What Are The 8 Safest Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City, Utah?

Mary Newman
by Mary Newman

Sometimes called Salt Lake or SLC, Salt Lake City is the capital and most populous city in Utah. With over 200,000 residents calling the area home, this city is the central hub for culture, entertainment, and more. The city also serves as the center for the Salt Lake City metro area, which is home to over 1.2 million people in total. It’s not a small area, and with such a busy city often comes crime.

Some of the best neighborhoods in Salt Lake City include Greater Avenues, East Beach, and Yakecrest, all ranked highly for their low crime rate and great quality of life. In our list, however, you’ll find a good balance of both downtown-style city living as well as more of a suburban lifestyle. No matter what is right for your family, Salt Lake City can provide it – in a safe way!

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What Are The Top 8 Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City?

The crime index in Salt Lake City is a staggering 1. In case you’re unaware, the “safest” cities in the US ranks at 100. This means Salt Lake City is safer than just 1% of all cities in the United States. Residents have a 1 in 135 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime, and a 1 in 17 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. These numbers are not encouraging to those looking to relocate!

Our top 8 neighborhoods include:

  • Greater Avenues
  • East Bench
  • Wasatch Hollow
  • Yalecrest
  • Bonneville Hills
  • East Central
  • Central City
  • Central City-Liberty Wells

If you’re considering the move to Salt Lake City and you’re concerned about crime, well, no one can blame you. But not all of the city is dangerous, and there are many safe neighborhoods with a strong community focus. You just have to know where to look – and that’s where we come in! These are the 8 safest neighborhoods in all of Salt Lake City, based on real crime data from the FBI. Before you make the move, do your research and be sure you’re choosing the best possible neighborhood for you and your family.

The 8 Safest Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City

1. Greater Avenues

  • Population: 16,047
  • Median Household Income: $89,754
  • Crime Per 100k: 2,328
  • Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

Sometimes just called The Avenues, the Greater Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City is best known for not just its safety, but its proximity to nature. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail runs through the neighborhood and provides stunning views of the Wasatch Mountains, and the Brigham Young Historic Park is also within the neighborhood. The park itself hosts numerous summer concerts for all residents. If you’re searching for a residential neighborhood that will get you outside, this is it!

There are also a lot of ‘fun’ and ‘quirky’ restaurants, cafes, and shops to choose from. Greater Avenues has a lot of personality and charm and is very popular with successful young professionals and families alike. The low unemployment rate, coupled with the high median household income, makes this a popular, if exclusive, neighborhood. There are a variety of housing options for residents to choose from, including larger apartment complexes, smaller apartment buildings, and single-family homes.

2. East Bench

  • Population: 8,443
  • Median Household Income: $120,545
  • Crime Per 100k: 2,404
  • Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

With a Disney-famous high school and the highest median household income on our list, the East Bench neighborhood – located on the foothills of the Wasatch Range – is a popular, affluent neighborhood for established families. East High School, located in East Bench, was the high school featured in Disney’s hit series High School Musical.

The Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, Hogle Zoo, Fort Douglas Military Museum, and This is the Place Heritage Park are all within this neighborhood, giving residents plenty to see or do. There are also a wide variety of restaurants and other shops, including the Foothill Village Shopping Center. Residents rarely have to leave the neighborhood to get their needs met.

The majority of homes in the area are single-family homes on small lots and apartment buildings.

3. Wasatch Hollow

  • Population: 3,188
  • Median Household Income: $104,977
  • Crime Per 100k: 2,414
  • Unemployment Rate: 1.5%

Southeast of the downtown area sits Wasatch Hollow, a relatively small neighborhood with a healthy median household income and a low unemployment rate. The Wasatch Hollow Preserve and Wasatch Hollow Park runs through the neighborhood, giving residents plenty of access to green space while still living in a city.

There is a nice balance of homes in Wasatch Hollow, and plenty of local shopping and dining, though major shopping trips will have to happen just outside the neighborhood. Many streets are wide and tree-lined, with sidewalks that encourage walking, instead of driving. The median home value is over $100,00 the national average, at $470,000, and only 13% of residents in the neighborhood rent their homes.

4. Yalecrest

  • Population: 3,768
  • Median Household Income: $90,422
  • Crime Per 100k: 2,853
  • Unemployment Rate: 1.9%

Yalecrest might be the most historic and notable neighborhood in all of Salt Lake City. And great news – it’s also one of the safest, meaning that it is an incredibly desirable area! It’s known for its architectural variety, Yalecrest has a dense collection of turn-of-the-century homes, some built as early as 1912. The majority of them are English Tudor and English Cottage homes, and the Salt Lake City Planning Department has said the variety and concentration of period cottages in this neighborhood is “unrivaled” in all of the state.

If that doesn’t interest you, there are two parks within the neighborhood itself, and a handful of coffee shops, restaurants, and other shopping areas. For the most part, though, residents will have to leave their neighborhood to get groceries or run errands. While there are a handful of apartment buildings, the majority are historic homes. On many streets, you can see the peaks and rises of the mountains.

5. Bonneville Hills

  • Population: 3,489
  • Median Household Income: $95,823
  • Crime Per 100k: 4,241
  • Unemployment Rate: 2.9%

Just southeast of our last neighborhood and west of East Bench is Bonneville Hills, a medium-sized neighborhood in Salt Lake City with a lot going for it. The median household income is quite a bit higher here than the national average, and the neighborhood boasts sidewalk-lined streets with mature trees and a lot of character.

Residents can enjoy dining and local shops in the northeastern section of the neighborhood, and just outside of Bonneville Hills is Sunnyside East, a large park with trails, a golf course, and a direct connection to Hogle Zoo. For many, this is the ideal balance of city living and suburbs.

6. East Central

  • Population: 20,893
  • Median Household Income: $55,492
  • Crime Per 100k: 4,310
  • Unemployment Rate: 3.3%

The East Central neighborhood is just outside of the University of Utah, and has some ‘university overflow’, if you will. This means there’s really no shortage of cafes, restaurants, and shops to choose from, and the neighborhood certainly has a more ‘city’ feel than some of our previous residential areas. It’s a good balance, and a great choice for those working or going to school at the University.

There is a good mix of single-family homes and apartment choices in the neighborhood, so no matter what sort of housing you’re looking for, you should be able to find it. Just outside of the neighborhood is Liberty Park, a large green space with a weekly farmers’ market, a tennis court, and an aviary and botanical gardens. It’s clear by the population of this neighborhood that this area is much denser than some of the others we’ve looked at, but that is very appealing to many.

7. Central City

  • Population: 10,087
  • Median Household Income: $37,548
  • Crime Per 100k: 4,413
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

Central City is just outside of East Central – are you noticing that many of the safest areas in Salt Lake City are clustered together? If you’re looking for safety while still living very close to downtown, Central City is probably your best bet. Parts of this neighborhood directly intersect with the downtown area, so there is a lot of nightlife, bar choices, and cafes or locally-owned shops to choose from.

There are more apartment and condo housing in this area than single-family homes, but they do exist. The homes in this area tend to be smaller, older, and more expensive than if you were to step outside of the downtown area and into a residential area. But that makes sense – you pay a premium to be able to walk to your favorite coffee shop or bookstore!

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8. Central City-Liberty Wells

  • Population: 3,074
  • Median Household Income: $49,139
  • Crime Per 100k: 4,946
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

Completing our tour of safe Salt Lake City neighborhoods is Central City-Liberty Wells, a small neighborhood just outside of Central City itself. This is also in the downtown area, so once again, you’re going to get the same issues (or benefits!) as living in Central City. This includes things like more apartments, fewer single-family homes. and a higher cost of living.

However, just like with Central City, there are benefits, too. Lots of locally owned shops and cafes just down the street, plenty of things to do and see, and never a boring night. This area, along with Central City, is mostly filled with young professionals and families just starting out. The median household income is one of the lowest of all the areas we have covered, but if you are moving here because you already have a job lined up and you want city living, Central City-Liberty Wells could be perfect for you.

Unlike many ‘dangerous’ cities in the United States, you can live in the downtown area near all the action and stay safe. And with only 55% of residents owning their own home in this neighborhood, you can rent for a few months – or years! – to decide if it’s right for you.

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Mary Newman
Mary Newman

Mary Newman thought that home improvement was all painting and putting down throw rugs... until she bought a fixer upper, and realized it's so much more. With a passion for helping others NOT make the mistakes she did, Mary seeks to always improve her home - and yours, too!

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