Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Four Utah cities were recently listed among annual lists of the best places to live in America.
Park City was named the Best Active Town by Outside Magazine. Farmington, Draper and Lindon were listed among Money Magazine's 50 Best Places to Live in America. The cities were chosen from among towns with 10,000-50,000 residents.
Farmington (14), Draper (25), and Lindon (29) made the list based on a criteria emphasizing economic strength, job growth, affordability, good schools, diversity, health care, a strong sense of community.
Money Magazine used the following method to evaluate the best small cities in America:
1,326: All U.S. towns with populations of 10,000 to 50,000.
846: After screening places with a median family income of more than 200% or less than 85% of the state average; those with more than 95% of one race; and those with poor education and crime scores.
622: After excluding retirement communities and towns with major job losses. The rest were ranked using job growth, housing appreciation and affordability, safety, schools, health care, arts and leisure, diversity, and ease of living.
60: After factoring in more data on the economy, jobs, real estate, and health care. The most weight was given to economic and housing factors. The list was limited to three places per state, one per county, and sorted to represent all regions evenly.
36: Money visited the towns and interviewed residents; assessed traffic, parks, and gathering places; and considered intangibles like community spirit.
1: Winner selected based on the data and reporting.
| **Rank** | **Town** | **Population** | **Median home price** (2012) |
|---|---|---|---|
| **14** | Farmington, UT | 19,135 | $281,047 |
| **25** | Draper, UT | 43,974 | $292,552 |
| **29** | Lindon, UT | 10,846 | $252,500 |
Farmington received praise for its close location for commuters to Salt Lake City and outdoorsy charm. The new $200 million Station Park development, with its combination of office space, housing, stores, and restaurants belies the town's small population.
Draper residents have outdoor playgrounds on all sides with access to the Jordan River Parkway to the west and Corner Canyon to the east, with opportunities for hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.
The annual Arts and Crafts Festival highlighted the many community events available in the city.
Draper is also the home of big employers, including the 1-800 Contacts headquarters and an eBay campus.
Lindon scored high with help from Teleperformance USA and Symantec, contributing to an unemployment rate of 4.5%, one of the lowest on the list. A growing job market and population that has doubled in the past two decade also were mentioned. Lindon came in at No. 1 on the Money Magazine list for ease of living.
Park City bested a list of cities that included Bozeman, MT; San Diego, CA; Boston, MA; Oklahoma City, OK; Spokane, WA; Greenville, SC; Honolulu, HI; Carbondale, CO and Waitsfield, VT. Last year's top spot was claimed by Richmond, Virginia.
"With more than 21,000 votes, our third-annual Facebook competition was our most competitive yet," said Outside editor Christopher Keyes. "Greenville and Park City battled it out for weeks. We're proud to showcase both towns in the magazine and thrilled with the level of engagement this program has garnered from readers."
