If you want the best schools, the best parks, the best food, and some pretty awesome family friendly activities, look no further than Utah’s best places for families to call home. And, folks, it’s your lucky day. HomeSnacks is here to give you the ultimate guide: we’ve broken down the best places to raise a family in Utah for 2026 and the top ten list is below.
How did we determine Utah’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in Utah with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 43 family friendly Utah places. This is also our second time ranking Utah’s most family friendly cities, so trust us when we say that any family would be lucky to call one these places home. That’s right, if you’ve already started a family or you’re thinking about taking the plunge, we’re sure that you’ve wondered where your family should live to experience the best that life has to offer. We’re also pretty sure that the Utah has crossed 98.9% of every family’s mind as having the best of the best. Heck, you can have your family mountain biking in Moab one minute and later snowboarding in Park City all in the same weekend.
Utah also has great places for every type of family on every type of budget. There are places like Saratoga Springs for the family that loves spending time outside, places like Salt Lake City for families who like the city life, and places like Provo for families who can afford to live in the most expensive places in Utah.
So, want to see a list of Utah’s best places for families? Read on.
$131,299 median income · 51.8% households with kids
Located in
Utah County, UtahLehi is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is named after Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon. The population was 47,407 at the 2010 census, up from 19,028 in 2000. The center of population of Utah is located in Lehi.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$133,142 median income · 49.1% households with kids
Located in
Utah County, UtahMapleton is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,979 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$111,117 median income · 50.6% households with kids
Located in
Utah County, UtahSalem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,423 at the 2010 census. The “Dream Mine” of John Hyrum Koyle, as well as the pond, became synonymous with Salem.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$128,802 median income · 66.6% households with kids
Located in
Utah County, UtahSaratoga Springs is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. The elevation is 4,505 feet. It is part of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is a relatively new development along the northwestern shores of Utah Lake. It was incorporated on December 31, 1997 and has been growing rapidly since then. The population was 1,003 at the 2000 census, while the 2009 estimates placed it at 16,125, making it one of the fastest-growing US cities during this time period. The 2010 census states population at 17,781, meeting expectations of growth despite the state of the economy. Saratoga Springs became a city in 2001.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$127,338 median income · 48.4% households with kids
Located in
Davis County, UtahFarmington is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Ogden-Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 18,275 at the 2010 census and was estimated at 22,159 in 2014. It is the county seat of Davis County. Lagoon Amusement Park is located in Farmington.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$133,026 median income · 49.2% households with kids
Located in
Davis County, UtahKaysville is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Ogden-Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 27,300 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population of 29,494 in 2014.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,844 median income · 53.0% households with kids
Located in
Utah County, UtahSpanish Fork is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 36,956 as of the 2013 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$97,537 median income · 53.4% households with kids
Located in
Cache County, UtahSmithfield is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The population was 9,495 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population of 11,014 in 2014. It is included in the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the second largest city in the area after Logan, the county seat. Smithfield is home to Sky View High School, where students from all of northern Cache County come to study.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$133,443 median income · 55.8% households with kids
Located in
Davis County, UtahSyracuse is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States, between the Great Salt Lake and Interstate 15, about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City. It is part of the Ogden-Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,331 at the 2010 census, an increase of 158.9% since the 2000 census. The city has seen rapid growth and development since the 1990s.
Syracuse was incorporated on September 3, 1935. The city was named by early settlers for Syracuse, New York, which was famed for its salt production in the 19th century.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$101,349 median income · 53.0% households with kids
Located in
Tooele County, UtahGrantsville is the second most populous city in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,063 on the 2011 report of the American Community Survey, a branch of the U.S. Census Bureau. The city has grown slowly and steadily throughout most of its existence, but rapid increases in growth occurred during the 1970s and 1990s. Recent rapid growth has been attributed to the nearby Deseret Peak recreational center, the Miller Motorsports Park raceway and to the newly built Wal-Mart Distribution Center located just outside the city. It is quickly becoming a bedroom community for commuters into the Salt Lake valley.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Utah’s statewide median.
Utah statewide median: $95,166
Utah statewide median: $537,810
On the map
Where Utah’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Utah anyways?
To give you the places in Utah that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Utah, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Utah, that meant a total of 43 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Utah.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Utah
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lehi | 85,173 | $131,299 | $568,596 | 51.8% |
| 2 | Mapleton | 13,114 | $133,142 | $730,777 | 49.1% |
| 3 | Salem | 10,324 | $111,117 | $611,418 | 50.6% |
| 4 | Saratoga Springs | 48,425 | $128,802 | $560,223 | 66.6% |
| 5 | Farmington | 25,389 | $127,338 | $692,138 | 48.4% |
| 6 | Kaysville | 33,053 | $133,026 | $682,325 | 49.2% |
| 7 | Spanish Fork | 44,946 | $104,844 | $514,916 | 53.0% |
| 8 | Smithfield | 14,408 | $97,537 | $464,323 | 53.4% |
| 9 | Syracuse | 35,488 | $133,443 | $584,934 | 55.8% |
| 10 | Grantsville | 14,341 | $101,349 | $528,197 | 53.0% |
| 11 | Herriman | 59,346 | $122,650 | $607,545 | 52.3% |
| 12 | Springville | 35,849 | $89,816 | $509,192 | 43.7% |
| 13 | Payson | 23,039 | $89,905 | $468,628 | 43.7% |
| 14 | Bluffdale | 18,797 | $129,531 | $612,682 | 46.2% |
| 15 | Riverton | 45,457 | $126,910 | $625,364 | 46.7% |
| 16 | South Jordan | 82,686 | $134,047 | $665,928 | 39.7% |
| 17 | Orem | 97,182 | $83,342 | $504,054 | 35.8% |
| 18 | Lindon | 11,765 | $120,956 | $726,560 | 43.5% |
| 19 | Pleasant Grove | 37,852 | $101,073 | $555,047 | 42.8% |
| 20 | North Salt Lake | 23,474 | $101,447 | $575,886 | 44.4% |
| 21 | Pleasant View | 11,217 | $129,462 | $671,687 | 43.2% |
| 22 | Provo | 114,766 | $64,171 | $484,203 | 29.6% |
| 23 | North Ogden | 21,947 | $113,722 | $531,734 | 46.8% |
| 24 | St. George | 101,995 | $76,508 | $519,370 | 32.2% |
| 25 | Draper | 50,278 | $128,910 | $806,898 | 37.0% |
| 26 | Heber | 18,015 | $110,339 | $718,911 | 50.7% |
| 27 | Tooele | 38,405 | $96,221 | $432,504 | 42.0% |
| 28 | West Jordan | 116,692 | $108,153 | $561,836 | 43.3% |
| 29 | Vernal | 10,392 | $64,457 | $290,521 | 47.6% |
| 30 | Centerville | 16,679 | $123,130 | $588,129 | 33.8% |
| 31 | Logan | 54,907 | $60,687 | $391,019 | 30.1% |
| 32 | Cottonwood Heights | 32,828 | $119,422 | $777,468 | 29.1% |
| 33 | Clinton | 23,612 | $116,194 | $497,696 | 47.0% |
| 34 | Washington | 32,348 | $91,853 | $544,670 | 33.4% |
| 35 | Woods Cross | 11,531 | $120,543 | $531,313 | 47.7% |
| 36 | Murray | 50,188 | $90,746 | $551,624 | 26.0% |
| 37 | Ogden | 87,413 | $72,575 | $400,514 | 31.1% |
| 38 | Layton | 83,286 | $102,480 | $527,623 | 41.2% |
| 39 | Hurricane | 22,771 | $75,016 | $504,102 | 26.8% |
| 40 | Roy | 38,993 | $91,282 | $436,793 | 40.4% |
| 41 | South Ogden | 17,650 | $80,130 | $431,143 | 33.5% |
| 42 | Clearfield | 33,523 | $75,495 | $424,500 | 42.8% |
| 43 | South Salt Lake | 26,352 | $72,152 | $440,875 | 22.5% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 43 Utah cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Utah
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Utah ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Utah are Lehi, Mapleton, Salem, Saratoga Springs, Farmington, Kaysville, Spanish Fork, Smithfield, Syracuse, and Grantsville. Not sold on Utah? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places For Families In Utah FAQs
What is the best place to raise a family in Utah?
Lehi is the best place to raise a family in Utah for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Mapleton and Salem round out the top three.
What are the best places for families in Utah?
The best Utah places to raise a family are Lehi, Mapleton, Salem, Saratoga Springs, Farmington, Kaysville, Spanish Fork, Smithfield, Syracuse, and Grantsville. We ranked all 43 cities with more than 10,000 residents.
How do you rank family-friendly cities?
Family-friendliness blends low crime, good schools, proximity to a major city, the share of households with kids, and nearby amenities. The city that balances all of it best in Utah is Lehi.
Is Lehi affordable for families?
The median home in Lehi costs $568,596 against a median household income of $131,299. Statewide, the median home runs $537,810, so check the gap before you pack the minivan.
What is the toughest place to raise a family in Utah?
South Salt Lake lands at the bottom of the family ranking for Utah. Families make it work everywhere, but the crime, school, and income numbers stack against it there.
