You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Utah. Best suburbs in Utah. Best counties in Utah.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Beehive State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Utah based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Utah ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
$117,708 median income · 2.2% unemployment
$115,735 median income · 3.1% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$110,428 median income · 0.8% unemployment
$148,261 median income · 0.8% unemployment
$117,054 median income · 0.3% unemployment
$150,313 median income · 1.7% unemployment
$151,964 median income · 2.0% unemployment
$114,773 median income · 1.7% unemployment
$142,188 median income · 2.1% unemployment
$106,719 median income · 1.5% unemployment
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
Utah statewide median: 3.6%
On the map
Where Utah’s best small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Utah
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Utah possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 73 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 73, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Utah. Top of that list — River Heights.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in Utah.
The full plate
Best Small Towns In Utah
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River Heights | 2,282 | $117,708 | $501,421 | 2.2% |
| 2 | Morgan | 4,409 | $115,735 | $742,713 | 3.1% |
| 3 | Richmond | 3,000 | $110,428 | $473,642 | 0.8% |
| 4 | Mendon | 1,482 | $148,261 | $664,128 | 0.8% |
| 5 | Francis | 1,989 | $117,054 | $871,111 | 0.3% |
| 6 | Mountain Green | 3,976 | $150,313 | $882,320 | 1.7% |
| 7 | Woodland Hills | 1,559 | $151,964 | $882,780 | 2.0% |
| 8 | Millville | 1,800 | $114,773 | $493,853 | 1.7% |
| 9 | Mantua | 1,677 | $142,188 | $665,641 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Liberty | 1,484 | $106,719 | $907,156 | 1.5% |
| 11 | Wellsville | 4,157 | $104,351 | $575,293 | 1.0% |
| 12 | West Mountain | 1,282 | $111,791 | $1,266,206 | 2.0% |
| 13 | Uintah | 1,754 | $108,125 | $595,017 | 3.5% |
| 14 | Henefer | 1,005 | $93,654 | $595,750 | 0.0% |
| 15 | Wolf Creek | 1,339 | $130,729 | $973,640 | 0.0% |
| 16 | South Willard | 1,532 | $119,327 | $640,669 | 0.0% |
| 17 | Elk Ridge | 4,898 | $143,167 | $687,825 | 4.1% |
| 18 | Oakley | 1,638 | $125,550 | $746,754 | 2.4% |
| 19 | Lake Shore | 1,129 | $99,058 | $783,748 | 20.0% |
| 20 | Kamas | 2,096 | $96,638 | $1,211,445 | 0.5% |
| 21 | Mona | 1,674 | $115,179 | $582,706 | 1.0% |
| 22 | Milford | 1,547 | $82,368 | $245,614 | 2.3% |
| 23 | Daniel | 1,044 | $106,471 | $880,115 | 2.6% |
| 24 | Toquerville | 2,344 | $97,813 | $590,881 | 2.3% |
| 25 | Marriott-Slaterville | 1,979 | $101,786 | $651,768 | 2.6% |
| 26 | Willard | 2,212 | $97,782 | $582,586 | 1.9% |
| 27 | Silver Summit | 1,476 | $241,792 | $2,197,835 | 6.4% |
| 28 | Maeser | 4,435 | $83,813 | $382,496 | 0.9% |
| 29 | Hideout | 1,253 | $98,929 | $1,263,315 | 0.8% |
| 30 | Honeyville | 1,275 | $87,083 | $541,983 | 3.6% |
| 31 | Castle Dale | 1,546 | $82,958 | $300,994 | 2.1% |
| 32 | Genola | 1,842 | $126,667 | $836,776 | 0.2% |
| 33 | Carbonville | 1,636 | $67,193 | $369,676 | 0.0% |
| 34 | Lewiston | 2,408 | $98,583 | $465,014 | 3.6% |
| 35 | Beaver | 3,681 | $75,960 | $357,403 | 0.0% |
| 36 | Spring City | 1,057 | $71,250 | $360,335 | 5.5% |
| 37 | Panguitch | 1,701 | $76,750 | $223,178 | 8.1% |
| 38 | Naples | 3,285 | $97,865 | $395,303 | 6.3% |
| 39 | Monticello | 2,200 | $72,969 | $329,750 | 0.0% |
| 40 | Orangeville | 1,445 | $90,086 | $287,509 | 2.1% |
| 41 | Coalville | 1,881 | $95,729 | $692,123 | 0.9% |
| 42 | Monroe | 2,616 | $66,172 | $390,015 | 3.5% |
| 43 | Rocky Ridge | 1,060 | $95,625 | $630,119 | 1.6% |
| 44 | Benson | 1,776 | $93,194 | $535,677 | 7.9% |
| 45 | Centerfield | 1,240 | $77,778 | $346,379 | 2.9% |
| 46 | Riverside | 1,135 | $73,246 | $482,315 | 0.0% |
| 47 | Manti | 3,594 | $62,614 | $341,433 | 1.6% |
| 48 | Enterprise | 1,955 | $91,250 | $409,360 | 1.6% |
| 49 | Delta | 3,705 | $78,506 | $352,168 | 8.3% |
| 50 | Blanding | 3,275 | $71,797 | $330,637 | 3.4% |
| 51 | Elwood | 1,547 | $101,771 | $575,751 | 6.5% |
| 52 | Garland | 2,660 | $74,375 | $431,644 | 5.5% |
| 53 | Duchesne | 1,753 | $77,059 | $335,021 | 4.1% |
| 54 | Hildale | 1,372 | $78,523 | $491,240 | 8.9% |
| 55 | Spring Glen | 1,157 | $52,386 | $310,554 | 2.0% |
| 56 | Fillmore | 2,676 | $66,442 | $348,816 | 9.7% |
| 57 | Thatcher | 1,170 | $100,750 | $444,072 | 2.1% |
| 58 | Fairview | 1,342 | $66,442 | $327,257 | 2.9% |
| 59 | Mount Pleasant | 3,805 | $68,920 | $387,589 | 4.0% |
| 60 | Fountain Green | 1,521 | $73,017 | $409,456 | 4.2% |
| 61 | Ferron | 1,517 | $70,947 | $316,165 | 7.6% |
| 62 | Huntington | 1,965 | $76,500 | $291,878 | 7.8% |
| 63 | Parowan | 3,165 | $53,145 | $397,117 | 8.6% |
| 64 | Gunnison | 3,562 | $70,833 | $319,675 | 4.1% |
| 65 | Helper | 2,698 | $56,875 | $285,205 | 6.4% |
| 66 | Moroni | 1,535 | $65,833 | $311,103 | 9.0% |
| 67 | Wellington | 1,624 | $61,466 | $197,256 | 5.6% |
| 68 | Apple Valley | 1,181 | $86,250 | $543,776 | 8.0% |
| 69 | Ballard | 1,803 | $87,037 | $299,125 | 8.0% |
| 70 | Salina | 2,546 | $64,129 | $309,836 | 10.5% |
| 71 | La Verkin | 4,476 | $68,269 | $432,075 | 5.7% |
| 72 | Wendover | 1,261 | $44,173 | $180,882 | 2.7% |
| 73 | East Carbon | 1,336 | $37,991 | $98,903 | 18.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 73 Utah towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these small towns in Utah are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Utah are River Heights, Morgan, Richmond, Mendon, Francis, Mountain Green, Woodland Hills, Millville, Mantua, and Liberty. Not sold on Utah? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Small Towns In Utah FAQs
What is the best small town to live in Utah?
River Heights is the best small town in Utah for 2026. The median household income there is $117,708 and the median home costs $501,421. Morgan and Richmond round out the top three.
What are the best small towns in Utah?
The best small towns in Utah are River Heights, Morgan, Richmond, Mendon, Francis, Mountain Green, Woodland Hills, Millville, Mantua, and Liberty. We ranked all 73 Utah towns with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
What counts as a small town?
For this ranking, a small town is any Utah place with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents. 73 towns fit that window this year.
How do you rank the best small towns in Utah?
Each town is scored on density, unemployment, housing costs, income, education, insurance coverage, and commute times, using Census American Community Survey data. The town with the best average across all of it, River Heights, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in River Heights?
The median home in River Heights runs $501,421, against $537,810 across Utah as a whole. Pair that with a $117,708 median household income, and you can see why it ranks so well.
