Relocation to SLC (West Valley City, Sandy: crime, neighborhoods, school districts)

[Durannie81]

Hi~

My husband just got the news that we might be moving to SLC area from MA.

I just have a few questions for you locals:

1) Which area is family friendlier then the next
2) Which school has a better Special Education program (1 child w/ADHD & Tourettes Syndrome)
3) How cold are the winters there? Coming from MA, our winters vary
4) How diversified is the community
5) Crime rate?

Thanks for all your help.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Just about anywhere is family friendly. Can't speak to special ed. Crime on the east side is so low compared to other cities as to be laughable. I frequently find zI forgot to lock the front door the night before.

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[DelaneyRudd]

1) Which area is family friendlier then the next
It's all pretty friendly, but more religious burbs can feel more provincial. North is less religious than South Valley, East Valley is more wealthy than West Valley.

2) Which school has a better Special Education program (1 child w/ADHD & Tourettes Syndrome)
I talked to some people from Mass who said that getting your children into a certain school was very competitive. Here, the school districts are very equal. With the exception of some West Valley City High Schools all the boundaries are relatively diverse. All high school areas have rich parts and working class parts. Every district has special needs programs and no district is really superior to the other.

3) How cold are the winters there? Coming from MA, our winters vary
Not that cold, really. Zero degrees is rare. The problem with winter here is that once you think it's gone, it comes right back in 2 days.

4) How diversified is the community
It's no Boston or New York, but it's not homogenized either. There aren't really any ethnic enclaves besides Mexican and a cluster of some Vietnemese businesses in WVC, but what ever you are looking for you can likely find it.

5) Crime rate?
Don't get any preconceptions of Mayberry or anything, but it's low for an area of a million people. I have had my car broken into before, and that was on the east side of Sandy. There's no real STAY OUT neighborhoods but there is property crime and drugs mixed in all over. Normal precautions such as locks and not leaving valuables in cars and not walking alone at night is all you need.