the Salt Lake City area, and as such you should be researching commute times from where you’re thinking of living, to your educational establishment. The last thing that you want is to move to the other side of the area, and it takes you longer than you would like to get to college every day, making your day longer than it needs to be.
Crime Rates
The final thing that we want to highlight here are crime rates. You should always be looking at crime rates for whatever area you’re considering living in. A low crime rate will make you feel safe and more comfortable wherever you choose to live, and Salt Lake City is consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in the United States.
It’s just about researching and finding which ones they are such as Sugar House, The Avenues, and more.
So, there you have it. These are some of the best neighborhoods in Salt Lake City for students, as well as a whole load of information that you’re going to need to consider when you’re trying to decide where to live, or indeed, invest. It’s important that you’re looking at all of the information we’ve provided, as well as doing your own research. If you are interested in getting help with property management in Salt Lake City, or you’re a student looking for a new place to live, check out Rentler right now.
FAQ’s
Which Salt Lake City Neighborhoods are closest to major universities?
Neighborhoods like Sugar House, Rose Park, and The Avenues are closest to the University of Utah. Downtown and South Salt Lake tend to offer easier access to multiple other colleges.
Is Salt Lake City safe for students who want to live off campus?
Generally, yes. Most areas are pretty safe for students, but you should do your own research. Some of the safest areas include Rose Park, The Avenues and Sugar House neighborhood.
Which neighborhoods have the best night life for students?
Sugar House especially, as well as Downtown Salt Lake City is known for being full of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, stores, and more that would appeal to students.
Is it worth living off campus in Salt Lake City?
Honestly, we would say so. It offers you more flexibility than living in student accommodation, without losing the convenient access to the school that you attend. A lot of private accommodation is also larger than what student accommodation offers, meaning that you will have more space for your things.
