Living in Provo, Utah

2nd best city in US for outdoors/living (Outside Magazine, 2014)

4th most educated metro area in the US (WalletHub, 2015)

1st most fit city in the US (WalletHub, 2015)

2nd best city for businesses and careers (Forbes, 2013)

Culture

Provo culture is shaped by local universities Brigham Young University (BYU) and Utah Valley University (UVU), which bring over 60,000 undergraduate students (including students from over 110 different countries) into the area. As a result, the Provo area is one of the most educated metro areas in the country, which provides fertile ground for its burgeoning tech industry at nearby Silicon Slopes—home to companies like Qualtrics, Adobe, and many others. Provo has a well-known local music scene with a city-sponsored rooftop concert series and several local band venues. For a relatively small city, Provo has a robust and diverse food scene with a growing food truck community. Last but not least, being surrounded by 11,000-foot peaks, canyons and national parks makes outdoor recreation a central part of life in Provo.
Outdoor recreation

Here at BYU, we’re lucky to have the Wasatch Mountains right out our back door and red rock desert a short drive away. The “greatest snow on earth” (in our unbiased opinion) is 20 minutes away at Sundance Ski Resort. Plus, the Wasatch range provides an incredible network of mountain biking and hiking trails a short walk from the lab. Other outdoor activities just minutes away include fly-fishing for trout in the Provo River, rock climbing up Rock Canyon, and lake recreation at nearby Utah Lake or the Deer Creek Reservoir. If you get tired of mountain scenery, our famous slot canyons and red rock desert (e.g., Moab, San Rafael Swell) are a 2-3 hour drive away. Utah also boasts 5 national parks all within a day’s drive of BYU.

Here are some local photos that give a flavor for the area by Utah Valley-based photographer Andy Earl. Thanks for the photos, Andy!