By Natalie Mollinet | [email protected]

Would you consider Sugar House to be one of the top 10 best neighborhoods to live in in the nation? According to U.S. News and World Report, Sugar House is one of them, alongside neighborhoods in Denver, Colo., San Jose, Calif., Washington, D.C., and Boston, Mass. The Sugar House neighborhood has been known to be one of the most sought-after place to live in the valley and with property values on the rise, why wouldn’t it be considered an awesome place to live?

In the article titled “Your New Home Could Be in One of These 10 Neighborhoods,” it says this about Sugar House: “This area’s mid-century bungalows are just as delectable as the neighborhood’s name, and surprisingly affordable, considering the nearby parks, the farmer’s market and the business district. The downtown area is no more than a 15-minute car ride away, but why rely on your own wheels? The Sugar House District also boasts a two-mile streetcar that connects this cute enclave to the rest of the city’s light rail system.” 

Many of those who read the article thought the statement “surprisingly affordable,” was laughable. Many people have had a challenging time finding a home for less than $300,000. But it wasn’t just the cost of living that U.S. News took into consideration, they also considered factors such as job prospects and quality of life. 

“When considering a move people are concerned about finding a job in their field, earning enough to afford a home, sending their kids to good schools and feeling like a part of their community,” Kim Castro, executive editor at U.S. News wrote in a press release concerning the article. “The Best Places to Live rankings takes all of that into account—the metro areas that do well are the ones with strong job markets and high quality of life.” 

According to the Department of Workforce Services in Utah, as of June 2017, unemployment sits at 3.4% while the nation’s unemployment rate is at 4.4%. The U.S. News analyzed 100 different metro areas in the U.S. and found that Salt Lake City ranked at number 10. 

When it came to transportation, the grid address system makes it easy to get around. With the bike lanes becoming safer and more available around the city as well as Utah Transit Authority expanding, the Salt Lake commute doesn’t look bad. 

“The Frontrunner trains runs a total of 88 miles between Ogden and Provo (through Salt Lake City),” U.S. News wrote. “The TRAX trains cover a sizable area of the Salt Lake Valley, including stops at the Salt Lake City International Airport and in downtown Salt Lake City.” 

Education was also a factor to make list. U.S. News.com ranked Sugar House’s Westminster College as the 20th Best Regional University in the West. Seventeen of the Salt Lake City high schools were also reported in their Best High School’s in The Nation Rankings with Ames and Salt Lake Center for Science and Education as a top-ranked schools in Utah. 

People in Sugar House were honored to have their community ranked among other great places to live in the United States. 

“I wholeheartedly agree,” Amy Barry, Sugar House council chair said. “Sugar House is a great place to live, work and play. There is nowhere else in this valley I would rather live and I’m glad U.S. News has learned what a great place we have here in Salt Lake City.”