• Downtown - home to Main Street.
 • Central City - the main residential area of the city.
 • Sugar House - commercial/residential district with many funky shops.
 • Federal Heights - affluent district to the northeast, made famous for the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping.
 • The Avenues - first neighborhood in Salt Lake, many old buildings .
 • East Bench - residential, to the east.
 • Capitol Hill - affluent district near the capitol.
 • Rose Park - residential, to the northwest.
 • Glendale - residential, to the southwest, home to the International Peace Gardens.

Salt Lake Valley

One thing to realize is that when people speak of Salt Lake City, they are often referring to Salt Lake Valley. The valley consists of 15 separate incorporated cities and 11 unincorporated communities. The locals are familiarized with the cities, but some of the unincorporated community names have no general use among the population.

 • The benches. Mostly residential, upper-class communities that are constructed along the slopes of the mountains.

 • Wasatch Front. The region located along the western edge of the Wasatch Range. It stretches from approximately Brigham City on the north to Santaquin on the south, and includes Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Provo. More than two-thirds of the state's population are located in this region.

 • Alta - extremely affluent ski area up Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range to the east; population 350, but there are many visitors, especially during ski season (typically November-April); no snowboarding allowed

 • Bluffdale - mostly middle class community located at far south end of the valley, south of Riverton. Rapidly-growing residential community; population 6,000.

 • Cottonwood Heights - mid to upper class community located along the benches north of Sandy and east of Midvale; population 27,000

 • Draper - middle to upper class city located in the far southeast corner of the valley along the slopes of the mountains. Rapidly-growing residential community; population 33,000

 • Herriman - mostly middle-class bedroom community located in far southwest corner of the valley. One of the fastest-growing cities in the state; population 6,000

 • Holladay - high income, very affluent community on east side of valley. Includes Cottonwood Mall; population 19,000

 • Midvale - low to middle class city located near center of valley north of Sandy; population 27,000

 • Murray - mostly middle class suburb located near center of valley just north of Midvale. Location of Fashion Place Mall; population 43,000

 • Riverton - located in southwest to the west of Draper and south of South Jordan. Rapidly-growing middle-class bedroom community; population 30,000

 • Sandy - located just south of the center of the valley, south of Midvale. Largely a bedroom community for Salt Lake City, almost serves as a core city of its own to the southern suburbs of Salt Lake City. Residences range from affluent along the benches to the east to low income regions scattered along the valley floor further west. Location of Jordan Commons shopping center and the South Town Center Mall. Future location of a soccer-specific stadium for Real Salt Lake; population 90,000

 • South Jordan - rapidly-growing bedroom community on southwest side of the valley, north of Riverton and south of West Jordan; population 37,000

 • South Salt Lake - mostly low to middle income suburb of Salt Lake City, just south of I-80 and north of Murray; population 22,000

 • Taylorsville - located southeast of West Valley City. Mostly low to middle-income community and also the main campus of the Salt Lake Community College; population 58,000

 • West Jordan - located in west-central part of valley; rapidly-growing, mixed-use city with a wide range of affluence. Location of large Jordan Landing shopping center, as well as Airport #2; population 89,000

 • West Valley City - located southwest of Salt Lake City, south of the 21st South Freeway (SR-201), West Valley City has developed into a respectable city of its own. The rapid growth of the 70's, 80's, and 90's has slowed considerably, but West Valley City is now a full-fledged suburb with the second-largest population of any city in Utah with a fair mix of commercial, residential, and some industrial areas. Mostly low to middle income city. Location of Valley Fair Mall, the USANA Amphitheater, and the Rocky Mountain Raceway; population 113,000