Moving to Highland, Utah

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

Highland sits in the north end of Utah Valley, between Alpine and American Fork. About 21,600 people live here, by the 2025 Census estimate. The count was 19,348 in 2020, and it has gone up every year since. The city covers about 8.7 square miles of land. Nearly every address uses ZIP code 84003, the same ZIP code as American Fork, so the ZIP code never tells you the city.

Lehi runs along the west and southwest, and that is the longest shared line. Alpine is on the north, American Fork is on the south, and Cedar Hills is on the southeast. County land lies on the east, toward the canyon. The Utah County part of Draper touches the far northwest corner.

The lay of the land

City Hall is at about 4,900 feet. Homes in town span about 500 feet, from about 4,700 feet by Lehi to about 5,200 feet on the north edge by Alpine. The land climbs on to the east, to about 5,450 feet at the edge of the canyon.

The mouth of American Fork Canyon is inside Highland. SR-92 enters the canyon in the city, about 5 minutes from City Hall, and the canyon walls close on the city’s east line. The canyon section covers the pass fee, the cave and the Alpine Loop.

How the town began

The city posts a history written by the Highland Historical Society. Settlers filed homestead claims here starting in 1869, and 28 of them were finished by 1889. The first homes went up in June 1870, for James Pullen, and in April 1871, for Hannah Briggs. John Pool, long credited with the first home, moved into his in May 1873.

Farms here were big. They averaged about 131 acres. In Lehi, American Fork and Alpine, most lots were about 10 acres or less. The count of people was 88 in 1880, 195 in 1900 and 310 in 1940.

By tradition, Scottish settlers named the town for the Highlands of home. Others say the name just means high land. The city’s history says visitors to Scotland saw no likeness. The Scottish tie lives on at the Highland Fling, which the events topic covers.

Water built the town

Settlers from Lehi dug a ditch across the high ground and finished it by 1852. A canal surveyed in 1875 was built in 1876. Water began to flow in it in May 1877, and people called it Bull River. Work to bury the Murdock Canal in a pipe began on October 21, 2010. A 17-mile paved trail now sits on top.

Highland became a city on July 13, 1977. It then had 2,142 acres.

The plan for the town

The City Council adopted a new General Plan on January 20, 2026, after a review of nearly two years. It calls for homes on vacant ground between older ones, and it names the Town Center “the heart of the community.” The plan also looks back at when the city was built. About 22 percent of the city was built before 1991, 46 percent from 1991 to 2008, and 32 percent from 2008 to 2023.

The plan sets aside about 39 percent of the land for homes on big lots. Open space takes 8 percent and the golf course takes 4 percent. The real estate topic covers the lots, and the new construction topic covers the land the plan names for later.

Want the street level view? Highland on The Local has six guides to the town. Weighing the whole state? Start with my relocating to Utah guide. I did the homework here, and a partner agent I trust does the work on the ground.

Sources: the U.S. Census Bureau, USGS elevations, and Highland City (the history page, the water page and the General Plan).

Highland has four true seasons. Summers are warm and dry. Winters are cold and snowy. Spring is cool and changeable, and fall is warm early and crisp late.

Highland has no weather station of its own. The numbers on this page come from the station in Alpine. It sits about 2.7 miles north-northeast of City Hall and about 200 feet higher. Most Highland homes sit lower than the station. Most of town runs a touch warmer and less snowy than these numbers.

Month by month

These are the normal highs and lows for each month. The swing from day to night is big in every season. A normal July day runs from about 90°F down to about 59°F.

• JanuaryHigh 39°F, low 22°F
• FebruaryHigh 44°F, low 25°F
• MarchHigh 54°F, low 32°F
• AprilHigh 61°F, low 37°F
• MayHigh 71°F, low 44°F
• JuneHigh 82°F, low 51°F
• JulyHigh 90°F, low 59°F
• AugustHigh 87°F, low 58°F
• SeptemberHigh 79°F, low 49°F
• OctoberHigh 65°F, low 39°F
• NovemberHigh 50°F, low 29°F
• DecemberHigh 39°F, low 22°F

Source: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, Alpine station. Months are rounded to the nearest degree.

About 21 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a year. January is the wettest month, with about 2.5 inches. July is the driest, with about 0.6.

Frost dates matter if you garden. The last spring freeze is usually around May 3, and the first fall freeze around October 12. That leaves about 159 days between them. About 133 nights a year drop to 32°F or below.

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

The Alpine station gets about 74 inches of snow in a normal year. That is about 2.8 times the snow at the station on the Lehi lakeshore, which gets about 26 inches. Most of it falls from November through April.

December is the snowiest month, with about 17.5 inches. January is close behind at 17.4. February brings about 13.6, March about 9.6, and November about 8. April adds about 6. October averages about 1.6 inches, and May less than an inch. No snow falls from June through September.

Most Highland homes sit lower than the station, so snow in most of town is likely a bit less than these numbers. The numbers still show the pattern. Winters here are real winters.

What snow means on a big lot

Lots in Highland start at about half an acre. A big lot has a long driveway and a long walk to the street. All that snow lands on it. Ask who clears it, and what the tools cost to own or to hire.

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

Summers are warm and dry, and the nights cool off. A normal July afternoon reaches about 90°F. A normal July night drops to about 59°F. These are the Alpine station’s numbers, and most of Highland runs a touch warmer.

About 36 days a year reach 90°F or hotter. A day at 100°F or hotter is rare. June is milder, with highs near 82°F. August is close to July, near 87°F.

The Alpine station runs a few degrees cooler in July than the lake towns. The Lehi lakeshore station averages 92°F, American Fork 93°F, and Provo 95°F.

Summer can also bring poor air. The air quality topic below has the details.

No weather station keeps wind records for Highland, and no source gives a wind figure for the city. This topic gives none. I would rather say so than guess.

The city’s history page says Highland “is known for its brisk north winds and high snowdrifts in the winter and the cool canyon breeze in the summer evenings.” That is a description, not a measured number.

Judge wind one home at a time. Shelter changes from street to street, and the cards below show what I would check.

Yes, Highland sits in Utah Valley, and Utah Valley gets winter inversions. An inversion is when cold air sinks into a valley and gets trapped under a lid of warmer air. On calm winter days, haze builds in that trapped air until a storm clears it.

Highland sits about 200 to 700 feet above the towns by the lake. On some winter days the haze sits below the town. Summer brings a different problem. Ozone is a gas that forms on hot, sunny days, and it brings some poor air days in summer. Wildfire smoke can add to both. The what to check topic covers the edge of town toward the canyon.

What the EPA says

Utah County is in the Southern Wasatch Front area for the 2015 ozone standard. EPA lists the area as Marginal, so it does not yet meet that standard. For fine particles, called PM2.5, EPA ruled in 2025 that the Provo area met the federal standard for the 2006 daily limit. That took effect on December 19, 2025.

Here is what I would do. Check the air each day on the county air quality page or 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.

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 the Utah County Air Quality Bureau.

Housing is the biggest cost in Highland. It is one of the higher-priced towns in Utah County, by the Census typical value. The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest number. That number is the middle of what owners say their homes are worth, so it is not a sale price. Judge any home against recent sales of homes like it.

Land is the reason. Lots in the three home zones start at about half an acre, and many are bigger. A big lot means more yard to water, mow and clear of snow. The lot and its water setup matter as much as the house.

The city sends one bill for most of the rest. It lists drinking water, yard water, sewer, storm drains, garbage and recycling, and two flat city fees, one for transportation and one for public safety. Each is its own line, and no single total fits every home. The utilities topic prints every rate one by one.

Yard water is the line to watch. The city put meters on the yard-water system by 2025, and billing by use starts in spring 2027. The water section under the housing market explains how it will work.

Weighing Highland against a town nearby? Ask me and I will run the numbers side by side for the towns on your list. Alpine is one town north and has the same big lots. Cedar Hills and American Fork have smaller lots and bigger stores closer by.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2020 to 2024), the Utah State Tax Commission, and Highland City’s utility pages and FY2027 fee schedule. 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. In 2026 Highland raised only one city tax, the one that pays for the library.

The library tax rose in 2026

Highland held a public hearing on August 11, 2026. A city that wants to raise a property tax rate must first hold this kind of hearing, called Truth in Taxation. The city asked for a higher rate for the library only. The increase went into the final budget the city adopted that night.

The city says the increase is about $28 a year on an average home. Its reasons: the library runs almost wholly on its own property tax, and that rate has only gone down since the tax began in 2007. The city says it spends $17.15 per person on its library, against a state median of $36.62.

The city’s own rate was 0.000740 in 2025, and 0.000097 of that was the library tax.

Where the tax bill goes

Most of a property tax bill does not go to the city. In the Tax Commission’s 2025 county table, the schools take about 70% of a typical Utah County bill.

The schools will change the bill again. The new Aspen Peaks School District takes over Highland’s public schools on July 1, 2027, and it will set its own levy. A levy is the tax rate one group sets. That rate is not set yet, so no one can tell you what it will be. The schools topic has the details.

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. The Utah County Assessor asks owners to declare a home as primary or secondary.

A new owner has to apply for the break. From January 1, 2027, that application is required statewide when a home changes hands. Ask your agent about it at closing.

Sources: the Utah State Tax Commission (the 2025 county rate and the October 2026 sales tax table), the Utah Legislature, Highland City’s library notice and its FY2027 adopted final budget of August 11, 2026, and the 2026 Truth in Taxation list. 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 Highland, from the U.S. Census. That number is the middle of what owners say their homes are worth, from Census surveys over five years. It is not a sale price. Prices shift through the year, so judge any home against recent sales of homes like it.

Highland has about 5,000 homes. About 92 in 100 occupied homes are lived in by their owners, according to the Census survey. The Utah County figure is 68. So few homes are rented.

About 88% of homes are detached houses. Another 8% are townhomes and twin homes, and a few small apartment buildings make up the rest. The median home was built in 2004. About three homes in five went up from 2000 to 2019, and about 4% were built since 2020.

Lot sizes

The city code sets the rules for lots. Highland has three home zones, named R-1-40, R-1-30 and R-1-20. In all three, a lot may not be under 20,000 square feet, which is about half an acre. The zone number sets how many lots a piece of land can hold, not the smallest lot.

The Town Center has its own zoning too. Ask the city which zone a lot is in before you count on a use. The city zoning page is the place to start.

Lots and the second water system

Most Highland yards run on a second water system, so there are two. The first is drinking water, called culinary water. It comes from city wells, and the city says it needs no added treatment.

The second is pressurized irrigation, called PI, for lawns and gardens. The city built it in 1997 and 1998 with ponds, wells, river water and canal water. PI runs from April 15 to October 15. Even street addresses water on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Odd addresses water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. No one waters on Sunday.

For years the PI side was billed by lot size. That is changing. The city put in meters from summer 2023 and finished in 2025. Billing by use starts in spring 2027. You will pay a monthly base charge all year, plus a charge for use from April to October, measured against a yearly allotment. The allotment is set by the size of the lot and by any water dedicated to the city.

The city says a customer who stays inside the allotment should pay about what they paid before. Its PI Metering page has a rate calculator and a daily-use viewer. The utilities topic prints today’s charge.

In Highland, price the landscape, not just the house. A half acre to an acre of lawn is a water bill too. Ask how much of the lot is turf, and how much is beds, trees or natural ground.

Shop by price

Shop by kind of home

Sources: U.S. Census ACS 2020 to 2024, the Highland Development Code, the city’s zoning, water and PI Metering pages, and its 2026 General Plan. Prices shift through the year, so ask me for the latest Highland numbers.

Highland has no branded neighborhood map, so the useful map is the ground and the roads. This list has seven areas. It starts at the Town Center, then moves south, west, north and east. Homes span about 500 feet of elevation, and the slope, the water setup and the hazard maps change street by street. The overview explains the lay of the land.

• CenterThe Town CenterAbout 4,900 feet11000 North meets Alpine Highway here, and 11000 North is also SR-92. City Hall and the library are here, with Macey’s, CVS and Ace Hardware, the splash pad and Town Center Meadows park. The city’s townhomes are here too.
• MiddleAround Alpine Country ClubAbout 4,900 to 4,960 feetThe private course sits in the middle of town, just east of the Town Center. Country Club Drive, Jerling Drive and Slate Lane are around it. It is about a mile west of the canyon opening.
• SouthThe south sideAbout 4,800 to 4,880 feetHighland Glen Park, Hidden Oaks Drive, Lone Peak High and Heritage Park are here, with SR-92 along the edge. The outdoors topic covers the park and the trail.
• Far southRidgeviewAbout 4,830 to 4,850 feetAround 10000 North and 5000 West, on former state land. It is the city’s largest recent planned development, with 424 lots. The new construction topic tells where it stands.
• WestThe west side and the Dry Creek gulchAbout 4,700 to 4,800 feetMitchell Hollow Park, the Dry Creek dam and reservoir, the Highland Hollow trails and Mercer Hollow Road are here. Red Hawk Drive, by the Lehi line, is the lowest ground in town.
• NorthThe north side by Beacon HillAbout 4,980 to 5,200 feetBeacon Hill Park and the Beacon Hills streets are here. New London Street, Ponce de Leon Drive and Angels Gate, by the Alpine line, are the highest homes in town.
• EastThe east side toward the canyonAbout 5,100 to 5,150 feetShoreline Drive and Park Drive sit around 4000 West. SR-92 runs on into American Fork Canyon, and the city’s Canyon Oaks Campground is nearby. The canyon section has the fee and the cave.

Slope, water and hazard maps change lot by lot. So the partner agent walks the lot with you, and I stay on the homework behind it.

Which school a home goes to depends on its exact address, and the boundaries may shift with the district change in July 2027. The schools topic has the details.

Want the story on a certain block? Tell me what you are after. My Highland guides on The Local cover the lots, the parks and the trails.

Areas follow the ground and the roads, since the city posts no neighborhood map. Elevations come from the U.S. Geological Survey and are rounded, so a street may sit a little above or below its range.

Highland still has building under way in 2026. The biggest project is Ridgeview in the far south. Beyond it, about a dozen small subdivisions of large lots are in construction, and some new homes go on single lots.

If you want something new, check what is open for sale with the builder. A plan in the city’s records is not a home for sale.

What is in the city’s 2026 record

• RidgeviewA 424-lot planned development10000 North, 5000 WestThis is the city’s largest recent project. The final plats the city approved from 2022 to May 2025 are in construction. The last plat was still under city review. Ivory Homes has built in Ridgeview.
• Small subdivisionsAbout a dozen, with 6 to 18 lots eachAcross the cityFoxwood Estates (18 lots), Aberlour (14) and Highland Oaks Phase 4 (16) are three of them. They are in construction on large lots.
• Ten 700Apple Creek, a planned developmentAround 10786 North, 5320 WestIt has 44 home lots and 2 commercial lots. A commercial site plan was under city review in 2026.
• Town CenterShops and officesTown Center and Highland BoulevardHighland Grove Plaza and the four-building Highland Mains site were still under construction on the city’s list. Town Center Lot 3 opened as a restaurant in late September 2026, and the restaurants topic has it. Highland Boulevard is being widened north of 11800 North.

What the General Plan calls for

The city adopted its new General Plan on January 20, 2026. It calls for backyard cottage rules and a senior housing zone. It also names land for the future. The plan shows where the city wants to head. It is not a promise.

• LonghornA 65-acre private propertyThe city’s entrance on SR-92The plan favors open space with large lots, and possibly senior housing.
• State land16 acres for mixed use, plus 38 acresSouth of RidgeviewThe plan slates the 38 acres next to it for a community farm.
• Northern areaA future annexation area of 98 acresNorth of the cityAnnexation means the city takes in land that is now outside its line.
• Buhler island48 acres of county landAlong 10400 NorthIt is surrounded by the city but is not part of it.

Before you plan around a lot, line up these checks in order.

1. Zone and lot math. Ask which zone the lot is in, and how many lots the land can hold.
2. Culinary and yard water. Ask whether both city hookups reach the lot.
3. The yard-water meter. Ask how the spring 2027 billing and the yearly allotment apply to the lot.
4. The hazard maps. Ask about the fault study zone, the flood zones and the fireworks map.
5. The General Plan. Ask whether the plan names the land around the lot.

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: Highland City’s Current Projects page (the next Planning Commission meeting listed is October 27, 2026), its 2026 General Plan, and Ivory Homes’ own site. Plans change, so ask me for the latest status.

Every town has its own list of things to check. These are the questions I would ask about any home in Highland. A map or a test can answer each one for a single address, so check them one home at a time.

Lone Peak Fire District, at 5582 Parkway West Drive in Highland, covers the city. Ask the city whether wildfire building rules apply to a lot near the canyon.

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, the U.S. Geological Survey, FEMA, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and Highland City. Have a licensed inspector look at any home before you buy.

Sort out the financing before you start the search. Many Highland homes are custom homes on large lots, so the loan path can differ from a standard subdivision home.

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.

With large lots and custom homes, an appraiser has fewer close sales to compare. The appraisal is the lender’s check of what the home is worth. A yard-water setup and outbuildings can matter to that review too. Knowing from day one how a specific property will finance keeps a Highland purchase smooth.

On the loan side I stay on your file myself. If I am your lender, I can tell you early if a home could be hard to get a loan on. The loan guides on this site explain each loan type in plain English. Utah Housing Corporation runs statewide homebuyer programs, so ask me what is open now.

One loan type does not apply here. USDA loans are for rural homes, and the USDA map shows every Highland point tested, 34 of 34, as inside the ineligible area. That map result covers only the city itself. 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 Highland, 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.

Highland has mostly homes and few jobs. About 8,500 Highland residents have jobs, and most of them work outside town or from home. Only about 2,800 of them work inside the city, and about 2,000 of those work from home. That leaves about 5,700 who go somewhere else each day.

The jobs inside the city are public and small. They are the schools, the city, the Lone Peak Public Safety District, and the stores at the Town Center. The city does not publish a list of its largest employers, so I name none.

How people get to work

The Census counts about 23 workers in 100 who work from home. That is above the county share of 19 in 100. About 64 in 100 drive alone, and about 7 in 100 carpool. Almost no one rides transit.

The average trip to work is about 23 minutes, close to the county’s 23. Alpine’s is about 30. About 32 workers in 100 reach work in under 15 minutes, and about 9 in 100 spend 45 minutes or more. These numbers count people who live in Highland, wherever the job is.

What people do for a living

The Census counts 8,567 employed residents. The biggest fields are professional, scientific and technical services (about 1,400 workers), retail (about 1,000), education (about 840) and health care (about 790). Construction has about 590, and manufacturing about 560.

Where the jobs are

Lehi has the nearest large group of tech offices. Adobe is about 9 minutes from City Hall, and Thanksgiving Point is about 10. Lehi’s own budget lists Texas Instruments and Adobe at 1,000 to 1,999 workers each. The Lehi hub has more on its employers.

American Fork is about 8 minutes away. Its big employers include American Fork Hospital and Domo, a software company headquartered there. The American Fork hub lists them. Utah County had about 302,200 jobs in March 2026.

If you work from home, the internet at the exact address matters. The internet topic shows what the state map reports. My guide for remote workers in Utah covers what to ask before you move.

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024, the Lehi budget (principal employers, in ranges), American Fork’s annual report, BLS County Employment and Wages, and a router drive table.

Not in the city. The nearest is American Fork Hospital, at 170 North 1100 East in American Fork, about 10 minutes from City Hall. Intermountain Health runs it, and the state licenses it for 70 beds. The state trauma list rates it Level III. Its emergency number is 801-855-4600.

Trauma centers are ranked from Level I, the most complete, to Level V. InstaCare, an urgent care clinic, is at 98 North 1100 East in American Fork. Three more hospitals sit within about half an hour.

Hospitals nearby

On military orders? My military PCS guide covers VA loans and timing the move. Ask which clinics sit closest to your address when you set up care, and check hours before you go.

Sources: Intermountain Health, the Utah DHHS licensed facility list, the Utah trauma center list (May 2025), and a router drive table. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall.

Alpine School District runs every school in Highland through June 30, 2027. On July 1, 2027, the new Aspen Peaks School District takes over. The buildings stay where they are. The board and the district office above them change.

Schools in the city

Junior high and high school

That makes five public schools inside the city, and the state lists no charter school here. Counts are K-12 students on October 1, 2025.

Alpine School District had 84,215 students on October 1, 2025. Confirm the school for an address with the district. Do not guess from a listing. Some boundaries may shift at the edges as the new districts open.

The district split in 2027

Voters approved Proposition 11 in November 2024, and it created Aspen Peaks. Voters elected the three new boards in November 2025. Each board named a superintendent in February 2026, and Aspen Peaks chose Dr. Joel K. Perkins.

Aspen Peaks takes in Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland and Lehi, plus the Utah County part of Draper. It will have about 36 schools and 35,000 students. The old district does not continue in a smaller form. Its central cities form a new district of their own.

The other two new districts are Lake Mountain in the west, and Timpanogos for Lindon, Orem, Pleasant Grove and Vineyard. Those four cities formed Timpanogos by agreement, not by a ballot vote. The district says some school boundaries are likely to change where districts overlap.

The new district also sets its own property tax rate. No rate has been set, so I will not guess at one. The taxes topic shows what the city’s share looks like today.

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

Sources: the Utah state school enrollment report (October 1, 2025 counts), the Alpine School District page on the three new districts, and the Aspen Peaks About page. Ratings come from independent third parties, not from me.

Highland has no campus. Two large universities are in Utah Valley to the south. Utah Valley University (UVU) is in Orem, about 21 minutes from City Hall. Brigham Young University (BYU) is in Provo, about 28 minutes away.

Mountainland Technical College has its main campus in Lehi. The University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College are in Salt Lake County, and downtown Salt Lake City is about 35 minutes north. With no campus in town, school here means a commute. Weigh the drive against the semester calendar.

Times are map estimates in normal traffic, not to the campus door. Rush hour and parking change them.

There is no freeway in Highland. Two state roads cross it. SR-92, the Timpanogos Highway, runs across the south side. It leads west to I-15 at the Lehi and Thanksgiving Point exit, about 9 minutes from City Hall, and east into American Fork Canyon. At the Town Center, 11000 North is SR-92 itself.

SR-74, the Alpine Highway, runs north and south through the middle of town. Highland Boulevard is the other busy street. The city’s project list shows a roundabout and road widening on it, north of 11800 North.

West of Highland Boulevard, SR-92 also has free commuter lanes that skip the traffic lights on the way to I-15 in Lehi.

On summer and fall weekends, traffic can build on SR-92 as people head up American Fork Canyon. Rush hour on I-15 makes every drive longer. Salt Lake City is about 31 miles and 35 minutes north.

From City Hall

• American Fork Canyon~5 min
• Mitchell Hollow trailhead~5 min
• Lone Peak High~6 min
• Timpanogos Cave~9 min
• American Fork Hospital~10 min
• Thanksgiving Point~10 min
• Lehi FrontRunner~11 min

The average trip to work is about 23 minutes. The jobs topic has the commute numbers. Test your own route at the hours you would drive it before you buy.

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024, the city’s current projects page, and a router drive table. Drive times are map estimates in normal traffic.

No train runs in Highland, and almost no one here commutes by transit. Plan on a car. Two things help: a ride service that began in 2026, and FrontRunner stations in the next towns.

The Lehi station, at 3101 North Ashton Boulevard, is about 11 minutes from City Hall. The American Fork station, at 782 West 200 South, is about 12 minutes away. Both have park and ride lots.

The zone map is in the UTA app. UTA’s page says “portions of” Highland and does not list streets, so check your address before you count on it. The Murdock Canal Trail also works as a bike route toward Lehi and Orem. The outdoors topic has the trail.

Check the schedule before you ride. Routes and times change.

Sources: the UTA FrontRunner (Route 750) fall 2026 schedule, the UTA On Demand page, Census ACS 2020 to 2024, and a router drive table. Check rideuta.com before you ride.

Highland has no airport. Provo Airport (PVU) is the close one for commercial flights, about 19 miles and 27 minutes away. Its website lists Allegiant, American and Breeze. Check which cities each airline flies to from Provo before you plan around it.

Salt Lake City International (SLC) is the full-service airport. It is about 38 miles and 46 minutes from City Hall.

• Provo (PVU)~19 mi · ~27 min
• Salt Lake City (SLC)~38 mi · ~46 min

These are drive times to the airport, not to the terminal door. Rush hour and winter storms change the Salt Lake City run the most, so leave extra time.

Sources: the Provo Airport website and a router drive table. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall in normal traffic.

Highland sits in the north end of Utah Valley. Alpine is north, American Fork is south, Cedar Hills is southeast, and Lehi is west and southwest. The towns below are the ones closest to City Hall, at 5400 West Civic Center Drive.

Alpine

~2 mi · ~5 min

Cedar Hills

~4 mi · ~7 min

American Fork

~4 mi · ~8 min

Lehi

~6 mi · ~13 min

Pleasant Grove

~7 mi · ~13 min

Provo

~18 mi · ~26 min

Salt Lake City

~31 mi · ~35 min

Park City

~53 mi · ~60 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. Canyon roads can close in winter.

Each nearby town has a hub: Alpine, Cedar Hills, American Fork and Lehi. The outdoors topic and the ski topic say more on the canyon, the parks and the resorts. The nearby topic has more towns and day trips.

Want any other pair of towns? Look up any Utah drive between 138 towns.

Highland City sends one bill. It covers garbage, recycling, culinary water, pressurized irrigation, sewer and storm drain. It also carries a Transportation Utility Fee and a Public Safety Fee, as each property fits. New accounts pay a $25 sign-up fee. You can set up and pay online.

Call City Hall at 801-756-5751, or the utility billing clerk at 801-772-4523. Public works is 801-772-4515. For an emergency after hours, call 801-420-2553. City Hall is at 5400 West Civic Center Drive, open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Friday.

Two water systems

Most homes use two kinds of water. Culinary water is the treated water you drink and wash with. Pressurized irrigation (PI), also called secondary water, is for lawns and gardens. It is not drinking water, so never drink it.

Culinary water

The city says its water comes from city wells and needs no added treatment. The city posts a water quality report each year. The base charge covers the first 5,999 gallons, and use above that adds charges in two steps.

Pressurized irrigation

PI runs from April 15 to October 15. Watering days follow your address. Even addresses water on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and odd addresses water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. No one waters on Sunday. Today the PI bill is a flat monthly charge. Meters were finished in 2025, and billing by use starts in spring 2027.

The lots and water section explains the meter, the yearly allotment and what to price before you buy a big lot.

Sewer and storm drain

The city collects the sewage, and the Timpanogos Special Service District (TSSD) treats it. Both charges are set once a year from your October to April water use. TSSD serves several cities and each city passes its own charge through, so these are Highland’s numbers only. Storm drain is a separate line.

Trash and recycling

Waste Management picks up under a city contract, and the city bills it. Pickup is on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, by your route. Recycling comes every other week. Put carts out by 7 a.m. The city does not offer curbside green waste pickup. To add or remove a can, call the city. For a missed pickup or a broken can, call Waste Management at 888-496-8824.

Power, gas, police and fire

Rocky Mountain Power serves Highland, and Enbridge Gas Utah supplies natural gas. Both bill apart from the city. The city’s own utility page still lists the gas company under an older name, but the company is Enbridge now.

The Lone Peak Public Safety District serves Highland and Alpine for police and fire. Its fire station in Highland is Station 201. The Public Safety Fee on the city bill helps pay for it.

The city bill, line by line

I have not added these into a monthly total, because use and lot size change the sum. Fees change, so check the city’s fee schedule. The taxes topic covers property tax.

Sources: the Highland City utilities, water, irrigation, sewer, garbage and fee schedule pages (fiscal year 2027, adopted June 16, 2026). Fees change, so check with the city.

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.

Cable shows across Highland, and fiber shows in much of the city but not all of it. The state broadband map shows Xfinity cable at all 34 spots tested. At least one fiber company shows at 21 of the 34.

CentraCom fiber shows at 12 spots, including City Hall, the Town Center, and the middle and west of town. Quantum Fiber shows at 9, around City Hall and the north side. CenturyLink fiber shows at 7, and Lehi Fiber Network at 4 on the west edge by Lehi. UTOPIA and SenaWave fiber show at 3 spots on the southeast edge by Cedar Hills.

So Highland is not a UTOPIA city, except for a few streets by Cedar Hills. I list who reports service, not speeds or prices. That is what the companies report, not a promise for a given house. Check an address on the state broadband map. For cell service, look at each carrier’s own coverage map for the address.

Sources: the Utah state broadband data (UGRC, 34 test points across the city, October 2026). Plans and companies change, so check before you sign.

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

1. Set up the city accountOpen your Highland City account online and pay the $25 sign-up fee. Then set up Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah, and pick an internet company. The utilities topic has the fees and the trash days.
2. Get your Utah driver licenseThe Driver License office is in Orem, at 759 North 1370 West. The fee to transfer an out-of-state license is $52 for ages 21 and up, and $39 for 20 and under.
3. Get an emissions testUtah County requires one for most cars. See the box below.
4. Register your carUtah gives you 60 days after you make a permanent home here. The DMV office is at 150 East Center Street in Provo. North county residents also use the South Valley office in Draper, at 14555 South Minuteman Drive. Pass the emissions test first.
5. Declare your homeTell the Utah County Assessor whether the home is your primary home or a second home. The county offices are in Provo, at 100 East Center Street.
6. Test for radonRadon is a gas that can seep into a home from the ground. Test even a new home. The home checks topic has the local numbers.
7. Call before you digCall 811 before any digging. It is free, and it marks buried lines.
8. Get a library cardThe Highland City Library is in the City Hall building. The things to do topic has the hours and the card rules.
9. Register to voteDo it online at vote.utah.gov, or through the county.
10. Sign up for schoolConfirm the school for your address with the district, then register. The district changes on July 1, 2027, and the schools topic has the details.

The emissions test

Utah County is one of five Utah counties that require an emissions test. Salt Lake, Davis, Weber and Cache are the others. A new gas car is exempt for its first two years. A gas car six model years old or newer is tested every two years. An older gas car, seven model years or more, is tested every year. Even model years test in even years, and odd model years in odd years.

Under state law, starting October 1, 2026, a gas car of model year 1995 or older is exempt. Diesel rules differ. A diesel from 1997 or older is exempt, so check the county page for the rest. Testing stations set their own prices, and they must post them.

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

Everyday errands are in town. The Highland Town Center sits around City Hall, at 11000 North and the Alpine Highway. It has Macey’s, a full grocery store at 5353 West 11000 North. CVS Pharmacy and Ace Hardware are here too. All three are about 3 minutes from City Hall. Macey’s is closed on Sundays.

The Town Center also has a gas station, a tire shop, salons, a dry cleaner and more small shops. The restaurants topic names the places to eat, including the newest one on Town Center Lot 3.

Times are map estimates in normal traffic. The store list was checked in October 2026. Hours change, so check before you go.

On Sundays

Macey’s is the nearest full grocery store, and it is closed on Sundays. Walmart in Cedar Hills and Smith’s in north Lehi are the near choices that day, about 6 minutes each. Check their Sunday hours before you go.

Bigger shopping

Costco and Lowe’s in Lehi are about 11 minutes away, and Harmons at Traverse Mountain is about 9.

Farmers market and new stores

The Highland Farmers Market meets on Thursday evenings in summer, from 4 to 8 p.m., at Heritage Park, 10400 North Alpine Highway. Dates change each year, so check the city before you go.

More stores are still being built. The city’s project list shows Highland Grove Plaza and a four-building site called Highland Mains under construction. The list names no tenants yet.

Sources: the stores’ own pages, the city’s current projects page, the Utah’s Own farmers market list, OpenStreetMap, and a router drive table. Hours change, so check before you go.

Highland has a paved trail, a park system, a city campground and a national forest canyon, all inside or beside the city limits. The city counts 25 parks and 18.4 miles of trail. American Fork Canyon opens at the city's east edge, about 5 minutes up SR-92.

The Murdock Canal Trail

The Murdock Canal Trail is a paved path, 17 miles long. It runs from Orem to Lehi and passes through seven Utah County cities, Highland among them. It is open all year for walking, running, cycling, skateboarding and horses. Two of its trailheads are in Highland. Highland Glen is at 4800 West Knight Avenue, and Mitchell Hollow is at 10400 North 6400 West. They sit about two miles apart. Mitchell Hollow Park is about 5 minutes from City Hall. Highland Glen Park is about 8.

Highland Glen Park

Highland Glen Park sits beside Lone Peak High School. It is open every day from dawn to dusk, and the gates close after that. It has a fishing pond, playgrounds, a pavilion and trails. The Highland Glen Bike Park is at the north end. The city built it with Lone Peak Trails, a local trail group, and its features run from beginner to pro.

The pond needs care. The state samples the water each summer, and it has posted harmful algae warnings for the pond. Before anyone gets in, or any dog, check the state's page for the current status. The state stocks the pond with trout. Rainbow, tiger and brook trout were all stocked in 2026. In May and June the city and the state run Hooked on Fishing, a youth class for ages 6 to 13.

Highland Hollow trails

Highland Hollow is a network of dirt trails in the Dry Creek gulch on the west side of town. It has about four miles of trail, ridden as tangled loops. The Lone Peak High mountain bike team built it in the summer of 2016, just below a flood-control dam. The season runs from March to December. Parking is off Canterbury Drive.

Parks, disc golf and camping

The Lone Peak Wilderness covers about 30,088 acres to the north and east. The top 9 things to do guide, the Highland Glen Park guide and the Mitchell Hollow guide tell more.

American Fork Canyon and the cave

American Fork Canyon is national forest land, and SR-92 enters it inside Highland. It is about 5 minutes from City Hall. At the developed sites you need a Forest Service pass. It costs $10 for three days, $20 for seven days or $60 for a year. Interagency passes are honored.

Timpanogos Cave National Monument is about 9 minutes from City Hall. Entry to the monument is free, but cave tours need a ticket. Tickets cost $2 to $12 by age and go on sale up to 30 days ahead. They often sell out, and the Park Service takes cards only. The Park Service says the season typically runs from May or June through September or October. The walk to the cave is a steep 1.5 miles on a paved trail.

The Alpine Loop is the scenic road over the mountain to Provo Canyon. Highway crews close it for winter in early November. They reopen it in late May or June, and it reopened on May 22 in 2026. Tibble Fork Reservoir is about 21 minutes from City Hall. Cascade Springs is farther, over the loop in summer. On summer and fall weekends and holidays, parking at the Timpooneke trailhead needs a timed ticket from Recreation.gov. Read the Forest Service page first, since the dates reset each year. The canyon can be busy on peak weekends. The Mount Timpanogos and Alpine Loop guide covers the climb, and the American Fork hub tells more about the canyon.

Park and trail details come from Highland City, the regional trail brochure, the Utah Division of Water Quality, the Forest Service and the Park Service, read in October 2026. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall at 5400 West Civic Center Drive. Hours, fees, closures and water status change, so check before you go. I do not rate trails.

No national park is close. They lie south and east of Utah Valley, and each is a long day or an overnight trip. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is the nearest park unit, about 9 minutes away. The outdoor recreation topic covers it.

Utah has other national parks, such as Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands and Great Basin. Each has more than one gate. Use the drive tool to measure the trip to the entrance you plan to use.

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

Sundance is the closest ski area, about 33 minutes from City Hall. Snowbird is about 44 minutes and Alta about 45, by I-15 and Little Cottonwood Canyon. Park City Mountain is about 60 minutes.

The Provo Canyon road to Sundance stays open all year. The Alpine Loop is a summer road, because its upper gates close in winter. Winter weather can add time to any of these drives. Resorts usually open in late November, and each one posts its own dates every fall. The Utah Department of Transportation posts live road status and the traction law on its Cottonwood Canyons page.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall, in normal traffic. Check road conditions before you go.

Highland has no public golf course. It does have a private club, Alpine Country Club, in the middle of town. Public courses are 5 to 15 minutes away in the next towns.

Alpine Country Club

Alpine Country Club sits just east of the Town Center, about 4 minutes from City Hall. It is a private club with an 18-hole course, a pool complex and dining. William Neff designed the course. The front nine opened in the spring of 1959 and the back nine a month later. The first Utah Open was played there in 1970. Troon manages the club today.

A renovation of the course and practice area began in July 2025. It includes a new range and changes to the back nine. Ask the club about its current layout.

Public courses nearby

The American Fork hub, the Cedar Hills hub and the Lehi hub tell more about those towns.

Course details come from each club's own site and the city pages, read in October 2026. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall.

Almost all of Highland's food sits in one Town Center block on 11000 North, around City Hall. It is 2 to 3 minutes from City Hall. A pair of places sits on Canal Boulevard at the south edge, about 6 minutes away. More places lie just over the line in Cedar Hills, near Walmart at Cedar Hills Drive and 4800 West. The long lists of sit-down meals are in Lehi, American Fork and Pleasant Grove. The Lehi hub, the American Fork hub and the Pleasant Grove hub name places in each town.

Six places with a record you can check

• HawaiianMo' Bettahs10969 North Town CenterHawaiian plate lunches. It opened in late September 2026 on Town Center Lot 3. Closed Sundays.
• TacosJurassic Tacos5531 West 11000 North, Suite CStreet tacos and burritos. A Utah County chain that started in 2016.
• ThaiPique Thai5435 West 11000 North, Suites 8 and 9Family-owned Thai food, with online ordering.
• ChineseChina Wok5435 West 11000 NorthChinese food. Closed Sundays.
• MexicanCosta Vida4817 West Canal DriveA Utah Mexican grill chain. Closed Sundays.
• BakeryLehi Bakery's Highland store4821 West Canal BoulevardBakery items and doughnuts. The Lehi shop has sold them since 1969, and this store opened in October 2025.

Little India serves northern Indian food at the Town Center. Pizza and fast food are in the same block, from Domino's, Little Caesars, Wendy's and Subway. Two drink shops, FiiZ and Roxberry, are there too. Just over the line in Cedar Hills, at Cedar Hills Drive and 4800 West, are Cafe Rio, Cupbop, Happy Dragon and Swig. They are about 6 minutes from City Hall.

The shopping topic covers groceries and stores. The events topic covers the Highland Fling and the farmers market.

Each place was checked on its own site or location page in October 2026. Hours change, and small places come and go. This is not a ranking, and no one paid to be listed.

The Highland Fling has its own topic, and so do the parks. The events topic and the outdoor recreation topic tell those stories. This topic covers the library, the museum and the nearby gardens.

The library

The Highland City Library is in the City Hall building, at 5400 West Civic Center Drive. It is open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Friday it is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. It is closed Sunday. Library cards are free for residents, and the library charges no overdue fees. In 2026 it ran storytimes, craft and play hours, a senior social hour, a chemistry night with Utah Valley University and a Mah Jongg class.

Cards from the Lehi, American Fork, Pleasant Grove and Eagle Mountain libraries register free at Highland, and a Highland card works at those libraries. Others pay $90 a year, and Alpine and Cedar Hills pay part of that back for their residents.

The Historical Society museum

The Highland Historical Society runs a small museum in the Community Center, at 5378 West 10400 North. It shows household items and small tools. The Utah Division of Arts and Museums certifies it as a Certified Utah Museum. The society formed in June 2015 and meets four times a year. The meetings are open to the public.

Nearby gardens

Thanksgiving Point in Lehi is about 10 minutes from City Hall. It holds gardens and museums, and its Tulip Festival usually runs from April to mid May. Ashton Gardens is about 14 minutes away. The Lehi hub tells more.

Details come from Highland City, read in October 2026. Hours and programs change, so check before you go.

The arts scene here is thin. The Highland City Arts Council runs the fine art show at the Highland Fling and the Easter cookie event. The library holds programs through the year.

Bigger stages are in the nearby towns. See the Pleasant Grove hub, the Lehi hub, the American Fork hub and the Provo hub. The Heritage Park amphitheater and Creekside Theatre Fest belong to the Cedar Hills hub.

Details come from Highland City and The Ruth, read in October 2026. Shows and hours change, so check before you go.

The Highland Fling is the big event. It usually runs three days, Thursday to Saturday, in the last days of July into early August. In 2026 it ran July 30 to August 1 at Heritage Park, 10400 North Alpine Highway. The Scottish theme ties to the city's name, which the overview tells. Dates shift each year, so check the city before you plan around one.

The Highland Fling

Thursday is Kickoff Night. In 2026 it had a car show, the firemen's dinner, horseshoes and a home run derby. Friday is Luau Night, with a disc golf tournament at Beacon Hill Park, a Strongman contest, the luau and a movie. Saturday is Celebration Day. It starts with a 5K at 7 a.m. and the Grand Parade at 9, from Highland Elementary to Heritage Park.

The Highland Games run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Utah Heavy Athletics runs them. The events are the caber toss, the stone put, weight throws, the sheaf toss and the State Hammer Championship. They are free to watch. The Utah Pipe Band plays, Daughters of Utah Pioneers lead cabin tours, and concerts follow. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. The Highland Fling guide tells more.

The rest of the year

The Easter Egg Hunt is at Heritage Park around Easter. The city holds a tree sale and a spring clean-up in spring, with dumpsters at the lot at the canyon mouth. Hooked on Fishing runs in May and June. The farmers market meets Thursday evenings in summer at Heritage Park, usually from 4 to 8 p.m. In September the city hosts a Senior Dinner for ages 65 and over. It also joins Alpine, Cedar Hills and Pleasant Grove for a 9/11 Day of Service. Trick-or-Treat Street fills the splash pad area in late October. Meet Santa and His Reindeer is at City Hall in late November.

• JanuarySki season. Sundance is about 33 minutes away and Snowbird about 44. The city opens pavilion booking on the first business day.
• FebruarySki season, and library programs.
• MarchThe Highland Hollow trails open as the gulch dries. An Easter Egg Hunt falls in March some years.
• AprilThe Easter Egg Hunt at Heritage Park and the city tree sale. The Tulip Festival starts at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi.
• MaySpring clean-up and Hooked on Fishing. The Alpine Loop reopens and cave tours start. The splash pad opens Memorial Day.
• JuneWeekend timed parking starts at Timpooneke. Pavilion season is in full swing.
• JulyThe Highland Fling usually begins in the last days of the month. Steel Days in American Fork.
• AugustFling Saturday, with the parade, the Highland Games and fireworks at 10. Alpine Days next door in Alpine.
• SeptemberThe Senior Dinner and the 9/11 Day of Service. The splash pad closes at Labor Day. Fall color starts on the Alpine Loop late in the month.
• OctoberTrick-or-Treat Street in late October. Cave tours end early in the month.
• NovemberThe Alpine Loop gates close for winter in early November. Meet Santa and His Reindeer at City Hall in late November.
• DecemberSki season is under way at the resorts, which usually open in late November.

Event details come from Highland City, read in October 2026. Dates move each year, so check before you plan around one.

Highland sits in the north end of Utah Valley. Lehi is to the west and southwest, Alpine is to the north and American Fork is to the south. Cedar Hills is to the southeast, and the east side is county land that climbs to the national forest. Times are from City Hall.

Day trips

American Fork Canyon is about 5 minutes away, and Timpanogos Cave is about 9. The outdoor recreation topic tells the canyon story. Thanksgiving Point is about 10 minutes west. Sundance is about 33 minutes through Provo Canyon, and Park City is about an hour. The ski topic covers the ski drives. The Utah Valley weekends guide lists more, and the Highland guides tell the town's own story. For the wider state, start with the Relocating to Utah guide.

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