Moving to Draper, Utah

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, NOAA, USGS, and the Utah State Tax Commission. Prices move, so ask me for current numbers.

Draper sits at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley, where I-15 crosses the Point of the Mountain into Utah County. About 50,650 people live here, by the 2025 Census estimate. That is almost the same as in 2020, because the flat land is full.

The city climbs a lot. City Hall is at about 4,500 feet. The Jordan River on the west edge is near 4,350. The SunCrest ridge on the east passes 6,000. That is a rise of about 1,900 feet inside one city. Most of Draper is in Salt Lake County, but about 3,500 people live in the Utah County part. The two counties topic explains why that matters when you buy.

Ebenezer Brown brought his cattle to graze along South Willow Creek in the fall of 1849, and his family moved here the next spring. His wife’s brother, William Draper Jr., joined them in 1850. The settlement was first called Brownsville, and then it was named Draperville for him. Draper became a city in 1978. For years, many Utahns knew it best as the place with the state prison.

The Point

The prison left in July 2022. Its land is now being rebuilt as The Point, a state-led project of about 600 acres. Homes on Draper’s west and south sides sit closest to the site, so they will feel the work and the new traffic first. Here is where it stands.

1. July 2022The state prison closes at the Point of the Mountain.
2. December 17, 2024Work begins on roads and utilities, starting with Porter Rockwell Boulevard through the site.
3. June 29, 2026Construction begins on the first buildings, on about 104 acres.
4. 2028The first buildings and public spaces are expected to start opening.

The first buildings are a 5,000-seat arena, an apartment building called Chroma with 363 homes over shops, and a main street called The Promenade. The whole plan calls for about 3,000 apartments and more than 2 million square feet of offices. It also has 222,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and a grocery. It adds River to Range, a paved trail of 1.4 miles. The trail will link the Jordan River Parkway to the Corner Canyon foothills. A University of Utah medical campus is planned for a later phase, and nothing has been built for it. The land authority says the whole site will take at least 15 years.

Plans change on big projects. If the timing matters to your move, check the land authority’s plan before you decide. Want the street level view of Draper? Draper on The Local has guides to the city. Weighing the whole state? Start with my relocating to Utah guide. I did the homework on Draper. In Draper, a partner agent I trust does the work on the ground.

Sources: the U.S. Census, USGS elevations, the city’s history page, Utah History to Go, KSL, and The Point’s own pages.

Draper has four true seasons. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are cold, with steady snow from November through March. Spring and fall are mild. Draper has no weather station running today, so these numbers come from NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals at Salt Lake City International Airport. That station is about 18 miles north on the same flat low ground.

An old NOAA station at the Point of the Mountain reported until 2008. Its normals land within about a degree of the airport’s. That is good support for using the airport numbers here.

Month by month

These are the normal highs and lows for each month. The summer nights cool off. A normal July night drops to about 68°F.

• JanuaryHigh 39°F, low 24°F
• FebruaryHigh 45°F, low 29°F
• MarchHigh 55°F, low 36°F
• AprilHigh 62°F, low 42°F
• MayHigh 73°F, low 50°F
• JuneHigh 84°F, low 59°F
• JulyHigh 94°F, low 68°F
• AugustHigh 92°F, low 67°F
• SeptemberHigh 81°F, low 56°F
• OctoberHigh 66°F, low 44°F
• NovemberHigh 51°F, low 33°F
• DecemberHigh 39°F, low 25°F

Source: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, Salt Lake City International Airport station. Months are rounded to the nearest degree.

Rain and melted snow add up to about 15.5 inches a year. April is the wettest month, with about 2.2 inches. July is the driest, with about 0.5.

Frost dates matter if you garden. At the airport, the last spring freeze is usually around April 8, and the first fall freeze around October 31. That leaves about 204 frost-free days. The old Point station ran a little colder at both ends. Its last freeze was about April 18, and its first about October 22, for about 185 days. The ground at the Point is about a week behind the airport in spring, and ahead of it in fall.

Height matters even more. Alpine sits at 5,100 feet, about 6 miles southeast of City Hall, below SunCrest. Its station logs a last freeze around May 3 and a first freeze around October 12. July highs there are near 90°F, and July nights fall to about 58°F. SunCrest is higher still and has no station of its own.

For the day to day side, see Draper on The Local.

Draper gets about 52 inches of snow in a normal year on the flat low ground. That is close to Bountiful, and less than Logan or Heber City. Most of it falls from November through March.

January is the snowiest month, with about 12.7 inches. December brings about 12.1 and February about 10.7. November adds about 7, March about 6, and April about 3. October and May get only a trace. No snow falls from June through September.

Snow cover is short in the valley. At the airport, the ground holds an inch of snow or more on about 45 days a year. A day with 10 inches or more on the ground is rare, about 1.6 days a year.

The upper ground gets much more. The Alpine station, at 5,100 feet, logs about 74 inches a year. That number is provisional, but it is the best one near the ridge. SunCrest is higher still, so expect more again. No station reports there, so no one can give you a SunCrest total. The ridge has a special service district that handles snow removal. The SunCrest topic covers it.

For the bigger picture on snow and water in Utah, read my guide on Utah water and snowpack.

Summers are hot and dry. A normal July afternoon reaches about 94°F, which is the warmest of the four towns below. Nights fall to about 68°F at the airport, so the house cools off slowly. The old Point station logged cooler July nights, near 65°F.

Hot days are common. At the airport, a normal year has about 62 days at 90°F or hotter, and about 56 of them come from June through August. Days at 100°F or hotter average about 8 a year. The old Point station counted more, about 78 days at 90°F and about 13 at 100°F. June is milder, with highs near 84°F. August is close to July, near 92°F.

Summer is also a season for poor air. The air quality topic below has the numbers.

The Point of the Mountain is known for wind. It is a narrow gap where the Salt Lake Valley meets Utah Valley, and air funnels through it. That is why paragliders and hang gliders fly here. They usually fly the north side of the ridge in the evening. The outdoor recreation topic covers the Flight Park.

There is no official wind measurement for Draper to quote, so this topic has no gust number. I would not guess one. What I would do is learn how a home sits on its lot. The homes closest to the Point and on open ridge lots are the ones to ask about.

Yes, Draper gets inversions. An inversion is when cold air gets trapped in a valley under a lid of warmer air. On calm winter days, haze builds in that trapped air. A storm usually clears it out. Draper sits near the south end of the valley, and the haze is real here. Summer ozone brings poor air days too.

Winter haze

The air quality index starts at 0. A reading of 50 or less is good. Above 50 is moderate, and above 100 is unhealthy for sensitive groups. This table counts December through February days over 50 in Salt Lake County.

Source: EPA AirData, daily air quality index for Salt Lake County. The worst days were December 5, 2024 and January 1, 2026, both from fine particles. The county figure uses the worst monitor of the day, so it is not a Draper reading.

Summer ozone

Ozone is a gas that forms on hot, sunny days. In 2025, Salt Lake County had 121 good days and 228 moderate days. It had 15 days that were unhealthy for sensitive groups and 1 that was unhealthy for everyone. Fourteen of those 16 poor days were ozone days, between May 12 and September 3.

What the EPA says

Salt Lake County is in the Northern Wasatch Front area for the 2015 ozone standard. EPA lists the area as Serious, so it does not yet meet that standard. The Utah County part of Draper is in the Southern Wasatch Front area, which EPA lists as Marginal. For fine particles, called PM2.5, EPA ruled that the Salt Lake City area met the standard. That took effect on December 19, 2025, and the area has a plan to keep it that way.

Here is what I would do. Check the air each day on the state’s air quality site, the way you check the weather. If air matters to you, visit during a gray winter stretch and a hot summer afternoon before you buy. Homes high on the ridge sometimes sit above the worst winter haze, but no number backs that, so test it yourself.

Car emissions tests are part of the same story. The first 90 days topic covers the test.

Sources: EPA Green Book (current as of September 30, 2026), the EPA news release on PM2.5, and EPA AirData for 2024 to 2026.

Housing is the big cost in Draper. The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest typical home value, from the U.S. Census. The rest of your costs are easy to look up. Taxes, city bills, and car fees are all set by public rules, and the next topic walks through them.

In Draper you are buying the setting: the trails, the views, and a spot between two job centers. Salt Lake City is about 25 minutes north and Lehi is about 15 minutes south. The price reflects that at every level.

One thing is different here. Draper sits in two counties, so two homes with the same price can carry different tax bills. The two-county block in the neighborhoods topic explains how.

Do you want a side-by-side with a nearby city? Draper sits next to Riverton, Bluffdale, and Sandy, and Lehi is just over the Point of the Mountain. Ask me and I will run the numbers for the ones you are weighing.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2020 to 2024) and the Utah State Tax Commission. Costs change, so ask me for current numbers.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Three taxes matter most when you move here: sales tax, state income tax, and property tax. Here is each one in plain terms. Draper has two sales tax rates, because the city sits in two counties.

Draper City's own share of the bill is small. The school district takes the largest share. The county and a few local districts, such as water and sewer, make up the rest. The mix depends on the tax area of the home. Look up the real address on the county treasurer's site.

The city levy went up in 2026

The city council approved a property tax increase of about 25% to the city's own share at its August 18, 2026 meeting. The city says property taxes cover less than half of its police and fire costs. By the city's own example, an average home pays about $9.75 more a month for the city portion. The city says its rate was still one of the lowest in Salt Lake County before the change.

The primary home exemption

Utah gives a tax break to the home you live in. A primary home is taxed on 55% of its market value. Other property is taxed on all of it. Look at your tax notice for the primary home line to see that the break is applied.

From January 1, 2027, state law makes an application for the break mandatory when ownership changes. If you buy after that date, put it on your first-month list. Your value notice comes at the end of July, and your tax notice comes around November.

Car fees

The utilities topic has the 2026 city bills for water, sewer, and garbage. Your car fee depends on the age of the car. It runs from $150 for a 2024 to 2026 model down to $10 for a 2014 or older one. The first 90 days topic has the emissions test and the registration steps.

Sources: the Utah State Tax Commission (sales tax rates from October 1, 2026, and the 2025 property tax reports), the Salt Lake County Assessor, and Draper City. Also the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles and S.B. 60 (2026). Questions about your own bill go to the county assessor.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest typical home value for Draper, from the U.S. Census. That number is what owners think their homes are worth, averaged over five years. It is not a sale price. So price any home against recent sales of homes like it nearby.

Draper is mostly a city of single-family homes. By the Census count, about 62% of homes are single-family houses on their own lots. About 16% are townhomes or other attached homes. About 18% are in buildings of five or more units, and about 4% are in buildings of two to four units. Less than 1% are mobile homes. Homes are large, with a median of 7.3 rooms.

About 69% of homes are owner-occupied. The median home was built in 2003. About 62% were built in 2000 or later, and only about 5% before 1980. The city has little open land left, and the population has barely moved since 2020. So most of what you see for sale is a resale home, and new homes come as small projects.

Know the kind of home before you trust the average

An average mixes very different homes. A townhome by the train station and a view home on the ridge do not move together. Judge every house by its lot, its slope, and its street.

Ask me how fast homes like the one you want are selling right now. A partner agent I trust in Salt Lake County can walk through recent sales with you. Prices shift through the year, so a number from last season can mislead. Be ready to act on a well-priced home, but never let anyone rush you.

Shop by price

Shop by kind of home

Sources: U.S. Census ACS 2020 to 2024 and the 2026 Draper Planning Commission record. Prices shift through the year, so ask me for the latest Draper numbers.

Draper is easiest to read by height. The land climbs from the Jordan River on the west, at about 4,350 feet, up to the SunCrest ridge, past 6,000 feet. The areas below run from low to high. The city is about 1,900 feet from bottom to top, so each area lives a little differently.

• The flat west sideWest of I-15About 4,350 to 4,440 feet, toward the Jordan RiverThe flattest ground in the city. The Draper FrontRunner station is here, about 8 minutes from City Hall, with Galena Hills Park and the Jordan River Parkway nearby. A transit station zone around 13700 South and 600 West has no lot size rule, and townhomes are already built there. Riverton and Bluffdale border this side.
• The station areaDraper Town Center and Kimballs LaneThe TRAX end of the line, next to City HallThe Blue Line ends at Draper Town Center, about a minute from City Hall. In 2025 the city council approved a plan for the Kimballs Lane station. It calls for apartments and townhomes. This is the area to look at if you want the train close to home.
• Old DraperAround 12300 to 12400 South and 900 EastAbout 4,500 feetThe old center of town. The 1854 fort site is now Draper Historical Park, and the Draper Historic Theatre is on 900 East. Homes are older, on bigger lots, and some sit in the one-acre and half-acre zones. City staff said in July 2026 that a house near 12430 South 700 East was being added to the National Register of Historic Places.
• The east sideToward Corner CanyonAbout 4,800 feet and upLarger lots climb toward Corner Canyon. The Orson Smith trailhead is about 5 minutes from City Hall. The temple on the hillside, at about 5,144 feet, is a landmark you can steer by. Some parcels fall in the city's sensitive hillside overlay. Gated neighborhoods here include Steeplechase and the new Shadow Crest Cove.
• South MountainAround the golf courseAbout 4,900 feet, on the lower Traverse slopesThe South Mountain golf course is about 10 minutes from City Hall. Steep Mountain and the Flight Park are above it. Homes range from single-family houses near the fairways to newer townhomes lower down, and most have views.
• SunCrestThe ridge on topAbout 5,400 to 6,200 feetThe ridge community sits partly in each county. It gets its own block below, with the county line, the winter road, and the extra levy.

Lot sizes follow the zone. City staff gave these minimums in 2026 meetings. The RA1 zone needs about an acre, 40,000 square feet. RA2 needs 20,000 square feet. R3 needs 13,000 and R4 needs a quarter acre. The multiple-family zone allows a single-family home on 4,000 square feet. A detached accessory dwelling unit, a small second home on the same lot, needs a 12,000 square foot lot today. Zoning can differ by street, so check each address with the city. In May 2026 the city held a work session on a rewrite of its zoning code, so ask what is in force when you buy.

One city, two counties

The Salt Lake and Utah county line crosses the Traverse Mountains, and Draper sits on both sides of it. About 47,160 people live in the Salt Lake County part, and about 3,490 in the Utah County part, or about 7%. The Utah County part is mostly SunCrest. The line runs through the community, so two homes on the same street can sit in different counties.

That one fact changes a lot. Look at the table before you write an offer.

Both sides pay the Draper City levy, set at 0.000936 for 2025. After that the stacks differ. The Utah County side also has some sewer and water districts of its own. Look up the exact parcel on the county treasurer's site. The schools topic lists the schools and the district names. I do not rate schools, so use the district, GreatSchools, and Niche to compare them.

SunCrest and the ridge

SunCrest is a master-planned community on top of Traverse Ridge. Homes sit at about 5,400 to 6,200 feet, and many lots look over both the Salt Lake Valley and Utah Valley at once. The ridge catches much more snow than the flat low ground, and the snow topic has the numbers.

Getting there is simple to describe and hard to ignore. From the Draper side, one road, Traverse Ridge Road, climbs about 1,400 feet. The top of SunCrest Drive is about 16 minutes from City Hall. The road continues down the south slope toward Highland and Alpine. Every trip home ends with a climb, so winter driving matters.

The Traverse Ridge Special Service District gives the ridge extra services on top of the city's, set up in December 1999. These include snow removal, street lights, road care, sweeping, and garbage. A levy of 0.000662 pays for it, and it applies only to parcels inside the district. The city does not plow private lanes or private streets. The traffic topic has the city’s plowing rules.

Tour the ridge in the season you worry about, not the one you love. A July showing sells itself. The real check is in January. Drive Traverse Ridge Road in bad weather. Ask who plows the exact street, and read the tax notice line by line.

Want the story on a certain block? Tell me what you are after. I will get it through the partner agent on the ground. My Draper guides on The Local cover Corner Canyon, The Point, and more.

Zones and lot sizes come from the Draper Planning Commission record (2026). Elevations come from the U.S. Geological Survey. Draper City and the Utah State Tax Commission set the levies. A home's school depends on its exact address, so check with the district.

Here is the straight answer. Draper has little open land left, so new homes arrive in small projects. In 2026 the Planning Commission looked at several of them, and the list below comes from its record. Only a small number of new homes are for sale at any one time.

• Townhomes and condosKimballs Station600 East Kimballs Lane, by the TRAX stationEdge Homes plans 166 homes in three-story townhomes and three- and four-story condo buildings. This is phase 1 of 2 on about 7 acres. The Planning Commission approved the site plan and plat 5 to 0 on August 13, 2026.
• HousesKuwahara Nursery site762 West 12300 SouthAlpine Homes plans 21 single-family homes on about 2 acres. The Planning Commission sent it to the City Council with a positive recommendation on June 25, 2026.
• HousesShadow Crest Cove12696 South 1700 EastEighteen lots on about 11.7 acres, with a gated entrance. The Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat 5 to 0 on May 14, 2026.
• HousesIvory Homes lot on 700 East12430 South 700 EastA rezone for a five-lot subdivision on about 1.7 acres. The Planning Commission recommended it on July 9, 2026, and the council continued it for more information.
• Mixed useVeranda West13708 South 600 WestA plan change adds 32 apartments, more shops, and a surf park of about 9 acres. The townhomes on the site are already built. The Planning Commission recommended it on May 14, 2026.
• Small infillA few lots here and thereAcross the cityThe 2026 agendas also list Fox Landing Phase 3, which adds one lot. They list a four-lot project at 11511 South 700 West and a lot split on Grizzly Hollow Drive.

The biggest project is The Point, on the old state prison site. Its first homes are apartments, not houses, with the first openings expected from 2028. The overview tells the full story.

A newer home in Draper comes one of three ways. You can buy a new townhome or condo near a station. You can buy a house in a small project. Or you can buy a lot and build on the hillside, if the slope allows it. Each path has its own budget and timeline. Draper also allows an accessory dwelling unit on some lots. That is a small second home, like a basement apartment or a casita, and the lot size rule is in the neighborhoods topic.

Builders often cover the buyer agent fee, and your agent puts that in writing before you sign. Buying new works differently from buying a resale home, so read how it works before you tour.

Sources: the Draper Planning Commission agendas and minutes for May to September 2026. A project on an agenda is not a home for sale. Plans change, so ask me for the latest status.

Every town has its own list of things to check. None of these should scare you off. They are the questions I would ask about any home in Draper. Most come from the hillside and from the faults along the mountains. A map or a test can answer each one for a single address, so check them one home at a time.

Low ground west of I-15, near the river, has its own ground issue. In a strong quake, loose wet soil can act like liquid, and that is called liquefaction. The state's online hazard layers show no liquefaction map for this county. No map is not the same as no risk, so ask your inspector about soils.

Ask me about any of these on a home you like, and I will tell you what the record shows. Your agent on the ground can set up the radon test and the inspection.

More on inspections

This is general information, not legal, engineering, or insurance advice. Sources: the Utah Geological Survey, FEMA, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and Draper City. Have a licensed inspector look at any home before you buy.

Sort the financing before the search. Many homes here cost more than the size cap on a standard loan, called the conforming loan limit. That makes the choice between a conforming loan and a jumbo loan a real conversation. A jumbo loan is one above that cap. It is a talk about structure, and it needs a licensed lender looking at your real situation. The best first step is to get pre-approved. That means a lender checks your finances and tells you how much you can borrow. It shows what you can spend, and it makes your offer stronger.

The two-county split matters too. Property tax escrow depends on which side of the line the home sits, so two homes with the same price can carry different monthly costs. That is better found at pre-approval than at closing. The type of home matters as well. Condo and townhome projects have their own rules, and those can change whether a unit qualifies for a loan.

One loan type does not apply here. USDA loans are for rural homes, and the USDA map shows the places tested in Draper as ineligible. That includes City Hall, the west side, South Mountain, the Corner Canyon side, and SunCrest on both sides of the county line. Conventional, FHA, and VA loans are the ones to look at.

How my dual role works. I am licensed in both real estate and lending. On any one purchase I take one role. Every role is disclosed, and you are always free to choose your own agent and your own lender. In Draper, a partner agent I trust does the work on the ground. The full explanation is on How I Work. This section is general information, not financial, legal, or tax advice.

Draper sits between two job centers. Downtown Salt Lake City is about 25 minutes north, and the Lehi tech campuses are about 15 minutes south. The average trip to work is 24 minutes (Census, 2020 to 2024). That is a little above the Salt Lake metro average of 22.8 and Utah’s 22.1. About 65 out of 100 workers drive alone, and 6 in 100 carpool.

One worker in four works from home. That is about 6,190 people. Only about 1.5 in 100 ride transit to work. These numbers count Draper residents, wherever the job is.

Jobs inside the city

Big employers in town include HealthEquity, which runs benefit accounts, at 15 West Scenic Pointe Drive. Swire Coca-Cola USA is at 12634 South 265 West. 1-800 Contacts lists most of its jobs in Draper, many of them hybrid. Lone Peak Hospital reports over 500 team members. Canyons School District adds school and office jobs.

Tech jobs come and go

Draper sits at the north end of the I-15 stretch people call Silicon Slopes. Its tech story is about change. eBay once ran the best-known campus here. Canyons School District bought the 36-acre site in December 2024 for $50 million. The district plans to turn it into the Canyons Innovation Center, a career training site with a $17.2 million state grant. The target for opening is fall 2027.

Pluralsight moved its headquarters to Texas, announced on August 4, 2025. Its Utah staff kept working from home. So I would never buy a house for one company’s campus. Buy for the drive to two job centers, and let the logos change.

The Point, on the old prison site, plans a lot of office space, and the overview has the plan. That is a plan, not a promise. Working from home? My guide for remote workers in Utah covers what to check before you move.

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024, BLS County Employment and Wages (first quarter 2026), Canyons School District, and company pages.

Draper has its own hospital. Lone Peak Hospital is at 11925 South State Street, about 7 minutes from City Hall. The emergency room is open all day, every day. The state licenses it for 61 beds. It started as an emergency room on its own and became a full hospital in July 2013. MountainStar Healthcare runs it.

The hospital lists medical and surgical beds, intensive care, six operating rooms, and 19 rooms for labor and delivery. It also has a 13-bay newborn intensive care unit, imaging, and two medical office buildings. Lone Peak is not on the state trauma list. Trauma levels run from I, the most complete, to V.

Holy Cross Hospital Mountain Point in Lehi, just over the Point, is a Level III center. The state licenses 59 beds at Alta View, 97 at Riverton, and 510 at Intermountain Medical Center.

On military orders? My military PCS guide covers VA loans and timing the move.

Sources: the Utah state hospital license list, the Utah Bureau of Emergency Medical Services trauma list (May 2025), and the hospital websites. Drive times are map estimates.

Most of Draper is in the Canyons School District. The district office is at 9361 South 300 East in Sandy. The district has about 31,500 students. It began teaching in 2009 after it split from Jordan School District. In Canyons, elementary school is kindergarten to grade 5, middle school is grades 6 to 8, and high school is grades 9 to 12.

Student counts come from the Utah State Board of Education, October 1, 2025. Addresses come from the state schools map.

Some Draper addresses may go to schools in Sandy. Lone Peak Elementary (471 students), Sprucewood Elementary (309), Eastmont Middle (518), and Alta High (2,205) are in Sandy. Boundaries change. Ask the district which school serves an address, and do not guess from a listing.

The Utah County side

The upper SunCrest streets are in Utah County. That part is in Alpine School District for now. On July 1, 2027, Aspen Peaks School District takes over those schools. Ridgeline Elementary in Highland is K-6 and has 684 students. It may be the school for some of those streets, so confirm the school with the district.

Charter and private schools

Charter schools inside the city have five campuses. American Preparatory Academy Draper has three (602, 1,049, and 726 students). Summit Academy Draper Campus has 582, and Channing Hall has 612. Juan Diego Catholic High School and St. John the Baptist Catholic School share a campus at 300 East 11800 South.

The Canyons Innovation Center, a career training site, is planned on the old eBay campus. The jobs topic tells that story.

I do not rate schools, and I would be wary of anyone who says which one is best. Check the boundaries and programs yourself, with what matters to you in mind. The links below go to the districts and to independent sites.

Ratings and boundaries come from independent third parties and the districts, not from me.

Draper is not a college town. No college campus sits in the city. But Draper is close to several. A student can live here and reach them without moving.

Times are map estimates in normal traffic. Rush hour changes them. Orem and Provo times are the drive to those cities.

I-15 runs along the west side of Draper. Four exits serve the city: 288 at 14600 South, 289 at Bangerter Highway, 291 at 12300 South, and 292 at 11400 South. Exit 291 is about 4 minutes from City Hall. Bangerter Highway meets I-15 at the IKEA exit and gives a direct road to the west side of the valley.

The part everyone asks about is the Point of the Mountain, the stretch of I-15 between Draper and Lehi. It is the main road between the Salt Lake and Utah valleys, and it slows at rush hour. If you live in Draper and work in Lehi, or the reverse, plan around the slow rush hour. The commute guide on The Local tells that trip in full.

From the center of town

• Corner Canyon trailhead~5 min
• Living Planet Aquarium~6 min
• Lone Peak Hospital~7 min
• Draper FrontRunner~8 min
• Flight Park~12 min
• Snowbird~27 min

In winter, the city plows streets from November 1 to April 30. Plows start after 2 inches of snow. The city aims for bare pavement on priority roads within 24 hours and on all streets within 48. The city does not plow private lanes or private streets, so ask who plows a private road before you buy.

Road details come from UDOT, the city, and map estimates. Drive times are for normal traffic.

Draper has two kinds of train. The TRAX Blue Line is the light rail that runs to Salt Lake City. Draper Town Center is the south end of the line, so you board at the start. It is about 1 minute from City Hall. Kimballs Lane is the other Draper stop, and Crescent View comes next in Sandy. The Draper extension opened in August 2013.

Trains come every 15 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, and every 30 on Sundays. The first weekday train leaves at 4:41 a.m. and the last at 10:26 p.m. A full run to Salt Lake Central takes about 54 minutes, so it is slower than driving.

No date is confirmed for the Draper to Lehi line, so do not buy a home counting on it. Trains and times change, so check the schedule before you ride.

Details come from the UTA Blue Line schedule (April 2026), the UTA FrontRunner schedule (fall 2026), and UDOT and UTA project pages. Check rideuta.com before you ride.

Draper has no airport. Salt Lake City International (SLC) is the main airport. It is about 27 miles from City Hall, about 35 minutes by car. Provo Airport (PVU) is about 30 miles south, also about 35 minutes.

• Salt Lake City (SLC)~27 mi · ~35 min
• Provo (PVU)~30 mi · ~35 min

These are drive times to the airport, not to the terminal door. The run to Salt Lake City changes most with rush hour and weather, so leave extra time. Check which airlines fly from Provo before you plan around it.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall in normal traffic.

Draper sits where I-15 crosses the Point of the Mountain. The freeway runs north to Salt Lake City and south to Lehi, Orem, and Provo. The mountains rise to the east, and the Jordan River runs along the west side.

Sandy

~5 mi · ~10 min

South Jordan

~6 mi · ~10 min

Lehi

~13 mi · ~18 min

Salt Lake City

~19 mi · ~25 min

Provo

~30 mi · ~35 min

Park City

~39 mi · ~45 min

Here are more drives people ask about, all from City Hall.

These are map estimates in normal conditions, not official figures. Add time for snow and rush hour, and check your own route. Park City is about 45 to 50 minutes, depending on where in town you stop.

Traverse Ridge Road is the way up to SunCrest from the Draper side. The SunCrest section covers winter on the ridge. Going somewhere else? Look up any Utah drive between 138 towns.

Draper splits your setup between the city and a few companies. Start with City Hall’s utility office at 801-576-6302. The city has a Utility Services App, a map that shows which water and garbage provider serves an address. Use it, because two water systems share the city.

Check each provider for fees and hours. Gas emergencies go to 1-800-767-1689. Confirm each provider for the exact address.

What the bills cost

These are the 2026 amounts for a home on a public street. Homes on private streets are priced differently.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Draper has cable and several fiber companies, but the list changes by area. The state broadband map shows who reports service in each part of the city. I list who reports service, not speeds or prices.

Source: the Utah Broadband Center provider data (edited October 1, 2026), one spot checked in each part. Fixed wireless and satellite also show in all of them.

That is what each company reports, not a promise for a given house. Service can change from one street to the next. For cell service, look at each carrier’s own coverage map for the address.

Moving day is only the start. Here is the short list for your first 90 days in Draper, in a sensible order.

1. Turn on the utilitiesCall City Hall’s utility office at 801-576-6302 for water and garbage, and the sewer district at 801-571-1166. Then set up Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah. Do this a week before you move in.
2. Get your Utah driver licenseThe Driver License office is at 14555 South Minuteman Drive in Draper. You need to take a written test, and maybe a driving test.
3. Register your carUtah gives you 60 days after you make a permanent home here. The DMV office is at 14555 South Minuteman Drive too. Pass the emissions test first. A car that is new to Utah needs a quick VIN check.
4. Get an emissions testSalt Lake County requires one. See the box below.
5. Register to voteDo it online at vote.utah.gov, or in person at the county clerk.
6. Sign up the kids for schoolConfirm the school for your address with the district, then register.
7. Check the primary home tax breakIt can cut the tax on the home you live in. The taxes topic has the rule.

The emissions test

Salt Lake County is one of five Utah counties that require an emissions test. Davis, Utah, Weber, and Cache are the others. A car less than six years old is tested every two years. An older car is tested every year. Electric cars are exempt. A passing test counts for 60 days, and you test no more than two months before your registration is due.

The county has proposed a new rule. It would cover most cars and light trucks and use a plug-in computer check instead of a tailpipe test. The county has not confirmed that it is final, so check its page. Stations set their own prices. The Utah County side of Draper is under Utah County’s own program.

Rules and office hours change. Check each office before you go.

Draper has the weekly shopping covered. There are two Harmons stores, one on each edge of the city. Trader Joe’s opened on State Street in March 2023. Draper is also home to the only IKEA in Utah, which has been here since 2007. Before you plan a big-box run, though, know that Draper has no Costco and no Target.

What Draper does not have

There is no Costco, Target, or Sprouts in Draper. The nearest Costco is in Sandy at 11100 South Auto Mall Drive. The nearest Target is at South Towne in Sandy. The nearest Sprouts are in South Jordan and Murray. The Shops at South Town is just north, in Sandy. It lists more than 100 shops, places to eat, and things to do.

The Point plans 222,000 square feet of shops, restaurants, and grocery space. Nothing there has opened, and no store there is confirmed. For restaurants, see the restaurants topic.

Store lists change. These were checked against store pages and news in October 2026. Smith’s and Walmart details come from store directories.

Draper has hills on one side and a river on the other. The city counts more than 150 miles of trail and about 5,000 acres of open space. The trailheads are a short drive from any street. The closest one, at Corner Canyon, is about 5 minutes from City Hall.

From the center of town

• Corner Canyon trailhead~5 min
• Living Planet Aquarium~6 min
• Lone Peak Hospital~7 min
• Draper FrontRunner~8 min
• Flight Park~12 min
• Snowbird~27 min

Corner Canyon

Corner Canyon is the big one. It is a network of trails on the hillside in the southeast part of the city. People ride bikes, run, hike, and ride horses there. It has no lifts and no fee. The city owns most of the land. Voters approved a bond in 2004, and in 2005 a deal protected 1,021 acres of the canyon. Salt Lake County holds a conservation easement on it, which is a recorded promise that the land stays open. A later deal in 2018 and 2019 added more land on Traverse Ridge. Together the protected ground is about 4,500 acres.

Clark's Trail is the classic climb. It runs about 1.4 miles and gains about 750 feet. Rush is a bike trail that only goes downhill. It starts at the Peak View trailhead and runs about 3.5 miles. Ghost Falls has its own trailhead too. Several trails are one way for bikes, so read the signs at the trailhead.

The city has rules you should know before you go. Dogs are not allowed in the canyon watershed, which includes everything above the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Leashed dogs are fine on the shoreline trail and the trails below it. Only Class 1 e-bikes are allowed. There is no camping, no campfire, and no motor vehicle. The gates at the Orson Smith trailhead are closed at all times, so you park outside.

The Draper Cycle Park

The cycle park is at 1455 E Highland Drive, next to the Andy Ballard Equestrian Center and across the road from the canyon trails. It opened June 6, 2015. Volunteers built it for less than $100,000. It has four jump lines from beginner to expert, a pump track, a strider track for small riders, and a skills course. The city lists it on its parks map today. It is about 6 minutes from City Hall.

The Flight Park

Point of the Mountain is a gap between two valleys, and the wind funnels through it. Utah State Parks calls it one of the best training sites in the world for paragliding and hang gliding. There are two parks. The Flight Park State Recreation Area is on the south side and opened to the public in 2006. It has 15 campsites on top of the bluff. About 700 pilots fly there each year, and about 30 percent come from out of state or abroad. The Salt Lake County Flight Park is on the north side, at 15300 S Steep Mountain Road. It is about 12 minutes from City Hall. Watching is free on a windy evening.

Geneva Rock has mined sand and gravel at the Point for decades. In December 2024 the City Council settled a two-year legal fight with the company. Geneva may mine 23 more acres. Sixty-six acres on the north and south faces of Steep Mountain are preserved. If you look at homes near the mountain, drive past the site and see how it sits next to the street you like.

Flat paths

The Porter Rockwell Trail is a paved path on an old rail line. It runs through the west side of the city, and it picks up at Draper City Park, behind the library. The Jordan River Parkway runs along the west edge. The Jordan River Commission counts it at 45 miles, from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake. Both are flat, so they suit strollers and road bikes. Draper also has more than 42 parks, with splash pads, skate parks, and off-leash dog areas.

Sources: Draper City, the Deseret News, Utah Mountain Biking, Utah State Parks, and Salt Lake County. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall. Trail rules change, so read the signs and the city page.

Draper has no national park nearby. The closest federal site is Timpanogos Cave National Monument, up American Fork Canyon in Utah County. It is about 25 minutes from City Hall. The big parks lie to the south and east. Plan each one as a long day or an overnight stay.

Closer to home, Utah Lake State Park is about 35 to 40 minutes south. The Cottonwood canyons, in the next topic, are the nearest mountain days.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall, in normal traffic. Check each park's own site for hours, fees, and closures.

Draper sits close to Little Cottonwood Canyon. Snowbird is about 27 minutes from City Hall, and Alta is about 28. Solitude and Brighton sit up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Park City is about 45 to 50 minutes away. You can ski a day and be home for dinner.

Both canyon roads dead-end at the resorts. In a storm they can slow down or close. When the beacons outside a canyon flash, the traction law is on. Every vehicle needs at least 5/32 inch of tread. Most cars also need snow-rated tires on all wheels, or chains. The Utah Department of Transportation posts live road status, ski bus routes, and parking reservations on its Cottonwood Canyons page.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall. Resorts post their own opening dates each fall, usually around the week before Thanksgiving into December. Check road conditions before you go.

South Mountain Golf Course is the public course in Draper. It is at 1247 E Mike Weir Drive, on the lower slope of the Traverse Mountains. It is about 10 minutes from City Hall. It has 18 holes and a par of 72, with five sets of tees from 5,165 to 7,080 yards. David Graham and Gary Panks designed it, and it opened in 1998. Salt Lake County runs it.

Carts are required, and you show a driver's license to rent one. The golf shop gives lessons and runs junior clinics. The driving range is open in the warm months, usually from May to mid October. Call 385-468-1480 for tee times.

Course details come from Salt Lake County, Thanksgiving Point, and golf directories. Check each course for current prices, hours, and conditions.

Draper has four places worth naming here, and each is a different kind of food. They sit in three spots. IKEA is at the Bangerter Highway interchange. Del Barrio is on State Street. Two more share a block on Draper Gate Drive. The list is short on purpose. Each place has a record you can check.

Four places with a record you can check

• SwedishIKEA Swedish Restaurant67 W IKEA WayInside Utah's only IKEA, which has been open since 2007. The store also has a bistro and a Swedish food market.
• MexicanDel Barrio Cafe11483 S State StreetThe second store for this cafe, after the first one in Midvale. The Draper store is new in 2026.
• Seasonal AmericanCultivate Craft Kitchen12234 S Draper Gate Drive, Suite 105The menu is built around Draper's farm history. It is closed on Sunday.
• American pubCliff Dining Pub12234 Draper Gate DriveSteaks, seafood, sushi, and burgers. It serves weekend brunch.

Draper Peaks, on 12300 South just east of I-15, holds more restaurants, mostly chains. The shopping topic covers the centers. For a bigger list, Sandy and downtown Salt Lake City are about 10 and 23 minutes away.

Each place is listed as open on its own site or in 2026 news. Hours change, and small places come and go. This is not a ranking, and no one paid to be listed.

Draper has a big aquarium, a fun center, two stages, and a summer market. The aquarium, the theater, and much of the fun center are indoors, which helps on a snowy weekend. The aquarium and the fun center sit by I-15.

• AquariumLoveland Living Planet Aquarium12033 S Lone Peak ParkwayIt opened here in 2014, and the original building holds about 600,000 gallons of water. A second building opened February 20, 2026. It adds 120,000 square feet, and the aquarium says that makes it the fifth-largest in the nation. It has an Asia exhibit with a Komodo dragon and otters. Outside stands the steel stage from the U2 360 Tour, which is 165 feet tall. Check the aquarium's site for hours and prices. It is about 6 minutes from City Hall.
• Fun centerBoondocks Fun Center75 E Southfork DriveIt covers eight acres. You can bowl, race go-karts, play laser tag, and try a 38 foot ropes course. It also has bumper boats, two mini golf courses, and more than 100 arcade games.
• Outdoor showsDraper Amphitheater944 Vestry RoadOutdoor concerts and plays in the foothills. There are reserved chairs and grass seating. Bring a chair or blanket. The season runs in summer, and tickets are sold online only.
• Community theaterDraper Historic Theatre12366 S 900 EastThe 2026 season includes Little Shop of Horrors, Puffs, Frozen, and High School Musical.
• Farmers marketSmith Fields ParkDraperThe market and food trucks run every Tuesday through October.

The free one is the paragliders. On a windy evening, park near Steep Mountain and watch them work the ridge at sunset. The Outdoor recreation topic has the details.

Hours, prices, and show lists change. Check each venue before you go. Details come from Draper City and each venue's own site.

The arts in Draper are small and local. The city runs an arts council that produces plays and musicals. A community theater sits in the old town. For larger shows, downtown Salt Lake City is about 23 minutes north.

The Draper Amphitheater and the aquarium are in the Entertainment topic. Draper Days, with its concerts, is in the Festivals topic.

Shows and seasons change. Check each site before you go. Details come from Draper City and the theatre's own website.

Draper Days is the big July event. In 2026 it ran for nine days, from July 10 to 18. The city manages it with sponsors and volunteers. The rest of the year, the city calendar has something most months.

Draper Days

The days include a rodeo, a 5K, a children's bike parade, a car show, Draper Idol, and a firefighters' pancake breakfast. The parade is on the last Saturday morning. Concerts and fireworks fill the last Friday and Saturday evenings at Draper Park. The concerts are free and start at 7 p.m. In 2026 the city added a drone show. Technical trouble moved it to Saturday, after the fireworks. Chairs, blankets, and outside food are fine. Alcohol and glass are not.

The year in Draper

• JanuarySki season. The aquarium and Boondocks are the indoor options.
• FebruaryThe Daddy Daughter Dance, usually late in the month.
• MarchThe city's royalty tea party. Snow is still possible.
• AprilThe Spring Easter Egg Hunt and the Arbor Day program.
• MayThe Cinco de Mayo festival at Draper Park. The Memorial Day ceremony at the Gold Star Monument. The Mayor's Bike Ride on the Jordan River Trail.
• JuneSummer concerts on Wednesday evenings at Draper Historic Park. The Tiny Tot Triathlon at Galena Park. The amphitheater season opens.
• JulyDraper Days, usually in the middle of the month.
• AugustMonster trucks at the Ballard Arena. Bark in the Park at Galena Dog Park.
• SeptemberThe Lights and Ladders Safety Fair. The International Arts and Crafts Festival. The Corner Canyon half marathon, 10K, and 5K.
• OctoberThe Haunted Trail at the Ballard Arena. The Tuesday farmers market ends.
• NovemberThe Veterans Day ceremony on November 11. The tree lighting at Draper Park at the end of the month.
• DecemberThe Holiday Market at Draper Park. The Candy Cane Hunt at Draper Historic Park.

These are the usual months, taken from the city's 2026 to 2027 calendar. Dates move each year, so check the city calendar before you plan a trip.

Draper sits at the southeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley. Sandy is next door to the north. Riverton and Bluffdale lie across the Jordan River. Lehi, in Utah County, is over the Point of the Mountain to the south. The towns below each have a guide on this site. Times are from City Hall.

Day trips

Thanksgiving Point, with its gardens and museums, is about 14 minutes south in Lehi. Timpanogos Cave and the Cottonwood canyons are each less than half an hour away. Utah Lake State Park is about 35 to 40 minutes south. Park City is about 45 to 50 minutes east. The Outdoor recreation, National parks, and Ski topics above cover each trip.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall at 1020 E Pioneer Road, in normal traffic. They are close, not exact.