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One of the happiest cities in America is giving visitors and residents plenty of reasons to smile. Salt Lake City, also known as SLC, combines the amenities of a big-time city with the relaxed vibe of a ski village. Salt Lake City stacks up well against most other state capitals in terms of public services, available employment and a variety of housing options, all the while nestled in one of the most visually stunning places in the country.
Salt Lake City is often linked with the Mormon religion. In fact, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founded the city. With a total population hovering near a million, SLC manages to claim quite a bit of cultural diversity, with a thriving counter-culture scene filled with tattooed punk rockers and a large LGBTQ community mingling with graduates of nearby Brigham Young University. The local economy is made up of a mix of service industries. Transportation, banking, health services and government provide a large portion of jobs in town. It’s a great place to find employment—in early 2015, Gallup reported that the city leads the U.S. in job creation.
Public transportation is readily available and highly used. The busses and light rails connect SLC and neighboring towns efficiently, allowing commuters easy access to all parts of town. Residents and visitors take full advantage of the nearby Wasatch Mountains year-round, with 11 resorts located within an hour of Salt Lake International Airport. Winter brings some of the best snow in the country for skiing, snowboarding and sledding. Once the spring thaw occurs, grab your hiking boots or mountain bike to experience the hills in an entirely different way.
Salt Lake City is festival central, with events celebrating foreign cultures, Jewish heritage, hot air balloons, yoga, food, art, music, films and more. The famous Sundance Film Festival, held every January in nearby Park City, is just 30 minutes east on I-80. In SLC, Friday Night Flicks and the Twilight Concert Series offer residents entertainment in amazing outdoor venues during the summer months.