Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When I researched SLC and had similar concerns I formed the impression that non-LDS are comfortable in a very narrow section of SLC which just so happens to be more expensive than the average. And the farther one strayed from that area the more LDS influence there was. Because we weren't willing to spend a large portion of our income on housing in the area we'd feel comfortable we decided SLC would not be an option for us.
I'm sure you can explain the whole neighborhood block situation with leaders. I don't remember the terms. But how they organize community events and sure, all are invited, but not really welcome.
Community events are organized by the community, not by the LDS Church or any other church. In the summer, there are outdoor concerts, a great farmers market, an annual arts fair and a living traditions festival, among other events. Thousands of people attend, and nobody knows or cares what religion anybody else is. I personally live in Cottonwood Heights, which is technically a separate city, but is actually almost more of a suburb of Salt Lake City. It's likely one of the areas you heard you would not feel comfortable in unless you were LDS. On my street, there are twelve households. Four of them are LDS and eight are not. On the street right behind us (their backyards meet ours), there is not one single LDS family. The families on my block get together every summer for a barbeque and everyone thoroughly enjoys themselves -- LDS and non-LDS, Caucasian, Middle-eastern, Asian, people in their 20s and people in their 80s. If you had posted this in the Salt Lake City forum, you'd have so many non-LDS transplants to the Salt Lake City area tell you how wrong you are. Unfortunately those posters will probably not even see this thread.
Community events are organized by the community, not by the LDS Church or any other church. In the summer, there are outdoor concerts, a great farmers market, an annual arts fair and a living traditions festival, among other events. Thousands of people attend, and nobody knows or cares what religion anybody else is. I personally live in Cottonwood Heights, which is technically a separate city, but is actually almost more of a suburb of Salt Lake City. It's likely one of the areas you heard you would not feel comfortable in unless you were LDS. On my street, there are twelve households. Four of them are LDS and eight are not. On the street right behind us (their backyards meet ours), there is not one single LDS family. The families on my block get together every summer for a barbeque and everyone thoroughly enjoys themselves -- LDS and non-LDS, Caucasian, Middle-eastern, Asian, people in their 20s and people in their 80s. If you had posted this in the Salt Lake City forum, you'd have so many non-LDS transplants to the Salt Lake City area tell you how wrong you are. Unfortunately those posters will probably not even see this thread.
It took me a minute to find the word. Wards. I was told they're groups of a few blocks and organize community events and non-Mormons are always invited but shun you if you don't participate. This was for the 'burbs. I know it was a thread on these forums from last year. I don't feel like digging around for it.
Downtown SLC sounds like a great place. I couldn't survive in the suburbs (not just because of religion).
But to be fair I've never lived there. You do so you know a lot more about it than I do. I simply researched it and decided against it.
It took me a minute to find the word. Wards. I was told they're groups of a few blocks and organize community events and non-Mormons are always invited but shun you if you don't participate. This was for the 'burbs. I know it was a thread on these forums from last year. I don't feel like digging around for it.
Yes, a "ward" is a congregation. In the LDS Church (anywhere in the world, not just in Salt Lake City), a person attends Sunday worship services based on where he or she lives. In Utah, since there is such a high concentration of Mormons, the boundaries of a ward may encompass just a few blocks. In places like Tennessee, for example, the boundaries of an LDS ward may stretch for miles. Wards often have social events. They are seldom even considered to be "community events" but simply church events like you might find in other churches anywhere in the U.S. Anyone is welcome to attend, but they are primarily intended to be church socials for members.
LDS wards also occasionally organize fund-raising functions in conjunction with the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches in the area. There is one such function to benefit homeless youth that is coming up next month. It will be attended by members of all three religions.
Quote:
Downtown SLC sounds like a great place. I couldn't survive in the suburbs (not just because of religion).
I totally understand. The suburbs are definitely not for everyone.
Big Wood River, Blue Ribbon trout stream
Sun Valley skiing, learn to ski!
Excellent coffee roaster, "Cowboy Coffee"
Most Democratic town in Idaho (for what that's worth)
Not cheap, but affordable, considering that Sun Valley and Ketchum are only 15 miles up the road.
1.5 hours to Boise for airport and city stuff.
Driggs, Idaho
Also tilts left, Teton River, Henry's Fork, close to Green River in Wyoming
Pretty affordable, too.
Port Townsend, WA
Like Berkeley, only fewer bums, legal pot
Water everywhere, Puget Sound, close the Massive Olympic National Park Sol Duc River, Dungeness River, and the awesome Elwha River.
Bellingham, maybe. But fly fishing is a bit of a drive to get to. Skiing close, though at Mt Baker
Finally
Paonia, CO
Small town, mostly retired hippies.
Right on the mighty Gunnison River, one hour drive to Frying Pan, one of the best trout fishing streams in the World. (Bring your 6wt rod!)
Legal pot and near Colorado Springs if you need to be around rightwingers for a contrast.
Chime in on LDS areas
Mormons are incredibly polite, have a lot of kids, and are friendly as a rule, not smarmy or clingy, but super-polite. Evangelizing not an issue with most Mormon communities, since everyone already IS LDS, and they'll respect your right to think what you want. "Decency" is a word I'd think fits the culture. Lord knows why they voted for vulgar, lying, sex addicted, ego-driven guy in the 2016 election. Mitt Romney is LDS and is a very decent, and honest person, not anything like "the Donald". Maybe it's Fox News, who sold the viewers on the propaganda about Ms Clinton, who is a practicing Methodist, and pretty religious person. But people love to hate women, or so it seems.
Btw you yourself come across as prejudiced towards Christian conservatives which is not cool. I understand not wanting to live in a small bible belt town but decently sized, mostly conservative Christian cities are not the same. I lived in Abilene, TX as an openly gay man and found nothing but friendly and tolerant people. Yet again, some of us are less sensitive to different ideologies than others.
Olympia (not cheap for the US but cheap for Western WA)
Nobody mentioned Oregon. Corvallis has much of what you are looking for and its about like Olympia for price
Eugene maybe but a bit pricier
If you want small, some places on the Oregon coast could work
I would not eliminate Spokane WA or Boise but both are a bit conservative. If you go for Boise, live in the city. The suburbs (Meridian, Eagle, even Canyon County) are deep red conservative. Lots of comments made to me about shooting liberals when I was there.
Missoula is great but cold and getting pricey
Ashland Oregon is worth a look. Southern Oregon is different. More conservative overall but Ashland is a nice little college town
Vermont of course is good
I have lived in Utah and outside of SLC its VERY mormon as is all of rural Southern Idaho. North idaho is great but its very conservative (some would argue Coeur dAlene isnt but it is. Just moderate for Idaho)
Port Townsend, Bellingham, most of the Puget Sound area are 300K or way more for housing and one bedroom rents over 1500.
Another thought would be Fort Collins, CO. Avoid the springs (as in CO springs. Theres a little town outside of CO springs called Manitou Springs that might be commutable to CO springs and its very hippie and liberal) and other smaller towns on the front range that dont have strong ties to Denver. Denver is great but really expensive and big city. Clear Creek county is a slice of heaven but commuting is terrible and its a bit conservative and rural. Nederland might be worth a look. Small but possibly commutable to Boulder and in the mountains. Lots of hippies there.
SLC may seem "liberal" by Utah standards but is still the headquarters of the Mormon Church who dictates the laws of the state. SLC is small in comparison to the sprawled out conservative suburbs that surround it.
Boise, which has not been mentioned yet, would be a better choice as it is a Democratic hold out and doesn't have to deal with the laws imposed by a religion. Boise and SLC are only similar in the fact that they are the liberal Democratic cities in red states, but Boise is more liberal compared to SLC imo, and I've lived in both cities. Boise is also a better city for cycling and bike commuting when compared to SLC.
Boise is also a great city if someone is into outdoor pursuits which exist in city limits and outside of city limits would take more than a lifetime to explore.
You might consider SE Idaho that because of the I-15 Corridor, but SE Idaho is still a lot different when compared to Utah. SW Idaho/Boise has little to do with Utah and vice versa.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
