Moving to Provo, Utah

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

Provo sits on the east side of Utah Valley. Utah Lake is to the west, and Y Mountain rises to the east. About 114,530 people live here, by the 2025 Census estimate. That makes it the fourth-largest city in Utah, after Salt Lake City, West Valley City and West Jordan. It covers about 42 square miles of land. The county offices and courts are here too.

The name and the early years

About 150 settlers from the Salt Lake Valley arrived in the spring of 1849. They built a fort called Fort Utah, south of the Provo River. A second fort went up in 1850 where North Park is today. The territorial legislature chartered Provo as a city on February 6, 1851.

The city is named for Etienne Provost, a fur trapper who did business near Utah Lake in the 1820s. Early on, Provo was known as the “Garden City” for its orchards and gardens. Brigham Young Academy opened in 1875 and grew into Brigham Young University, a private university. The Utah State Hospital has been in Provo since the mid-1880s.

Mills and steel

Woolen mills and farming came first. Water and two rail lines later drew steel. The Ironton mill, just north of Springville, was finished in the early 1920s. The much larger Geneva Steel plant stood on the lakeshore in what is now Vineyard. Neither mill was inside Provo.

A city a little smaller than it was

1. 2020The Census counted 115,162 people.
2. 2025The Census estimate is 114,527 people, a little fewer than in 2020.
3. MetroThe Provo-Orem-Lehi metro had about 773,400 people in 2025, up about 14,400 in a year.

Provo lost a few hundred residents in 2025 while the metro around it grew. There is little open valley land left. New homes come mostly as apartments built on small gaps in older areas. The new construction topic has the numbers.

Provo adopted a new general plan in 2023 and keeps adding to it. In 2025 the city added plans for four areas around transit stops, including the FrontRunner station.

The lay of the land

City Hall is at about 4,540 feet. The west side, by Utah Lake and Provo Bay, runs about 4,490 to 4,520 feet. Downtown sits at about 4,520 to 4,570. North of downtown, streets climb from about 4,570 to 4,700 feet. The east-side streets under the mountain run from about 4,750 to 5,200 feet. The trailheads at the east edge sit near 5,100 feet.

The city line also climbs the mountain face behind town, past 10,000 feet. That land is mostly open mountain, not homes. The neighborhoods topic walks through each side of town.

Orem is about 11 minutes north, and Springville is about 12 minutes south. Salt Lake City is about 46 minutes north.

Want the street level view? Provo on The Local has guides to the city. 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 (2020 count, 2025 estimates), USGS elevations, the Provo City Library timeline, the Utah History Encyclopedia and Provo City planning records.

Provo has four true seasons. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are cold and snowy. Spring is cool and changeable, and fall is warm early and crisp late. The weather numbers come from the Provo BYU station. It sits on the BYU campus, about a mile northeast of City Hall and about 27 feet higher.

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 95°F down to about 62°F.

• JanuaryHigh 41°F, low 24°F
• FebruaryHigh 48°F, low 28°F
• MarchHigh 58°F, low 35°F
• AprilHigh 66°F, low 40°F
• MayHigh 76°F, low 47°F
• JuneHigh 87°F, low 55°F
• JulyHigh 95°F, low 62°F
• AugustHigh 93°F, low 61°F
• SeptemberHigh 83°F, low 52°F
• OctoberHigh 69°F, low 41°F
• NovemberHigh 53°F, low 32°F
• DecemberHigh 41°F, low 24°F

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

About 17 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a year. May is the wettest month, with about 2 inches, and January comes next. July is the driest, with about half an inch.

Frost dates matter if you garden. The last spring freeze is usually around April 18, and the first fall freeze around October 21. That leaves about 185 days between them.

Nights are cold in winter. About 111 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. About 13 days a year stay below freezing all day.

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

Provo gets about 45 inches of snow in a normal year at the weather station. That is a little more than Orem and well above Lehi. Spanish Fork gets more. Most of it falls from November through March.

January is the snowiest month, with about 12.5 inches. December follows with about 11. February brings about 9, and November, March and April bring 3 to 5 each. October and May average less than an inch. No snow falls from June through September.

About 16 days a year bring an inch or more of new snow. About 13 days stay below freezing all day, so what falls can stick around. Winters here are real winters.

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

Summers are hot and dry, but the nights cool off. A normal July afternoon reaches about 95°F. A normal July night drops to about 62°F.

About 74 days a year reach 90°F or hotter. July has about 27 of them, August about 24, and June about 14. Days at 100°F or hotter come about 9 times a year. June is milder, with highs near 87°F. August is close to July, near 93°F.

Provo runs a few degrees hotter in July than Orem and Lehi, by the nearest weather stations.

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

No weather station keeps wind records at the mouth of Provo Canyon. That is where the Provo River leaves the mountains, on the northeast edge of town. No other source gives a wind figure for Provo, so this topic gives none. I would rather say so than guess.

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

Yes, Provo 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. The county runs a car emissions program to help cut it.

Summer brings a different problem. Ozone is a gas that forms on hot, sunny days, and it brings some poor air days in summer.

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 Provo. The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest typical home value, from the U.S. Census. That number is the middle of what owners say their homes are worth. It is not a sale price, so judge any home against recent sales nearby.

The city runs its own power, water, sewer and garbage service. The utilities topic explains how to sign up. Ask the city for current utility rates.

Want a side-by-side with a nearby town? Orem is next door to the north, and Springville is next door to the south. Vineyard is close too. Ask me and I will run the numbers for the towns you are weighing.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2020 to 2024), the Utah State Tax Commission, and Provo City. 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.

What is on a Provo tax bill

A levy is the tax rate that one group sets. The main Provo tax area adds up six levies for 2025. They come from Provo City School District, Provo City, Utah County, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and two small county assessing levies.

Added up, the levies come to about 1.0% of a home's taxable value. Taxable value is the part of the value that gets taxed. For a primary home, that part is 55%. So the bill works out to about 0.55% of market value, a little above the county average of 0.49%.

The school district's levy is the biggest line. Provo's city levy is among the higher city levies in the county. Orem's is 0.000755 and Springville's is 0.001079. Vineyard's, at 0.003796, is the highest. A few addresses sit in other tax areas, so the rate varies a little by address. Look up the tax area for any parcel before you budget.

The city's power company helps pay for city services. The city says Provo Power makes "an annual transfer of 12.5% (over $9 million)" to the General Fund. That money "helps provide city services that would otherwise be collected by taxes." The utilities topic tells more about the power company.

The 2026 hearings

A taxing group that wants more money than its certified rate would bring in must hold a public hearing. Utah calls it a Truth in Taxation hearing. Provo City held none in 2026.

Provo City School District held one on August 5, 2026. Ask the district what rate it adopted after the hearing. Provo's schools are not part of the 2027 Alpine School District split. The schools topic has the facts.

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. Check your tax notice for the primary home line to see that the break is applied.

Sources: the Utah State Tax Commission (2025 levies, the 2026 sales tax table and the 2026 Truth in Taxation list), Provo City (its Power page and 2025 financial report), the Daily Herald (June 17, 2026), and S.B. 60 (2026). Questions about your own bill go to Utah County.

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 Provo, 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.

The Census counts about 35,900 homes in the city. About 38% are detached houses. About 10% are townhomes or other attached homes, and 14% sit in buildings of two to four units. Another 36% are in buildings of five or more units. About 2% are mobile homes. The median home has 5.1 rooms.

Provo has more rentals than owned homes. About 61% of households rent, and 39% own. In Utah County as a whole, 68% are owner-occupied. In Orem next door, it is 58%.

How old the homes are

The median home was built in 1983. Half of all homes date from 1970 to 1999, and the 1990s were the biggest decade. About 7% were built before 1940, and the oldest ones are in the central neighborhoods. About 10% were built since 2010.

Provo has little open land left, so most homes for sale already exist. Older homes mean older roofs, furnaces, wiring and sewer lines. The home checks topic lists what to ask, and the new construction topic shows what is being built.

Lot sizes and zones

A zone is the city's rule for what a lot can be used for. The table lists the main residential zones, with each one's share of the city's residential land. The shares are rounded.

The city describes the RC zone as "a zone to encourage conservation of existing housing by limiting the use of a given lot or parcel to the legal use existing." The CR zone, Campus Residential, is meant for more homes on less land, mixed with shops, near BYU. The HDR zone is for downtown, the area near BYU and a few other chosen areas.

Ask the city what legal use a house has, and how many unrelated people its zone allows, before you buy near campus to rent. The older streets near campus are where this matters most. Read the zone on the parcel, not the listing.

Ask me how fast homes like the one you want are selling right now. A number from last season can mislead.

Shop by price

Shop by kind of home

Sources: U.S. Census ACS 2020 to 2024 and the City of Provo zoning map. Zone shares come from the map's polygons, so they are rounded. Prices shift through the year, so ask me for the latest Provo numbers.

Provo's own Neighborhood Program sorts the city into 35 neighborhoods in five districts. This list follows those districts, roughly from the north end to the south end. The overview explains the lay of the land: Utah Lake on the west, Y Mountain on the east, and Provo Canyon to the northeast.

• North districtFrom the Orem line down to BYUAbout 4,675 to 5,200 feetEight neighborhoods: North Timpview, Riverbottoms, Sherwood Hills, Indian Hills, Edgemont, Riverside, Rock Canyon and Pleasant View. Riverbottoms and Riverside lie along the Provo River on the district's west side. Riverside sits at about 4,675 feet. Sherwood Hills, Indian Hills, North Timpview and Rock Canyon sit against the mountain, up to about 5,200. Edgemont is about 4,700 to 4,900. BYU's stadium is in Pleasant View.
• Northwest districtWest of University Avenue, out to the riverAbout 4,570 to 4,660 feetSix neighborhoods: Carterville, Brickyard, Grandview North and South, Rivergrove and North Park. They lie north of about 500 North. Utah Valley Hospital sits in North Park.
• Central districtFrom BYU's south edge through downtown to the south endAbout 4,500 to 4,670 feetNine neighborhoods: University, Joaquin, Timp, Dixon, Downtown, Franklin, Maeser, Franklin South and East Bay. University and Joaquin are at BYU's south edge. Dixon, Franklin and Timp lie west of downtown. Provo Towne Centre sits in Franklin South and East Bay. The oldest homes in the city are in this district.
• East districtThe east side south of BYU, against the mountainAbout 4,520 to 5,120 feetSix neighborhoods: Oak Hills, Wasatch, Foothills, Provost, Provost South and Spring Creek. The Y Mountain trailhead is near Oak Hills, and the Slate Canyon trailhead is by Provost. Spring Creek runs down to the south end by I-15. The Wasatch fault and an old landslide are on this side, as the home checks topic explains.
• West districtWest of about 1100 West, to Utah LakeAbout 4,490 to 4,520 feetSix neighborhoods: Lakeview North and South, Fort Utah, Provo Bay, Sunset and Lakewood. This is the lowest ground in Provo. The Provo Airport and Utah Lake State Park are here, and the lake's flood zone reaches part of it.

Here is how the sides of the city differ. The east side buys closeness to the mountain and the trails. It also brings slope, and fault and drainage questions that you settle lot by lot. The middle of town is close to downtown and BYU. The west side is the lowest ground, so flood and soil maps matter most there.

Listing sites blur Provo, Orem and Vineyard near the edges. The zone, the height above the lake and the flood lines change block by block. That is why the partner agent walks the street with you.

Some plats have recorded rules called CC&Rs. If a home has them, ask for the recorded CC&Rs and read them before your deadline. Which school a home goes to depends on its exact address. Check with the district, and see the schools topic.

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 Provo guides on The Local cover downtown, the Y trail, Rock Canyon and more.

Areas come from Provo City's Neighborhood Program map and its zoning layer. Elevations come from the U.S. Geological Survey and are rounded. Which school a home goes to depends on its exact address, so check with the school district.

Most new homes in Provo are apartments and townhomes on land left inside the city, near transit and BYU. The city has little open land left. The Census counts the homes that cities permit. A permit is the city's approval to start building. Provo permitted about 2,400 new homes from 2020 to 2025, and about two thirds were in apartment or small multi-unit buildings.

Provo Towne Centre

The mall's owner has asked the city to rebuild part of the site with apartments, townhomes and shops. As of October 2026 the city council had not decided. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the plan and zone changes. The council put the items off in April 2026, then discussed the project at a work meeting on October 6, 2026.

A request is not a home for sale. If you are weighing a home near the mall, ask what the rezoning could put next door. The shopping topic covers the mall as it stands today.

Station area plans

In 2025 the city adopted plans for four station areas: FrontRunner and 400 South, University Avenue, Joaquin and 2230 North. These plans point future apartments toward the transit stops. They are one more reason to read the zone next door.

Where the big new-home building is

Most of the large new-home communities nearby are in other cities, such as Vineyard, Lehi, Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain. They are not in Provo. A site that shows dozens of new communities "in Provo" may be using a wide search radius. Check that the address is inside Provo.

Before you plan around a project, line up these checks.

1. Provo or a neighbor. Confirm the address is inside Provo city limits.
2. For sale or for rent. Townhome and apartment projects can be either.
3. Detached or attached. A house, a townhome and a condo each work differently.
4. The land next door. Read the zone next door on the city map.
5. Phase and builder. Ask which phase is open, who builds it, and what else they have built.
6. The school. Ask the school district which schools serve the address.

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

Sources: the U.S. Census Bureau's building permits survey for Provo (2020 to 2025) and Provo City council and Planning Commission records (2026). A project in the records is not a home for sale. Plans change, so ask me for the latest status.

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

The house itself

Half of Provo's homes date from 1970 to 1999, and the oldest were built before 1940. On an older home, check the age of the roof, the furnace, the wiring and the sewer line. Owners take care of their own sewer line from the house to the city main. A home inspector can tell you the condition of each one.

The zone, and the zone next door

Read the zone on the parcel, then read the zone next door. Near campus, the zone and its legal use decide whether you can rent the house. The station areas and the Towne Centre request may add apartments near some streets. The housing market topic explains the zones.

Drainage

On a west-side lot, ask whether the ground drains toward Utah Lake or the bay. At the mouth of a canyon, check how water leaves the lot. A home inspector and the city can tell you more about a given street.

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, Utah County, FEMA, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and Provo City. Have a licensed inspector look at any home before you buy.

Sort out the financing before you start the search. 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.

Homes here are not all alike. An older house near campus, a home with a documented renovation and a newer west-side townhome can each follow a different loan and appraisal path. The zone and the way you plan to use the home matter too. Find out early how a specific property will finance.

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.

One loan type does not apply here. USDA loans are for rural homes, and the USDA map shows every Provo point tested 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 Provo, 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.

Provo has jobs of its own, and Orem, Lehi and Salt Lake City are within driving range. The average trip to work is about 18 minutes (Census, 2020 to 2024). The county average is 22.6 minutes. About 44 workers in 100 get to work in under 15 minutes, and about 8 in 100 spend 45 minutes or more.

How people get to work

A little over half of workers, about 56 in 100, drive alone. About 10 in 100 carpool and about 10 in 100 walk. About 16 in 100 work from home, and about 5 in 100 ride transit. These numbers count people who live in Provo, wherever the job is.

Employers in town

Each year the city lists its principal employers in its financial report. It gives a range of employees at Provo sites, not an exact count. Here is the list for June 30, 2025, in the city’s order.

Qualtrics was in the 250 to 499 range ten years earlier, and it now sits in the 1,000 to 1,999 range.

Tech jobs and Silicon Slopes

The city says Provo is part of Utah’s “Silicon Slopes,” with tech startups and older companies. Vivint and Qualtrics are both on the city’s employer list. NRG Energy finished buying Vivint on March 10, 2023. Lehi’s Adobe campus is about 22 minutes away, so Utah’s wider tech cluster is in reach too.

Jobs shift over time. The city’s own report says unemployment in the Provo-Orem area rose from 2.76% to 3.81% in the year to June 2025. If your move depends on one employer, verify its Provo headcount before you rely on it.

Jobs in the next towns

Utah County as a whole had about 302,200 jobs in March 2026 (BLS). Remote work depends on the address, because internet service changes from street to street. The internet topic shows how to check. My guide for remote workers in Utah covers what to ask before you move.

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024, the Provo City annual financial report for fiscal 2025 (the employer ranges are the city’s), the NRG Energy announcement of March 10, 2023, and BLS County Employment and Wages. Drive times are map estimates.

Yes. Utah Valley Hospital is inside the city, at 1034 North 500 West, about 4 minutes from City Hall. Intermountain Health runs it. The state license lists 398 beds, the most of any hospital in Utah County.

Trauma centers are ranked from Level I, the most complete, to Level V. Intermountain says Utah Valley is “the only designated Level II Trauma Center between the Salt Lake Valley and St. George.” The state trauma list makes it the highest level in Utah County.

Two more hospitals sit in Provo. The Utah State Hospital, at 1300 East Center Street, is the state psychiatric hospital. Utah Valley Specialty Hospital offers long-term acute care. Revere Health, a large local clinic group, is also on the city’s employer list.

The hospital district north of downtown

Utah Valley Hospital sits in the North Park neighborhood, with clinics and surgery centers close by. Revere Health Imaging and a dialysis center are at 1055 North 500 West. Riverwoods Surgery Center is at 320 West Riverpark Drive, and Provo Surgery Center is at 1157 North 300 West. For everyday care, confirm which clinics and plans sit closest to your address when you set up care.

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

Sources: the Utah DHHS licensed facility list, the Utah trauma center list (May 2025), and Intermountain’s own pages. Intermountain’s page says 395 beds, and the state license says 398. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall.

Provo City School District runs the public schools in Provo. It had about 13,000 students on October 1, 2025. Provo is not part of the Alpine School District split in 2027.

Elementary school runs kindergarten to grade 6. Middle school is grades 7 to 8, and high school is grades 9 to 12. That is different from the grade 7 to 9 junior highs in the Alpine district next door.

Schools inside Provo

The district has three high schools and two middle schools in the city.

There are 13 elementary schools: Amelia Earhart, Canyon Crest, Edgemont, Franklin, Lakeview, Provo Peaks, Provost, Rock Canyon, Spring Creek, Sunset View, Timpanogos, Wasatch and Westridge. The district also runs Provo eSchool, an online school for kindergarten to grade 12. Slate Mountain School, also kindergarten to grade 12, opened in 2023. Shoreline Middle replaced Dixon Middle.

Charter schools

Three charter schools are in the city. Freedom Preparatory Academy teaches pre-kindergarten to grade 12. Walden School of Liberal Arts teaches kindergarten to grade 12, and Treeside Charter School teaches kindergarten to grade 6. A charter school is public and sets its own enrollment steps, so ask each school how to apply. A few small private schools are in town too.

The school district held a Truth in Taxation hearing on August 5, 2026. The taxes topic shows where the school levy fits in a property tax bill.

Confirm the school for an address with the district before you make an offer. 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 district and to independent sites.

Counts and addresses come from the Utah State Board of Education and the district. Ratings and boundaries come from independent third parties and the district, not from me.

Yes, in a plain sense: a large private university sits inside the city. Brigham Young University (BYU) is on the east side of Provo, about 6 minutes from City Hall. Utah Valley University (UVU) is in Orem, about 10 minutes away, and a bus line links the two campuses.

Brigham Young University

BYU’s own fact page lists 37,874 daytime students for fall 2026, with 34,792 undergraduates and 3,082 graduate students. It describes a 738-acre campus and 202 undergraduate majors. In February 2025 BYU was named an R1 research university, the top research group in the Carnegie classification.

LaVell Edwards Stadium, at 1700 Canyon Road, is about 6 minutes from City Hall. The Marriott Center is on campus too, and BYU plays Big 12 sports. The city says BYU recently announced a medical school in Provo. The Missionary Training Center sits just north of the stadium, about 8 minutes from City Hall.

Campus traffic follows the BYU calendar, as the traffic topic explains.

Other schools

Two smaller schools are in Provo. Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is in the East Bay neighborhood, and Provo College, a nursing and health care school, is in Rivergrove. Each is about 6 minutes from City Hall. UVU is in Orem. The UVX bus runs between UVU and BYU, and the transit topic has the details. Mountainland Technical College has its main campus in Lehi.

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

Two I-15 exits serve Provo, and a University Avenue bridge rebuild near Provo Central slows traffic through 2027. The jobs topic has the commute numbers.

Exit 263 is University Avenue (US-189), with a ramp at 1860 South by East Bay. Exit 265 is Center Street (State Route 114), which runs west to the airport and the lake. University Parkway (Exit 269) and 800 North are on the Orem line. State Street is US-89. University Avenue also climbs Provo Canyon toward Heber City.

From City Hall

• Utah Valley Hospital~4 min
• Provo Central FrontRunner~4 min
• BYU~6 min
• Utah Lake State Park~10 min
• Bridal Veil Falls~17 min
• Sundance~22 min

The University Avenue bridge

UDOT is replacing the University Avenue bridge over the rail yard by Provo Central Station, from 920 South to 400 South. The work runs from fall 2025 to fall 2027, and UDOT says that is subject to change. The first phase leaves one lane each way. UDOT warns of at least 10 minutes of delay at peak times. Buses are rerouted too, as the transit topic explains.

Winter roads

City crews plowed and kept up about 650 lane miles of road in the 2025 fiscal year. Drive your commute at the hours you would really drive it before you buy.

Sources: UDOT’s University Avenue bridge project page, the Utah roads map layer, the Provo City annual report, and a router drive table. Drive times are map estimates in normal traffic.

Provo is the south end of the FrontRunner train line, and the UVX bus line starts here too. Provo Central Station is at 701 South Freedom Boulevard, about 4 minutes from City Hall. About 5 in 100 Provo workers ride transit, so most trips still need a car.

There is no TRAX light rail in Provo. Route 833 links the airport and Provo Central. The south end of FrontRunner stays at Provo Central for now. A train extension to Springville, Spanish Fork and Payson is planned, but it has no funding or date.

Detours near Provo Central

The bridge work changed the bus routes in October 2025. Routes 805, 821, 823, 831, 850 and UVX are rerouted. The stops on south University Avenue from 300 South to East Bay Boulevard are closed. Temporary stops are at 920 South 100 West. UTA tells FrontRunner riders headed to Orem, north Provo or BYU to transfer at Orem Central Station. All routes still serve Provo Central.

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

Sources: the UTA FrontRunner (Route 750) fall 2026 schedule, the UTA UVX (Route 830X) pages, UTA’s Provo Central detour notice, and UTA’s south extension study. Check rideuta.com before you ride.

Yes. Provo Airport (PVU) is inside the city, about 4 miles and 9 minutes from City Hall. Salt Lake City International (SLC) is the full-service airport, and it is about 52 miles and 57 minutes away.

• Provo (PVU)~4 mi · ~9 min
• Salt Lake City (SLC)~52 mi · ~57 min

The Provo Airport

The airport’s website lists three airlines: Allegiant, American and Breeze. American began Provo service in October 2024. Check which cities each airline flies to from Provo before you plan around it.

The city says nearly 900,000 passengers flew through Provo Airport in 2024. A new passenger terminal opened in 2022. The airport has five gates now and plans to grow to ten.

Salt Lake City International is the full-service airport. 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, the City of Provo news release of April 2025, and a router drive table. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall in normal traffic.

Provo sits on the east side of Utah Valley, between Utah Lake and Y Mountain. Orem is next door to the north, and Springville is next door to the south. Each is a short drive.

Orem

~5 mi · ~11 min

Springville

~6 mi · ~12 min

Vineyard

~8 mi · ~13 min

Lindon

~10 mi · ~14 min

Spanish Fork

~11 mi · ~15 min

Lehi

~20 mi · ~22 min

Heber City

~29 mi · ~34 min

Salt Lake City

~45 mi · ~46 min

Here are more drives people ask about, all from City Hall at 445 West Center Street.

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.

The national parks are long drives. The national parks topic has the times. More towns and day trips are in the nearby topic.

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

Provo runs more of its own utilities than most Utah cities. The city handles power, water, sewer and garbage. You start all four through Provo 311 Customer Service at City Hall, 445 West Center Street. Dial 311 inside the city, or call 801-852-6000. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Natural gas and internet are separate.

City power and the fiber network

The city says Provo Power is “the largest municipality owned electric utility in the state of Utah.” It began in 1940. A citizen Energy Board, the Municipal Council and the city administration oversee it. It belongs to the Utah Municipal Power Agency. The taxes topic covers its yearly transfer to the city’s General Fund.

Accounts are set up only at City Hall, not at the Provo Power building at 251 West 800 North. For an outage, call 801-852-6999. A few edges of the city get Rocky Mountain Power instead, so confirm your power company by address.

The internet story starts with the city too. In April 2013 the Municipal Council voted unanimously to sell its city-built iProvo fiber network to Google. News reports put the price at one dollar. Google agreed to upgrade the network and reach every home. Google Fiber, now called gFiber, still serves Provo. The internet topic shows who reports service today.

Water

Provo’s city water comes from “springs and deep wells drawing from the aquifer,” in the city’s words. The city delivers it to 11 reservoir tanks. The city is building a treatment plant for 30 million gallons a day. It is part of a program to store water underground and pull it back out later.

Sewer

Provo runs its own sewer plant. About 320 miles of sewer pipe feed the city’s Water Reclamation Facility, on 43 acres in East Bay. It can treat 21 million gallons a day. The first phase of the new plant finished in April 2025. Owners keep up their own sewer line from the house to the street.

Garbage and recycling

City crews pick up garbage. Recycling comes on the same day. Yard waste pickup usually runs from early March to late November. The city runs a compost yard for residents. Hazardous waste and old electronics go to the South Utah Valley Solid Waste District transfer station in Spanish Fork. The city also holds spring and fall cleanups.

Fire and the city

The Provo Fire Department serves the city. Fire Station 21, next to City Hall, opened in December 2024. Call 811 (Blue Stakes) before you dig.

Sources: the City of Provo utilities, power, water and trash pages, the city annual report for fiscal 2025, and 2013 news reports of the iProvo sale. Check your address with each provider.

Google Fiber, now called gFiber, reaches most of the built-up city. The state broadband map data from October 1, 2026 was tested at 88 spots across Provo. Wired service shows at 48 of them. The rest fall on the mountain, the lake shore, the airport and farm ground.

Across those 48 spots, Xfinity cable shows at 46 and Google Fiber at 45. UTOPIA Fiber shows at 14, Quantum Fiber at 9 and SenaWave at 8. Beehive and a few smaller companies show at a handful. At City Hall, the map shows Google Fiber, UTOPIA Fiber, Quantum Fiber and Xfinity cable.

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 Broadband Center provider data (October 1, 2026) and gFiber’s Provo page. 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 Provo, in a sensible order.

1. Turn on the utilitiesCall Provo 311 at 801-852-6000 for power, water, sewer and garbage. Then set up Enbridge Gas Utah and pick an internet company. Do this a week before you move in.
2. Get your Utah driver licenseThe driver license offices are in Orem, at 759 North 1370 West, and in Springville. 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. Its public lot is closed for construction, so park in the South Parking Terrace.
5. Declare your homeTell the Utah County Assessor whether the home is your primary home. The office is at 100 East Center Street in Provo. From January 1, 2027, an application is required when a home changes owners.
6. Test for radonRadon is a gas that seeps up from the ground. The home checks topic has the local numbers.
7. Register to voteDo it online at vote.utah.gov, or in person with ID. The county runs voter registration.
8. Sign up for schoolConfirm the school for your address with Provo City School District, then register.
9. Call before you digCall 811 (Blue Stakes) before any digging.

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 is tested every year. Even model years test in even years, and odd model years in odd years. From October 1, 2026, state law also exempts gas cars from model year 1995 and older.

Diesel rules differ, so check the county page. Testing stations set their own prices, and they must post them. The Utah County Air Quality Bureau is at 3255 North Main Street in Spanish Fork, and the phone is 801-851-7600.

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

Provo has the everyday grocers inside the city, and the warehouse and specialty stores are next door in Orem. Smith’s is about 3 minutes from City Hall, and it is open from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Grocery Outlet and a Walmart Neighborhood Market are in Provo too. Provo has no Costco, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, WinCo, Harmons or Walmart Supercenter.

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

Provo Towne Centre and Riverwoods

Provo Towne Centre is an enclosed mall by I-15 and University Avenue, about 5 minutes from City Hall. Its directory lists about 68 entries, including JCPenney, Target and a movie theater. The new construction topic tells what is planned for the site.

The Shops at Riverwoods is an open-air center at 4801 North University Avenue, where the road meets Provo Canyon. It is about 11 minutes from City Hall and is open Monday to Saturday.

What is next door

Some stores are not in Provo. This table shows the nearest ones and the drive from City Hall.

The restaurants topic has the places to eat and where food clusters.

Sources: store pages, the mall and Riverwoods sites, the farmers market’s page, OpenStreetMap, and a router drive table (October 2026). Hours change, so check before you go.

Provo has the mountains on its east side and Utah Lake on its west side. The Provo River runs between them, and a paved trail follows the river. Most of what follows is a short drive from City Hall.

Provo Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls

US-189 climbs Provo Canyon along the river. Bridal Veil Falls is about 17 minutes from City Hall. It is a state monument. Utah County is rebuilding the Bridal Veil Falls area. The trail at the base of the falls is closed for the rebuild into fall 2027, so park at Nunns Park or the upper lot. The county's plan adds a park with a pavilion, a splash area, and separate bike and walking paths.

Vivian Park is about 18 minutes away. Bridal Veil, Canyon View, Nunns and Vivian parks are booked through Utah County. The city runs Big Springs Park in the South Fork, about 27 minutes away, and Canyon Glen Park. The Big Springs trail meets the Rock Canyon trail, a distance of 5.8 miles.

Farther up, Deer Creek State Park is about 27 minutes away. The park lists boating, fishing, swimming and a zip line. The Alpine Loop (SR-92) usually opens in late spring and closes for winter by late November. The Aspen Grove trailhead for Mount Timpanogos is about 26 minutes away. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is about 27 minutes away. Cave tours need tickets, and they usually run from late May to early October. Sundance is in the skiing topic.

Rock Canyon, the Y and the east-side trails

The Rock Canyon trailhead sits at the end of North Temple Drive, at 2620 North 1450 East. It is about 10 minutes from City Hall. The city keeps the trailhead, and the Forest Service keeps the trail. The city says the trail is 6.2 miles from the trailhead to Rock Canyon Campground. It lists horses, bikes and dogs, and it notes numerous rock climbing areas along the way. A climbing guide lists many bolted and trad routes.

The Y trail is about 10 minutes away. BYU owns the trail and its parking lots, and BYU says the trail sits just outside Provo City. BYU gives the trail as 2.25 miles round trip with over 1,000 feet of gain. The lots are open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the trail stays open 24 hours. The letter was first built in 1906. It is 380 feet tall and 130 feet wide, and it is lit for Homecoming and game nights. BYU warns that snow and ice are often on the trail in winter.

The Bonneville Shoreline Trail runs 6.8 miles through Provo along the foot of the mountains. The Slate Canyon trailhead, at 660 South Slate Canyon Drive, is about 7 minutes away. The Forest Service's Kyhv Peak Road climbs from Provo Canyon and closes for winter, usually by November. The Kyhv Peak guide has the road.

The Provo River Parkway

The city says about 7.5 miles of the parkway run inside Provo. It is part of a paved trail of about 15 miles from Utah Lake up to Vivian Park. The city is widening a 0.8-mile stretch from Columbia Lane to University Parkway. It expects to finish in summer 2027.

Utah Lake and the river delta

Utah Lake State Park is at 4400 West Center Street, about 10 minutes from City Hall. The state calls it "Utah's largest freshwater lake" at roughly 148 square miles. The park charges $20 a vehicle. It is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. from April to October, and until 8 p.m. from November to March. It has marinas, and the fishing includes channel catfish, walleye and white bass. Drones are banned because of the airport.

Algae can bloom in the lake. In 2026 the state posted a Warning for the whole lake, and another at the state park's North Dike on September 30. Check the state's advisory before you swim or let a dog in.

The Provo River Delta opened to the public on October 26, 2024, at the Skipper Bay Trailhead. It was built to help the June sucker, a fish of Utah Lake. The delta is about 9 minutes away. No motor boats are ever allowed there. Three fishing platforms and two hand-launch ramps were built in summer 2026. Delta Gateway Park, at 311 Lakeshore Drive, is a city park that opened in 2025. It is about 7 minutes away.

City parks, Epic Sports Park and the rec center

The city lists about 55 parks and trailheads. They include Pioneer Park, North Park, Memorial Park, Kiwanis Park, Exchange Park, Fort Utah Park, Riverview Park and Bicentennial Park. Epic Sports Park sits by the airport on 100 acres. The first 15 fields opened in fall 2024, and more fields and pickleball courts are under construction. The city plans to turn the skate park at Fort Utah Park into an all-wheels park. The Provo Recreation Center, at 320 West 500 North, is about 3 minutes from City Hall.

Sources: Provo City, BYU, the Forest Service, Utah State Parks, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and Utah County. Drive times are map estimates from City Hall. Closures, fees and seasons change, so check each site.

No national park is close. They lie to the south, to the east or across the Nevada line, and each is a long day or an overnight trip. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is the nearest park unit, about 27 minutes away. The outdoor recreation topic covers it.

Zion has more than one entrance. Use the drive tool for the one 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 22 minutes from City Hall. It sits up Provo Canyon, and it was founded by Robert Redford. The Cottonwood canyon resorts and Park City Mountain are about an hour away. The Cottonwood resorts are reached from the Salt Lake side, and Park City through Heber City.

Winter weather can add time to any of these drives. The Utah Department of Transportation posts live road status for the Cottonwood canyons. Each resort posts its own opening dates every fall.

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

Provo has one city course. Timpanogos Golf Club is about 7 minutes from City Hall. It has an 18-hole, par 72 course, plus The Pasture, a lighted 9-hole par 3 course. The course was called East Bay Golf Course until it reopened under the old Timpanogos name on October 7, 2020. The club's roots go back to 1923.

The club posts its season passes, punch cards and tournaments on its site. Other public courses are a short drive away.

Check each course for current rates, hours and tee times.

Course details come from each course. Check each course for current prices, hours and conditions.

Food in Provo sits in four clusters. Downtown holds the most variety. The core is Center Street from 400 West to 100 East, plus University Avenue a block either side. It has Japanese, kolaches, American grill, pizza, Native American and Italian food. They also have Thai, Vietnamese, Salvadoran and Peruvian food and a French bakery. North University Avenue by BYU has chains and fast casual places. The Shops at Riverwoods, at the mouth of the canyon, holds a Brazilian grill, barbecue, sushi and a bakery. South University Avenue by the mall has more chains.

Six places with a record you can check

• JapaneseK's Japanese Kitchen322 W Center StDonburi, a Japanese rice bowl, cooked home-style. Its site posts changing hours, so check before you go. About 2 minutes from City Hall.
• KolachesThe Kolache Place434 W Center StCzech-Texan pastries and breakfast. It is one of five stores in Utah. About 2 minutes.
• American grillEdna's Market & Grille250 W Center StA grill menu for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday. About 2 minutes.
• ItalianLa Dolce Vita61 N 100 EHome-style Italian cooking, and its site says it has served Provo since 1984. About 3 minutes.
• PizzaTwo Jack's Pizza80 W Center StOne of three stores, in Provo, Springville and Spanish Fork. About 3 minutes.
• Brazilian grillRodizio GrillThe Shops at RiverwoodsA Brazilian grill next to Provo Beach. About 11 minutes.

Black Sheep Cafe serves Native American food near University Avenue. Station 22 serves Southern-style American food and brunch on Center Street. Both are about 3 minutes from City Hall. Rockwell Ice Cream is on North University Avenue, also about 3 minutes away. Groceries and stores are in the shopping topic, and the farmers market is in the events topic.

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

Provo's big weekend is the Fourth of July. The rest of the year mixes downtown, BYU games, a water and arcade complex at the canyon mouth, the parks and the canyons. The outdoor recreation topic covers the mountain, the canyon and the lake.

Downtown and Center Street

The Provo Downtown Historic District has been on the National Register of Historic Places since May 1, 1980. It covers about 25 acres along Center Street from 100 East to 300 West and part of University Avenue. The Provo City Center Temple is a landmark on Center Street, and its spire helps you find your way. The Covey Center for the Arts sits next to City Hall, and the arts topic has it.

The Rooftop Concert Series returned in 2026 after a six-year break. It held five free Friday nights from May to September. The concerts are now on the street at 100 West and Center Street, in front of the Nu Skin building. The series has not said what comes next, so check its site. Pioneer Book, a used bookstore at 450 West Center Street, is across from the Covey Center. The Provo Historic Courthouse is at 51 South University Avenue. The restaurants downtown are in the restaurants topic.

BYU games

BYU plays in the Big 12. Football is at LaVell Edwards Stadium, about 6 minutes from City Hall, and basketball is at the Marriott Center. BYU's athletics site lists the schedules.

Provo Beach and the movies

Provo Beach is at The Shops at Riverwoods, about 11 minutes from City Hall. Its site lists a FlowRider surf ride, bowling, laser tag, a ropes course and an arcade. An AMC cinema, AMC PRIME Provo 12, is in the same center. Provo Beach posts its hours by season, so check them first.

The Fourth of July weekend

America's Freedom Festival brings the biggest crowds of the year. The events topic has the details.

Details come from Provo City, the National Park Service, BYU and each venue. Hours and seasons change, so check before you go.

The Covey Center for the Arts is the city's own venue. It sits at 425 West Center Street, next to City Hall, and it has run since 2006. Its site lists a 2026-27 season with concerts, tribute shows and fall dance classes. BYU hosts concerts and events, and its calendar lists them.

Check each venue's site for the season. The Orem hub tells more about the SCERA, and the downtown Provo guide covers the street around the Covey Center.

Details come from the Covey Center, Utah Valley University and the SCERA. Shows and hours change, so check before you go.

America's Freedom Festival is the big event, and it peaks on July 4. Dates move each year, so the months below say "usually".

America's Freedom Festival

The festival runs about 30 events from May through July. Balloon Fest flies on mornings from July 2 to 4 at Fox Field, 1100 North Freedom Boulevard, and it is free. The Grand Parade starts at 9 a.m. on July 4 along University Avenue and Center Street. Stadium of Fire is at 8 p.m. on July 4 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Police rules usually let people claim curb spots on University Avenue from 3 p.m. on July 3. A Children's Parade comes in late June.

Read the festival guide before you plan the day. Roads close, and crowds are large.

Markets and concerts

The Provo Farmers Market runs Saturdays at Pioneer Park, 500 West Center Street, from June to October. A winter market moves indoors to Provo Towne Centre from late November to late March. Christkindlmarkt, a holiday market, fills the Provo Historic Courthouse for three days in December. The Rooftop Concert Series ran one free Friday night a month from May to September in 2026.

The year in Provo

• JanuaryThe winter farmers market, ski season at Sundance, the Covey Center season and BYU basketball.
• FebruaryThe winter market, ski season and the Covey Center season.
• MarchThe winter market ends in late March.
• AprilThe Covey Center season. Spring opens the east-side trails, and BYU warns that snow and ice are common on the Y trail in winter.
• MayThe festival starts. Rooftop concerts usually begin. The Alpine Loop usually opens, and Timpanogos Cave tours start late in the month.
• JuneThe summer farmers market starts at Pioneer Park. The Children's Parade comes late in the month.
• JulyBalloon Fest, the Grand Parade and Stadium of Fire, all around July 4. A Rooftop concert.
• AugustA Rooftop concert. Algae warnings are common on Utah Lake in late summer, so check the state advisory.
• SeptemberThe last Rooftop concert. BYU football season.
• OctoberThe last month of the farmers market at Pioneer Park. Covey Center fall shows. The state park's long hours end October 31, and cave tours end early in the month.
• NovemberThe Alpine Loop and the Kyhv Peak road usually close for winter. The winter market moves to Provo Towne Centre in late November.
• DecemberChristkindlmarkt at the Historic Courthouse. The winter market. Ski season.

These are the usual months, taken from the festival, market and venue calendars. Dates move each year, so check each calendar before you plan a trip.

Provo sits between Orem to the north and Springville to the south. Times are from City Hall at 445 West Center Street.

Day trips

Bridal Veil Falls is about 17 minutes away, and Sundance is about 22. Utah Lake State Park is about 10, and Timpanogos Cave is about 27. The Outdoor recreation, National parks and Ski topics above cover each trip. The Utah Valley weekends guide lists more.

Drive times are map estimates from City Hall, in normal traffic. They are close, not exact.