Draper is located south of Salt Lake City, along the Wasatch Front.  Established in 1854, it now has a population of over 46,000, with nearly 80% of its residents under the age of 45. Alpine School District, Canyons School District, and Jordan School District all serve the Draper community. 

Holladay was established as a city at the end of 1999, but had settlements as early as 1847. It is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Utah, and lies just south of Sugar House, along the eastern bench of the Salt Lake Valley. The population is over 26,000, and the average age in the area is 37.  Granite School District serves the City of Holladay, with 5 elementary schools, 2 junior high schools, and 3 high schools.

Pioneer families began settling in the Midvale area in 1851, and the city was established officially in 1979.  The city is in Salt Lake County with a total area of 5.8 square miles, and is located south-west of Holladay. The population is nearly 31,000, with a median age of 31. The school district for Midvale is Canyons School District, with 4 elementary schools, 2 junior high schools, and 1 high school.

Murray is situated on the Wasatch Front in the core of Salt Lake Valley. The city was officially recognized as a third class city by the State of Utah in 1903, and Murray has been designated a Tree City USA since 1977. At an average age of 31, Murray is home to over 46,000 people. The Murray City School District was created in 1906, and has ten schools.

Sandy is a suburb of Salt Lake City located at the base of the Wasatch Mountain Range, just north of Draper, and is the sixth-largest city in Utah. The population is over 91,000, and more than half of the population is under 45 years old. Jordan School District was the primary school district in Sandy until 2009 when it was split into two school districts: Jordan School District and Canyons School District.  Canyons School District is now the primary school district for Sandy City.

South Jordan lies between the peaks of the Oquirrh Mountains and the Wasatch Mountains. The Jordan River flows through the Salt Lake Valley, and South Jordan has a 3.5 mile section of Jordan River Parkway. South Jordan became incorporated as a town in 1935. Having a population of 66,000, the city has a median age of 30. In addition to private schools located in South Jordan, Jordan School District is the primary school district.

South Salt Lake is nestled right in between West Valley City and Sugar House, sitting just above Murray and Taylorsville. With a population of around 25,000, South Salt Lake has been growing as a town and city since it was established in 1938. 93% of the residents in this area are under 65 years old, with 22% under the age of 18. The students in this area attend schools in the Granite school district. All South Salt Lake Journal articles can be found on our City Journals homepage.

The South Valley Journal covers news for Herriman, Bluffdale, and Riverton. This area is the southwest region of Salt Lake County, and together, these communities have a total population of over 68,000.  Although these communities have their own unique histories, they were all first settled in the mid 1800’s. The average age in this area is 24, and while Herriman has 65% of its population under the age of 44, Bluffdale and Riverton both have over 75% of their populations under 44 years old. South Valley schools are under the Jordan School District.

Sugar House is a neighborhood of Salt Lake City, and is within its grid system located in the southeast corner.  Established in 1853, Sugar House now has a population of over 31,000 and an average age of 34.  The Salt Lake City School District covers the Sugar House residential area, and the Sugar House area is also the home of Westminster College.

Taylorsville is a part of Salt Lake County, and is in the center of the Salt Lake Valley. In 1996, it officially became the City of Taylorsville on the anniversary of Utah’s statehood. The population is over 58,000, and 60% of the population is between the ages of 19 and 65. The school district for Taylorsville is Granite School District.

West Jordan was founded around 1849 on the Western banks of the Jordan River, and is located just next to the Kennecott Copper Mine, the world’s largest man-made excavation. At about 110,000 people, West Jordan was placed as the fourth most populous city in Utah.  About 82% of the population is under the age of 44. West Jordan is a part of the Jordan School District, and is also home to a branch of Salt Lake Community College.

Located just beneath Salt Lake City, West Valley City is on the northwest side of the Salt Lake Valley.  West Valley City was officially created in 1980, and is now the second-largest city in Utah. With a population of over 129,000, West Valley City has an average age of 27. The Granite School District serves the West Valley community.