Salt Lake City
City in Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake City is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, with 199,723 residents (2020 Census). It sits at 4,226 ft (1,288 m) above sea level. The nearest town is North Salt Lake, 5.0 miles N.
- 199,723residents (2020 Census)
- 4,226 ftelevation · 1,288 m
- 110.9 sq miland area · 287.2 km²
- 1,801 / sq mipopulation density
- 84180main ZIP code (17 in total)
About Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The population was 199,723 at the 2020 census, while the Salt Lake City metropolitan area has an estimated 1.3 million residents and is the 46th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. It is also part of the larger Salt Lake City–Ogden–Provo combined statistical area, an urban corridor along a 120-mile (190 km) segment of the Wasatch Front with a population of approximately 2.8 million. It is one of the principal urban centers within the Great Basin, along with Reno, Nevada.
Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by settlers led by Brigham Young who were seeking to escape persecution they had experienced while living farther east. The Mormon pioneers, as they would come to be known, entered a semi-arid valley and immediately began building an extensive irrigation network that could feed the population and foster future growth.
The street grid system is based on a standard compass grid plan, with the southeast corner of Temple Square serving as the origin of the Salt Lake meridian. Owing to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake, it was originally named Great Salt Lake City; the word "Great" was dropped from the city's name in 1868. Immigration of international members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), mining booms, and the construction of the first transcontinental railroad brought economic growth, and the city was nicknamed "The Crossroads of the West". It was traversed by the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway, in 1913. Two major cross-country freeways, I-15 and I-80, intersect in the city. The city also has a belt route, I-215.
Salt Lake City has developed a strong tourist industry based primarily on skiing, outdoor recreation, and religious tourism. It hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and is set to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. It is known for its politically liberal culture, which stands in contrast with most of the rest of the state's highly conservative leanings. It is home to a significant LGBT community and hosts the annual Utah Pride Festival. It is the industrial banking center of the United States. Salt Lake City and the surrounding area are the location of several institutions of higher education including the state's flagship research school, the University of Utah.
Sustained drought in Utah has strained water security, caused record low water levels in Great Salt Lake, and impacted the local and state economy. The receding lake has exposed arsenic which may become airborne, subjecting area residents to poisonous dust. The city is also under threat of major earthquake damage amplified by two offshoots of the nearby Wasatch Fault that join underneath the downtown area.
Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Salt Lake City weather: 7-day forecast
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Live webcams in Salt Lake City
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Living in Salt Lake City
- Median household income
- $75,090
- Median home value
- $539,500
- Median rent
- $1,414/mo
- Median age
- 32.9
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Map of Salt Lake City
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Salt Lake City Street View
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Open in Google Maps ›Salt Lake City, UT population
Salt Lake City had 199,723 residents in the 2020 Census.
| 2020 Census | 199,723 |
|---|---|
| Density | 1,801 per sq mi (695 per km²) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.
Salt Lake City at a glance
| State | Utah (UT) |
|---|---|
| County | Salt Lake County |
| Type | City |
| Population | 199,723 (2020) |
| Land area | 110.89 sq mi (287.2 km²) |
| Water area | 0.45 sq mi (1.16 km²) |
| Elevation | 4,226 ft (1,288 m) |
| Coordinates | 40.7754° N, 111.9273° W |
| ZIP codes | 84180, 84054, 84101, 84102, 84103, 84104, 84105, 84106, 84111, 84112, 84113, 84114, 84115, 84119, 84120, 84138, 84150 |
| Census code (GEOID) | 4967000 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.
Towns near Salt Lake City
- North Salt Lake5.0 mi N
- South Salt Lake5.0 mi S
- Woods Cross6.8 mi N
- West Valley City7.5 mi SW
- Bountiful7.5 mi NE
- Millcreek7.9 mi SE
- Taylorsville8.3 mi S
- West Bountiful8.8 mi N
- Murray8.9 mi S
- Kearns9.6 mi SW
- Holladay9.7 mi SE
- Emigration Canyon9.8 mi E
Straight-line distance between town centers.
Frequently asked questions about Salt Lake City
What county is Salt Lake City in?
Salt Lake City is in Salt Lake County, Utah.
What is the population of Salt Lake City, UT?
199,723 people lived in Salt Lake City at the 2020 Census.
What is the ZIP code of Salt Lake City, UT?
The main ZIP code is 84180. Other ZIP codes: 84054, 84101, 84102, 84103, 84104, 84105, 84106, 84111, 84112, 84113, 84114, 84115.
What is the elevation of Salt Lake City?
4,226 feet (1,288 m) above sea level.
What towns are near Salt Lake City?
North Salt Lake (5.0 mi), South Salt Lake (5.0 mi), Woods Cross (6.8 mi), West Valley City (7.5 mi), Bountiful (7.5 mi).
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