Moving to Holladay, Utah

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

Holladay sits on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley, under Mount Olympus. About 31,200 people live here, by the 2025 Census estimate. The city covers about 8.5 square miles, and all of it is in Salt Lake County. Little open land is left. Millcreek is to the north, Murray is to the west, and Cottonwood Heights is to the south. National forest and Wasatch Boulevard mark the east edge. The count was 31,965 in 2020. It dipped for a few years, then rose a little in 2024 and 2025.

The ground climbs from west to east. City Hall sits at about 4,470 feet. The west edge, by I-215 and Highland Drive, is near 4,300. The southeast corner, near Wasatch Boulevard, reaches about 5,200. The middle of town, around the Village, is near 4,500 feet. The east side is near 4,700.

Big Cottonwood Creek crosses the south half of the city, and Spring Creek runs through the old core. Neither Cottonwood canyon starts inside Holladay. Both canyon mouths are in Cottonwood Heights, about 10 and 14 minutes from City Hall. Olympus Cove, next door, is in Millcreek. The ski topic tells the canyon story.

The city’s own plan describes the older streets in plain words. It speaks of “meandering narrow lanes with intense tree cover” and “the lack of a discernible street grid.” Lots are “large and deep.” It also notes “a semi-rural character,” with orchards, vegetable gardens, horses and other livestock. The areas topic walks through the parts of town.

One of the oldest settlements in Utah

On July 29, 1847, a group of pioneers known as the Mississippi Company entered the Salt Lake Valley. Within weeks they found a free-flowing, spring-fed stream. They named it Spring Creek, near today’s Kentucky Avenue. A few men built dugouts along the stream and stayed the winter. The city calls this “the first village established away from Salt Lake itself.”

The village took the name Holladay’s Settlement, or Holladay’s Burgh, after John Holladay, one of its leaders. Early business grew up where Highland Drive meets Murray-Holladay Road. Over time it moved east, to Holladay Boulevard and Murray-Holladay Road. That crossroads is still the center of town.

Local historians call Holladay the oldest settlement in Utah that has been lived in without a break. Their reason is that Salt Lake City was emptied for a time during the Utah War of 1857 and 1858. That claim comes from a University of Utah archive that holds the city’s historical photographs. The city’s own history page does not make it.

How it became a city in 1999

For 152 years Holladay had no city government of its own. Earlier tries to incorporate failed or were blocked. On May 4, 1999, residents voted by over 83% to become a city. The City of Holladay-Cottonwood was incorporated on November 30, 1999. A month later the name was shortened to Holladay.

The city says residents wanted “control of local planning and zoning.” They also wanted “to maintain and even improve its rural atmosphere.” Today the city runs on a council-manager plan. A mayor is elected citywide, and five council members come from five districts. The council hires a city manager to run the city day to day.

1. 1847The Mississippi Company enters the valley on July 29 and finds Spring Creek.
2. 1999Voters approve cityhood on May 4. The city is incorporated on November 30.
3. 2002 and 2003The north side is added, from Highland Drive to 2700 East and 3900 to 4500 South.
4. 2005A strip along Highland Drive south of Murray-Holladay Road is added.
5. 2015Olympus Hills is added in January, from 2700 East to I-215 and Wasatch Boulevard.

The Holladay General Plan 2025 is the plan now in force. It replaced the 2016 plan. It says the city has little land left to build on, and that it is mostly homes. That is why most new building happens one lot at a time. The new construction topic covers the exceptions.

City Hall is closed for a retrofit

The permanent City Hall is at 4580 South 2300 East. It is closed for an earthquake retrofit and remodel. City offices and the Justice Court moved to Millcreek’s former City Hall, at 3330 South 1300 East. They opened there on April 15, 2026. Hours are weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is the same, 801-272-9450. The city expects the work to finish in September 2027. By road, the temporary office is about 2 miles west.

City Hall Park stays open, with its playground, ball fields, skatepark and gazebo area. Rentals of the gazebo and pavilion are paused, and so are room rentals at City Hall. The Unified Police Holladay Precinct stays at 4570 South 2300 East. A federal FEMA grant helped pay for the work.

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

Sources: the U.S. Census, USGS, TIGERweb, the City of Holladay history and About pages, the General Plan 2025, and the City Hall remodel page (October 2026).

Holladay has four true seasons. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are cold, with real snow. Spring and fall are mild. These numbers are NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals. NOAA is the national weather agency. Two of its stations tell the story. Heat comes from a station on Salt Lake City’s east side, about 4.5 miles north of City Hall and about 380 feet higher. Snow comes from a volunteer weather station in Holladay, about 0.8 mile from City Hall.

Month by month

These are the normal highs and lows for each month at the station to the north. Summer nights cool off. A normal July night drops to about 63°F.

• JanuaryHigh 40°F, low 23°F
• FebruaryHigh 46°F, low 26°F
• MarchHigh 56°F, low 33°F
• AprilHigh 63°F, low 38°F
• MayHigh 73°F, low 46°F
• JuneHigh 84°F, low 55°F
• JulyHigh 92°F, low 63°F
• AugustHigh 90°F, low 62°F
• SeptemberHigh 80°F, low 53°F
• OctoberHigh 66°F, low 41°F
• NovemberHigh 52°F, low 31°F
• DecemberHigh 41°F, low 23°F

Source: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, the station on Salt Lake City’s east side. Months are rounded to the nearest degree.

Rain and melted snow add up to about 21 inches a year at the Holladay station. April is the wettest month, with about 2.8 inches. July and August are the driest, with less than 1 inch each.

Frost dates matter if you garden. The last spring freeze is usually around April 25, and the first fall freeze around October 18. That leaves about 176 days between them. About 14 days a year stay below freezing all day.

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

Holladay gets about 56 inches of snow in a normal year at its volunteer weather station. NOAA marks that number as provisional, because it is built from a shorter record. Treat it as close, not exact. The Salt Lake City airport station gets about 52 inches. So the Holladay station gets about 4 inches more.

December is the snowiest month, with about 13.3 inches. January brings about 12.7 and February about 10. March adds about 8.6, November about 6.2, and April about 4.2. October gets less than 1 inch. No snow falls from May through September. December through February together bring about 36 inches.

About 15 to 16 days a year bring an inch or more of new snow.

Height changes the snow. The higher streets near Wasatch Boulevard likely get more than the station in town. No station measures it there, so there is no number. A storm can rain on Highland Drive while it snows near the mountains.

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 92°F at the heat station. Nights fall to about 63°F. June is milder, with highs near 84°F. August is close to July, near 90°F.

Hot days are common but not constant. A normal year has about 48 days at 90°F or hotter. A day at 100°F is rare, about 3 a year. The Salt Lake City airport station reads 94°F in July, because it sits on the flat low ground. Stations at different heights read differently, so compare them with care.

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

Holladay sits at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. The mouths of the two Cottonwood canyons are a few miles south of the city. Some storms bring strong east winds near canyon mouths. In its warning for the March 2024 storm, the National Weather Service spoke of strong winds along the Wasatch Front, especially the canyon mouths.

In that storm, a Salt Lake meteorologist told KSL that the strongest winds would come from Bountiful northward. That is well north of here.

No NOAA, National Weather Service or UDOT gust figure exists for Holladay. So this topic has no wind speed. I would not guess one. What I would do is learn how a home sits on its lot. The homes on open hillside lots are the ones to ask about.

Yes, the Salt Lake Valley 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. 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 Holladay 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 meet that standard. For fine particles, called PM2.5, EPA ruled that the Salt Lake City area met the federal standard in 2025.

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. No number backs the idea that one part of town has better air, 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, the EPA news release on PM2.5, and EPA AirData for 2024 to 2026.

Housing is the big cost in Holladay. The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest typical home value, from the U.S. Census. In words, homes cost more here than in most of Salt Lake County.

The smaller costs are easier to pin down. Sales tax is a full point below Salt Lake City's. Utah taxes a primary home on only part of its value. Sewer and garbage are flat monthly fees that you can look up. The next topic walks through the taxes, and the utilities topic lists who bills what.

Everyday costs such as groceries, fuel, and services look like the rest of the Salt Lake area. What changes from one Holladay address to the next is the lot, the street, and the age of the house. So price the address, not the city. Compare a home with recent sales close by.

Compare Holladay with its neighbors in words. Cottonwood Heights and Millcreek have similar hillside land and tree cover. Murray, next door on the west, has a flatter street grid. Do you want a side-by-side for your budget? Ask me and I will run the numbers for the addresses you are weighing.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2020 to 2024), the Utah State Tax Commission, and the City of Holladay. Also Salt Lake City Public Utilities, the two sewer districts, and the waste district. 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. All of Holladay is in Salt Lake County.

Your property tax bill is made of several pieces. Each group that taxes you sets its own rate, and that rate is called a levy. Here the pieces include the schools, the county, the city, and special districts. The county lists twelve tax areas in Holladay, so the total rate changes by address. Look up the real address on the county treasurer's site before you budget.

The city, the school district, and the county

The city gets about 10% of the property tax on a parcel. The city says 48% of its total revenue goes to public safety, which is police and fire. The city last raised its share for 2024, after the police department was reorganized. The city's levy for 2025 was 0.001334.

Granite School District raised its rate for 2026. Its board voted 6 to 1 on August 18, 2026. The schools topic has the district and its schools. Salt Lake County also raised its share for 2026, by about 14.65%. The county says its share is about 17% of the total bill.

Pieces that depend on the address

Some tax areas pay a levy to Jordan Valley Water, and one area pays a levy to the Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area. Sewer comes from either Mt. Olympus Improvement District or Cottonwood Improvement District, depending on the area. Ask for the tax area when you look at a house.

The city pays for its own police and fire from its budget. Because of that, no Holladay tax area carries a county fire or county police levy.

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.

Sources: the Utah State Tax Commission, the Salt Lake County tax rate tables for 2025, and the City of Holladay. Also Granite School District minutes and the county's 2026 budget page. 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 Holladay, 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.

The Census counts 12,545 homes in the city. About 68% are single-family houses on their own lots. About 13% are townhomes or other attached homes, and about 4% are in buildings of two to four units. About 15% are in buildings of five or more units. Homes are large, with a median of 7.5 rooms.

About 79% of occupied homes are owner-occupied, against 66% for the county. The median home was built in 1969. About 63% of all homes went up between 1950 and 1979. Fewer than 2% have been built since 2020. The city says little open land is left, so most homes for sale are resales. Many are ranch homes and split-levels.

Know the kind of home before you trust the average

An average mixes very different homes. A townhome at Holladay Hills and a house on a one-acre lot do not move together. Judge every home by its lot, its street, and its age.

How the ground rises

The land climbs from about 4,300 feet by I-215 and Highland Drive on the west edge to about 5,200 feet near Wasatch Boulevard. City Hall sits at about 4,470 feet. Views and canyon access rise toward Wasatch Boulevard, and so does the chance of more snow. That is a fact about the ground, not a price rule. A hillside driveway is a different winter from a street near I-215, so budget for the shoveling.

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, the Holladay General Plan 2025, and U.S. Geological Survey elevation data. Prices shift through the year, so ask me for the latest Holladay numbers.

Holladay has no master-planned villages to sort by name. It is easiest to read by the ground and the main roads. The areas below run west to east, from the low ground by I-215 up to Wasatch Boulevard. The lot, the lane, and the trees change block by block, so the partner agent walks the street with you.

• West sideHighland Drive and Holladay HillsAbout 4,330 to 4,450 feetThe lowest ground in the city, by I-215. The strip along Highland Drive joined the city in 2005. Holladay Hills sits on the old Cottonwood Mall site, about 0.8 mile southwest of City Hall. The new construction topic tells its story.
• North sideNorth HolladayHighland Drive to 2700 EastThe blocks between 3900 and 4500 South joined the city in 2002 and 2003. Olympus High sits here.
• The middleHolladay Village and the old Spring Creek coreAbout 4,470 to 4,500 feetHolladay Boulevard meets Murray-Holladay Road here. City Hall, City Hall Park, and the Harmons grocery store sit within a few blocks. The first camp on Spring Creek stood near Kentucky Avenue, about half a mile east of City Hall. The things to do topic tells about the Village.
• South HolladayWalker Lane and the Big Cottonwood Creek lanesJust east of Highland DriveThe lanes follow the creek. They run under big trees on large lots. The city plan names Walker Ditch among the irrigation companies here.
• South edgeKnudsen's CornerAlong Holladay BoulevardKnudsen Park, a 7.5 acre city park at 6290 South Holladay Boulevard, sits at this corner.
• East sideOlympus Hills and the streets up to Wasatch BoulevardAbout 4,600 to 5,200 feetThe northeast part joined the city in January 2015. The streets climb under Mount Olympus. The Mount Olympus trailhead sits at 5800 South and Wasatch Boulevard, at the city's east edge.

Some places that sound like Holladay are not. Olympus Cove and the Neffs Canyon trailhead are in Millcreek. So are the Sprouts store with Holladay in its name and the county's Holladay Lions Recreation Center, just over the line. The city lines wander street by street, so the partner agent confirms the city for an address.

Which kind of area fits what you want

If you want a walkable center with a grocery store close by, look at the Village. If you want large lots and old trees, look at the lanes in south Holladay. If you want views and quick trail access, look along and above Wasatch Boulevard. Each trade has a cost. The high streets give you the view and the snow together, and the low streets give you flatter ground and less shoveling.

Trees, lots and lanes

Turn off the main roads and the street grid loosens. The city plan describes "meandering narrow lanes with intense tree cover" and "large and deep residential lots." It also notes a semi-rural feel, with orchards, gardens, and horses still found here. Many streets are narrow and wandering. The plan says they are not well suited to high traffic. Neighborhoods have a mix of full sidewalks, partial sidewalks, and none. On some lanes it is dark at night.

The land grew up on creek and ditch water. The plan says privately owned water companies have long supplied secondary water, which is water for lawns and gardens. It names eleven ditch and canal companies, among them Walker Ditch, Big Ditch, and Upper Canal. Holliday Water Company also has irrigation shares, and owners are responsible for the ditches on their own land. Do not assume a given lot has a share, and ask whether any share goes with the house.

1. Who owns the lane? Ask who owns it, who plows it, and who pays to keep it up.
2. How do utilities reach the house? Ask about water, sewer, power, and gas lines, and who owns them.
3. Is there a ditch or a water share? Ask whether it goes with the lot, and who keeps the ditch clear.
4. How healthy are the big trees? Ask a tree specialist to look at any large tree near the house.

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 Holladay guides on The Local cover Mount Olympus, Holladay Village, and more.

Area names follow the city plan, the roads, and the ground. Elevations come from the U.S. Geological Survey. A home's school depends on its exact address, so check with the district.

Here is the straight answer. Holladay has little open land left, so new homes come in small pieces. Most building is one lot at a time, as owners remodel or rebuild. The one large site is Holladay Hills, on the old Cottonwood Mall land.

Holladay Hills, the old mall site

Holladay Hills is a master-planned project on the former Cottonwood Mall site. The city's 2026 amended master plan covers about 57 acres. It is planned for roughly 450 to 600 homes, plus shops, offices, trails, plazas, and a park. The developers are a group led by Woodbury Corporation and Millrock Capital.

The developer tells the history this way. Plans for the site were announced in July 2007, and the mall was torn down in mid 2008. Work stopped in 2009 when the owner, General Growth Properties, went bankrupt. Millrock and Woodbury agreed to buy the site in 2019, and the project is built under the 2007 master plan. The developer expects the work to take five to ten years, depending on the market.

What is open today

• ApartmentsThe Grandeur1920 East Rodeo Walk DriveApartments and penthouse condos, and the first phase of the project. It opened in October 2024.
• OfficesKiln Holladay1895 East Rodeo Walk DriveA coworking and flex-office building in the old Macy's building. It opened in early 2026.
• GroceriesTrader Joe'sBelow KilnIt opened on October 31, 2025. The shopping topic covers the rest of the stores, and the restaurants topic covers the food.
• Homes for saleTri Pointe HomesAspire and PavilionsThe builder lists two groups as now selling. Aspire has townhomes of 3 to 5 bedrooms. Pavilions has large homes of 6 to 7 bedrooms. It lists Crestview and Horizon as coming soon.

The city looked at more of the site in 2026. A preliminary plan for "Royal Holladay Hills, Block A and C," at 4825 South Royce Drive, went to the planning commission on March 24, 2026. A project in a record is not a home for sale. Work along Highland Drive can come with each phase, so check the current phase maps before you count on the view or the quiet.

Other small items in 2026

The 2026 planning agendas also list a small Highland Drive rezone request to professional office. They list historic-site permits at 4910 South Holladay Boulevard and a garage-to-ADU conversion. An ADU is a small second home on the same lot. These are small items, and none is a new subdivision.

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.

Before you commit to a rebuild or a new home

1. Zoning and setbacks. Ask what size of house the lot allows, and how far it must sit from the lot lines.
2. Remodel or rebuild? Run the math both ways before you fall for a lot with an old house on it.
3. Lane access and utilities. Ask how the lot is reached and how the utilities arrive.
4. The trees. Ask how many big trees the lot can keep and still fit a new house.
5. Holladay Hills phases. Near Highland Drive, ask for the current phase maps. The home checks topic covers the rest.

Sources: the Holladay Hills developer, Tri Pointe Homes, and Kiln. Also the city's 2026 master plan and planning agendas. 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 Holladay. Most come from the Wasatch fault, the creeks, and the hillside on the east side. A map or a test can answer each one for a single address, so check them one home at a time.

The state's online layers are a starting point. Not mapped online is not the same as no risk, so ask your inspector about soils and slopes. The city keeps its own natural hazards map, with fault, landslide, and liquefaction layers you can view.

Checks for the lane, the water, and the neighbors

On a private lane, ask who owns it, who plows it, and who keeps it up. Ask which company supplies water at the address. On a Holliday Water address, the water share goes with the house, so make sure the title company transfers it. Ask whether a ditch share comes with the lot. If the home is near Highland Drive, ask about the Holladay Hills phases. The neighborhoods topic has the lane checklist, and the utilities topic has the water providers.

City business is at the temporary office in Millcreek until the City Hall retrofit ends. The city expects that in September 2027, and the overview has the address.

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 the City of Holladay. Have a licensed inspector look at any home before you buy.

Sort the financing before the search in Holladay. Many purchases here are large loans. The limits on loan size change every year, so ask how the limits for the year fit the home you want. Other parts of this market need their own plan too. A remodel or a rebuild is financed differently from a move-in-ready home. Buying before you sell takes careful timing.

On a lane home or a rebuilt lot, an appraiser may have fewer close sales to compare. An appraiser is the person who sets a home's value for the lender. A condo or a townhome also finances differently from a house, and the condo project has its own rules.

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.

One loan type does not apply here. USDA loans are for rural homes, and every Holladay point tested sits inside USDA's ineligible area. Conventional, FHA, and VA loans are the ones to look at. Utah Housing Corporation runs statewide programs for buyers. Ask about current programs, because the rules change.

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 Holladay, 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.

Holladay is mostly a place to live. The city’s own plan calls it a “primarily residential community.” The average trip to work is about 20 minutes (Census, 2020 to 2024). Downtown Salt Lake City is about 17 minutes north.

Holladay is a contract city. That means it pays other groups to run big services. The Unified Police Department runs the Holladay Precinct. The Unified Fire Authority covers fire. Salt Lake County plows the snow and does street work under a contract that is as old as the city. In August 2026 the city asked for a study of how it runs public works. No result has been posted.

Work inside the city

The newest business news is at Holladay Hills, the old Cottonwood Mall site. Kiln Holladay is a coworking and flex-office building in the old Macy’s building, at 1895 East Rodeo Walk Drive. It opened in early 2026. Trader Joe’s and the other shops there are the other new jobs in town. The new construction topic tells the whole story.

The Village and Highland Drive hold the small shops and offices. The four ski resorts up the two canyons hire in winter, but their offices are up the canyons, so count that as seasonal work.

Many places in the city use a Salt Lake City 84117 or 84121 mailing address. The ZIP code never tells you which city a building is in.

Do you work from home? My guide for remote workers in Utah covers what to check before you move.

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024, the Holladay General Plan 2025, city and council records (August 2026), Kiln’s Holladay page, and BLS (first quarter 2026).

No hospital sits inside Holladay. Hospitals sit on three sides of it, so the gap is small. St. Mark’s Hospital is just north in Millcreek, about 7 minutes from City Hall. Intermountain Medical Center in Murray is about 11 minutes away. University of Utah Hospital is about 18 minutes away.

Trauma levels run from I, the most complete, to V. Intermountain Medical Center and University of Utah Hospital are both Level I. St. Mark’s is Level II.

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 map estimates of drive times from City Hall.

Granite School District serves Holladay. Granite had 54,467 students on October 1, 2025 (Utah State Board of Education). Inside the city line it runs 5 elementary schools, 2 junior highs and 1 high school. The elementaries teach kindergarten to grade 5. Sixth grade sits in the junior highs.

Counts are from October 1, 2025, in the Utah State Board of Education school list. Olympus High opened in 1953.

Wasatch Waldorf Charter School, for kindergarten to grade 8, is also inside the city, with 643 students. A charter school is a free public school that you apply to. Private schools in the city include Intermountain Christian, St. Vincent de Paul and Saint Sophia.

Which high school

Most of Holladay goes to Olympus High. Some east side streets go to Skyline High, just outside the city line. Some south and west streets go to Cottonwood High. The district draws the school lines, and the lines do not follow the city line. Check the address on Granite’s school search before you write an offer.

The city next door to the south, Cottonwood Heights, belongs to a different district, Canyons. A home near the south edge needs a check.

Closed schools and the paused study

Spring Lane and Twin Peaks elementaries are closed. Granite’s 2023 to 2024 school chart lists both as closed. In 2025 the district studied closures and new lines for ten east side elementaries, five of them in Holladay. On November 18, 2025 the board put that study on an indefinite pause. It said that means no closures and no line changes for the foreseeable future. The district keeps reviewing its numbers, so check its planning page.

Granite raised its property tax rate for 2026. The taxes topic has the vote and what it means for a tax notice.

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 district and to independent sites.

Sources: the Utah State Board of Education school list (fall 2025), Granite’s feeder charts for 2023 to 2024 and 2026 to 2027, and Granite’s planning page (November 2025). Ratings and boundaries come from independent third parties and the district, not from me.

Holladay has no college campus. The University of Utah is north of the city, and its hospital is about 18 minutes from City Hall. Westminster University is in Sugar House, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake Community College has campuses across the valley.

Rush hour changes every drive. Check the route at your class hours before you plan around a schedule.

The average trip to work is about 20 minutes. I-215 runs along the west and south sides. Its exits at 3900 South, 4500 South and 6200 South serve the city. The 4500 South ramps work for southbound traffic only. Highland Drive runs north and south. Holladay Boulevard runs through the Village, and 2300 East runs north and south through the middle. Murray-Holladay Road goes west to Murray. Wasatch Boulevard runs along the east edge, at the foot of the mountains.

Powder mornings and the canyon roads

On a powder morning, cars back up along Wasatch Boulevard and 6200 South, on the city’s east and south edge. Both canyon roads start a few miles south of the city, and UDOT says both are dead-end roads in winter.

The traction law is on when the beacons outside a canyon flash. Every vehicle needs at least 5/32 inch of tread. Most cars also need snow-rated tires on all wheels, or chains. UDOT can now start the rule up to 24 hours before a storm.

UDOT picked a plan for Little Cottonwood Canyon on July 12, 2023: a gondola, with bus service first. Phase 1 is more buses, a parking hub at the gravel pit near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, and tolls. UDOT calls it funded and aims to have it running in fall 2028. Nothing changes for winter 2026-27. The gondola comes last. It is not fully funded, and lawsuits are pending. In May 2026 the Utah Transportation Commission voted to buy a parcel at the Little Cottonwood mouth, in Cottonwood Heights, for a possible gondola base. UDOT closed the purchase in early June for nearly $8 million.

I take no side here. Are you looking near Wasatch Boulevard? Read UDOT’s current page before you write an offer. The ski topic has the drive times.

From City Hall

• Holladay Hills~4 min
• St. Mark's Hospital~7 min
• Knudsen Park~7 min
• Mount Olympus trailhead~7 min
• Murray North TRAX station~9 min
• Big Cottonwood Canyon~10 min

For winter road tips, read the canyon winter access guide and the guide to living near the canyon mouths. UDOT’s own pages are the Little Cottonwood plan and live road status.

Road details come from UDOT, the Utah Transportation Commission, and the Census. Plan details change often. Drive times are for normal traffic.

Holladay has no TRAX stop. TRAX is the light rail. The nearest station by road is Murray North, about 9 minutes from City Hall. Murray Central, about 10 minutes away, has both TRAX and FrontRunner, the commuter train.

Five UTA bus routes stop inside the city. Route 39 runs on 3900 South and route 45 on 4500 South, past City Hall. Route 220 runs on Highland Drive, and route 223 on 2300 East and Holladay Boulevard. Route 213 stops on the west edge near 1300 East. Routes 213 and 223 do not run on Sundays. Routes change, so check rideuta.com before you ride.

The ski bus fare is $5 one way, or $2 for reduced fares. It is included with resort season passes. UTA posts the 2026-27 stops and times in early November.

Park and ride lots sit at 6200 South and Wasatch Boulevard, about 8 minutes from City Hall. Others sit at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, about 10 minutes away, and at the Little Cottonwood mouth, about 14 minutes away.

UDOT aims to run its own canyon buses from fall 2028. The traffic topic tells that plan.

Details come from UTA’s fall 2026 schedule, which runs to December 5, and its ski service pages (October 2026). Routes and times change.

Holladay has no airport. Salt Lake City International (SLC) is the main airport. It is about 19 miles from City Hall, about 28 minutes by car.

• Salt Lake City (SLC)~19 mi · ~28 min

This is the drive to the airport, not to the terminal door. The trip changes most with rush hour and winter weather, so leave extra time.

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

Holladay sits on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley, under Mount Olympus. I-215 takes you around the valley, and I-15 runs north and south to the west. The neighboring cities are close by.

Millcreek

~3 mi · ~7 min

Murray

~4 mi · ~9 min

Cottonwood Heights

~5 mi · ~10 min

South Salt Lake

~7 mi · ~11 min

Midvale

~9 mi · ~14 min

Salt Lake City

~9 mi · ~17 min

Sandy

~12 mi · ~18 min

Park City

~27 mi · ~35 min

Here are more drives people ask about, all from the permanent City Hall at 4580 South 2300 East.

These are map estimates in normal conditions, not official figures. Add time for snow and rush hour, and check your own route. Resort times are for a dry road.

Going somewhere else? Look up any Utah drive between 138 towns.

Holladay is a contract city, so very little of this runs through City Hall. The water bill depends on your address. City Hall is closed for an earthquake retrofit. City offices are in Millcreek’s former City Hall at 3330 South 1300 East, and the phone is 801-272-9450. The city expects the work to finish in September 2027.

Confirm each provider for the exact address. Police: the Unified Police Department, Holladay Precinct, 4570 South 2300 East; non-emergency line 801-840-4000. Fire: Unified Fire Authority Station 104, 2210 East Murray Holladay Road. The city pays for both from its own budget, so no county police or fire levy shows on a Holladay tax area.

Water

Salt Lake City Public Utilities serves most of the city. Customers outside Salt Lake City pay rates 35% above the in-city rates. New rates took effect July 1, 2026.

Holliday Water Company is a shareholder company. It serves a middle block around its office at 1887 East 4500 South, from local springs and wells. Each home must have at least one company share to get a meter and water. The share stays with the home when it sells. Make sure the title company transfers it. A lot split needs another share, and the company says one share costs $10,000. The base charge is $30 a month for a standard meter, billed every three months. If the home has a company irrigation ditch on the lot, the owner keeps up that ditch.

Each of these amounts is billed by its own outfit. Do not add them into one total, because water depends on how much you use.

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.

Holladay has cable and several fiber companies, but the list changes by area. The state broadband map shows who reports service. I list who reports service, not speeds or prices.

Source: the Utah Broadband Center provider data (edited October 1, 2026), 114 spots across the city. Fixed wireless and satellite also show everywhere.

That is what each company reports, not a promise for a given house. Service can change from one street to the next. About 95 in 100 homes in the city have a broadband plan (Census, 2020 to 2024). 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 Holladay, in a sensible order.

1. Turn on the utilitiesFind the water company for your address. On a Holliday Water address, check that the share moved with the home. Then call the sewer district and the waste district. Set up Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah. Do this a week before you move in.
2. Get your Utah driver licenseThe Fairpark office is at 1095 Motor Avenue in Salt Lake City. The West Valley-Taylorsville office is at 4315 South 2700 West. 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. Pass the emissions test first.
4. Get an emissions testSalt Lake County requires one. See the box below.
5. Register to voteDo it online at vote.utah.gov, or through the county clerk.
6. Find your 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.
8. Test for radonRadon is a gas that seeps up from the ground. The home checks topic has the numbers by ZIP code.
9. Do city business in MillcreekUntil about September 2027, city offices are at 3330 South 1300 East in Millcreek.

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. A passing test counts for 60 days, and you test no more than two months before your registration is due.

The test covers most cars and light trucks. The county has proposed changes to its emissions rule, and they are not final, so check the county page before you test. The county offices are in Salt Lake City.

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

Holladay has three grocery stores inside the city line. They sit in the Village, at Holladay Hills, and on 6200 South.

What the city does not have

There is no Smith’s, Whole Foods, Target, Costco, or Walmart inside the city. Whole Foods and a second Trader Joe’s are just south in Cottonwood Heights.

The Sprouts that calls itself Holladay, at 1785 East Murray-Holladay Road, is just over the line in Millcreek. The mailing city on a store’s sign does not tell you the city it sits in.

For named places to eat, see the restaurants topic.

Store lists change. These were checked against store pages and city maps in October 2026.

Holladay sits against the national forest, with Mount Olympus overhead. The trail up the peak starts at the city's east edge. Millcreek Canyon is one canyon north, and the two Cottonwood canyons start just south of the city. Parks run through the lanes in between.

From City Hall

• Holladay Hills~4 min
• St. Mark's Hospital~7 min
• Knudsen Park~7 min
• Mount Olympus trailhead~7 min
• Murray North TRAX station~9 min
• Big Cottonwood Canyon~10 min

Mount Olympus

Mount Olympus Trail 455 starts at 5800 South and Wasatch Boulevard, at the city's east edge. It is about 7 minutes from City Hall. The Forest Service lists it at 3.32 miles one way, with 4,158 feet of climbing. It leads to the summit, about 9,000 feet up, and to the Tolcats Canyon waterfall. Leashed pets are allowed. The trail enters a wilderness area, so special rules apply there. It is a steep day hike, not a stroll.

Neffs Canyon

The Neffs Canyon Trail starts above Olympus Cove in Millcreek, about 9 minutes from City Hall. It runs about 4.44 miles and climbs about 1,821 feet to Mount Aire. Leashed dogs are allowed. The Forest Service warns that it is not uncommon to see snakes on this trail. A deep cave lies under the canyon. It is gated and closed to the public.

Millcreek Canyon

Millcreek Canyon is the dog canyon. On odd-numbered days, dogs may run off leash on the trails. On even-numbered days they must be on a leash. They are always leashed at trailheads. Dogs must stay out of the watershed areas, which are the lands that feed a drinking water supply.

The Forest Service charges $5 a car, paid on the way out. The senior price is $3, and a yearly pass is $50. Forest Service and interagency passes are not valid here, and the tollbooth takes no cash. Bikes are allowed on some trails on even days only. The upper gate closes to cars on November 1.

Big and Little Cottonwood canyons

Neither Cottonwood canyon starts in Holladay. Both mouths are in Cottonwood Heights, about 10 and 14 minutes from City Hall. Both are watersheds, and the Forest Service says no pets are allowed, even in a vehicle. Some trailheads now charge a Forest Service day use fee. Check its site before you go.

City parks and county parks

• City parkHolladay City Park4580 S 2300 E, beside City HallA 6.5 acre park in the old civic and business district. It has a playground, a walking path, a gazebo stage, a pavilion, the historic Casto Home, sports fields, two pickleball courts and a lighted skatepark. The city has paused gazebo and pavilion rentals during the City Hall work.
• City parkKnudsen Park6290 S Holladay Blvd, Knudsen's CornerA 7.5 acre park at the south edge of the city. It has a playground, a water play area, a hammock garden and a bike repair station. The pavilion and the outdoor classroom rent for a $75 flat fee from May 1 to October 31.
• County parkBig Cottonwood Regional ParkAround Holladay and MillcreekA Salt Lake County park in three separate areas. The ball fields and the softball complex are on the Millcreek side.
• County centerHolladay Lions Recreation Center1661 E Murray-Holladay RdSalt Lake County runs this rec center, with an indoor pool and fitness classes. It sits just over the line in Millcreek.

The restrooms at both city parks are open from March 1 to October 31.

Sources: the Forest Service, Salt Lake County and the City of Holladay. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall at 4580 South 2300 East. Fees, rules and rentals change, so check before you go.

No national park is near Holladay. Capitol Reef National Park, in south central Utah, is the one with a measured drive from here. The big red rock parks lie to the south and east, so plan each as a long day or an overnight trip.

Capitol Reef is about 221 miles from City Hall. For Zion, Arches or any other park, use the drive tool to time the trip to the entrance you plan to use. The two Cottonwood canyons, in the topics above and below, 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.

Four ski resorts sit up the two Cottonwood canyons. Snowbird is about 27 minutes from City Hall and Alta about 29. Solitude is about 30 minutes and Brighton about 34. Holladay is a few minutes farther from Snowbird and Alta than Cottonwood Heights is. It is closer to downtown and the airport.

Two canyons, four resorts

The mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon is about 10 minutes from City Hall. The mouth of Little Cottonwood is about 14. It is about 15 to 16 miles from City Hall to Snowbird and Alta. The resorts usually open in late November, and each posts its own dates. All times are for normal roads, and a powder morning can stretch them.

In summer the same roads lead to trailheads, climbing and fall color. The cost of the address is the powder morning. Traffic backs up on Wasatch Boulevard and 6200 South along the city's east and south edge. The traffic topic covers the canyon rules, closures and the state's plan for the roads. The transit topic covers the ski bus. The Cottonwood Heights page tells more about living at the canyon mouths.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall. Resort acreage is a rounded figure from each resort. Check road conditions before you go.

Old Mill Golf Course is inside Holladay, at 6080 South Wasatch Boulevard. Salt Lake County runs it. It has 18 holes and plays to par 71, about 6,576 yards from the back tees. It has leagues and a practice range, and you book tee times through the county. The name comes from the 1883 paper mill in Cottonwood Heights, which sits nearby but not beside the course.

Cottonwood Country Club is a private club at 1780 East Lakewood Drive, also in Holladay. It is for members only. Murray Parkway is a Murray City course with 18 holes, par 72, opened in 1986. Mick Riley is a county course in Murray, with a 9 hole executive course and a 9 hole par 3 course.

Course details come from Salt Lake County, each club's own site and the Murray City site. League schedules change each year, so call before you plan a round.

Restaurants sit in three clusters. The Village, where Holladay Boulevard meets Murray-Holladay Road, holds the most. Highland Drive at Murray-Holladay Road is the second, with Holladay Hills on one side of the road and a strip of restaurants on the other. The third is along 6200 South, at Highland Drive and near 3000 East.

Six places with a record you can check

• Italian market and deliCaputo's Market and Deli4670 S Holladay BlvdAn Italian market with a deli counter. Its calendar lists tasting classes.
• MexicanTaqueria 27Holladay Village PlazaThe food is made from scratch. It is part of a small group of stores around the valley.
• Sushi and small platesMint Tapas and Sushi4640 S Holladay Village PlazaThe company began in Holladay as a small restaurant called Rice Basil.
• BurgersTonyburgersHolladay Village PlazaA burger place that is part of a small group of stores.
• Seafood and steaksKimi's Chop & Oyster House4699 S Highland DrDinner is by reservation. A summer Sunday brunch runs from mid May to mid October.
• Neapolitan pizzaPizzeria Tasso4734 Holladay BlvdIt serves dinner only, on a few evenings a week.

Holladay Hills has Magnolia Bakery, its first Utah store, and Bobby's Burgers. Real Taqueria is a family Mexican place on Murray-Holladay Road. Restaurants on a block this size change often, so treat the names as a snapshot. For groceries and stores, see the shopping topic.

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

Holladay's own entertainment centers on the Village. The bigger truth is the ring of places around it. Downtown Salt Lake City is about 17 minutes north, and the canyons are close in every season. The city has no movie theater.

Holladay Village

The Village is the walkable crossroads where Holladay Boulevard meets Murray-Holladay Road, from about 4580 to 4700 South. It is the old center of the 1847 settlement. City Hall, City Hall Park, the Village Plaza and the Harmons grocery store share these blocks. So do the restaurants in the restaurants topic. Small shops fill in the rest, such as a bike shop, a frame shop and gallery, and gift and clothing shops.

City Hall is closed for its earthquake retrofit, and city offices work from Millcreek until the city expects the work to finish in September 2027. The park beside it stays open. The SOHO Food Truck Park sits just south of the plaza. The Holladay Arts and Culture group publishes a list of 33 historic sites for a walking tour in 2026.

A second center is taking shape on Highland Drive, at Holladay Hills. The new construction topic tells that story.

Close by

• Next doorMillcreek Common1354 E Chambers Ave, MillcreekAbout 7 minutes from City Hall. It has roller skating, a climbing wall, a splash pad and a public market with a farmers market page.
• CanyonsMillcreek, Big and Little CottonwoodMinutes awayThe outdoor recreation topic has the trails and the rules.
• Big stagesDowntown Salt Lake CityAbout 17 minutes northLarger theaters, sports and museums are downtown. The Salt Lake City page tells more.

Sources: the City of Holladay, Holladay Arts and Culture, and each place's own site. Hours and schedules change, so check before you go.

Holladay Arts and Culture is made up of the Holladay Arts Council and the Holladay Historical Commission. The city created both by ordinance. The Arts Council was formed in 2004. Its volunteers work with a city arts and culture manager. The group says its events drew over 26,000 attendees in 2025.

The Holladay Summer Musical plays outdoors at City Hall Park, and the city produces it. In 2025 it was Newsies, and in 2026 it was Fiddler on the Roof in late June. Auditions are open. Plein Air Holladay brings painters out for two weeks in late September. In 2026 a Fine Art Show filled City Hall in February, before the retrofit began. Art After Hours paired concerts with the exhibits in March. Page to Stage is a children's theater camp that runs in July.

The Historical Commission runs a speaker series, usually on the second Monday of every other month. During the retrofit some talks moved to the Kiln Auditorium at Holladay Hills. Bigger stages are downtown.

Details come from the Holladay Arts and Culture site. Programs change each year, so check it for current dates.

The city and its arts group host events most months, and many are free. The Blue Moon Festival in September is the big one. Dates move each year, so the months below are the usual ones.

Blue Moon Festival

The Blue Moon Festival fills Holladay Village Plaza for one evening in mid to late September. In 2026 it ran Saturday, September 19, from 5 to 9 p.m. It stretches from the plaza south to the SOHO Food Truck Park. It is free. There are buskers, art and craft booths and food trucks. The organizers expected about 4,000 people. UTA routes 45 and 223 serve the Village.

Summer concerts

Free concerts play on Saturday evenings in July and August at City Hall Park. In 2026 there were eight, from July 4 to August 22. Bring blankets or lawn chairs, but not pop-up tents.

The year in Holladay

• JanuarySki season up both canyons. The Historical Commission speaker series usually meets on a second Monday.
• FebruaryA juried Fine Art Show filled City Hall in February 2026. Ski season continues.
• MarchTiny Art Show and Art After Hours concerts in 2026. Ski season continues.
• AprilSki season winds down. City Hall closed for its retrofit in April 2026.
• MayPreservation Month. Knudsen Park rentals open May 1.
• JuneThe Summer Musical at City Hall Park, in late June. Trails open as the snow melts.
• JulyFree Saturday concerts start, usually with a Fourth of July show. Page to Stage children's theater camp.
• AugustSaturday concerts continue into late August.
• SeptemberPlein Air Holladay and the Blue Moon Festival.
• OctoberThe Plein Air exhibit, then HOLLA-Ween at City Hall Park, usually in late October. Fall color in the canyons.
• NovemberMillcreek Canyon's upper gate closes to cars on the first. The resorts usually open late in the month. Speaker series talks continue.
• DecemberThe tree lighting and Merry Holladay Market in the Village, around the start of the month. Ski season begins.

These are the usual months, taken from the 2026 calendars of the city and Holladay Arts and Culture. Dates move each year, so check the calendar before you plan a trip.

Holladay sits on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley. Millcreek lies to the north, Murray to the west and Cottonwood Heights to the south. The national forest runs along the east edge. Times below are from City Hall. The county offices are in Salt Lake City.

Day trips

The four ski resorts are 27 to 34 minutes up the two canyons. Millcreek Canyon is one canyon north. Antelope Island, in the Great Salt Lake, is about an hour away. The outdoor recreation, national parks and ski topics cover each trip.

Weighing the wider valley before you commit? Start with the Relocating to Utah guide.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall at 4580 South 2300 East, in normal traffic. Town to town times come from this site's drive table. They are close, not exact.