If you hold a grudge against taxes (who doesn't though), Layton may be the city for you. In the 1890s, Layton's citizens protested against having to pay taxes to nearby Kaysville, taking the case all the way to the Supreme Court and winning.
Layton is a city in Davis County, Utah, with a population of 67,311. It was founded by a Mormon named Christopher Layton in the 1850s. It has a large mall and a heritage museum in addition to a smattering of shops and restaurants around town, leaving locals with an array of options to keep them busy. You definitely wont feel overwhelmed with options in Layton, but it is a nice place to call home once youre ready to settle into a laid-back groove. Homes are wallet-friendly, and with the two cities nearby, you have access to an airport, nightlife, and urban adventure without being in the thick of it all.
Moving to Layton
If you're thinking about moving to Layton, you'll be in good hands. The area is as friendly as it gets and people take kindly to newcomers from all walks of life. The schools are great, so it's a wonderful place to come with kids and know that they will receive an excellent education. It's also incredibly safe - there are no neighborhoods where you would feelendangered walking around late at night - another reason why it's great for kids. The city is very walkable, so you can save money on gas and leave the car at home. And you know what else that means? Avoiding the frustrations of traffic!
The Hill Air Force Base, built just north of Layton in 1940, increased the population quite a bit, and then World War II broke out, and war workers flocked into the area by the thousands. It quickly grew from a tiny farm town to a big residential community and has continued to expand ever since. Many people still work at the Air Force Base, while many other people commute to Salt Lake City or Ogden for work, using Layton primarily as a place to rest their heads. The commute time is almost nil compared to what the rest of the country endures, so hallelujah for that.
If you're looking for things to complain about, though, you can find a few. While the weather is lovely for the most part, it does get a heck of a lot of snow in the winter. You might spend quite a few mornings digging your car out of a pile of the white stuff and shoveling your walkway. The great thing about rental apartments is that your landlord takes care of that for you! The city is highly prepared for severe storms though, so it's rare for roads to be shut down or in dangerous condition for very long. One other complaint is that, although there are tons of chain stores and restaurants of every type, there are very few independent businesses, so it can feel a bit like you're going to a highway service station for dinner when you decide to go out. This might change as the population grows, however, so don't give up on Layton yet.
Once you've decided you're going to take the plunge, call up a broker to set up appointments to see a few places. You'll want to get a feel for the different neighborhoods to decide which one you like best, Maybe you'll like the eastern edge, snuggled up against the mountains, or perhaps you prefer being right in the center of things and closer to schools. When you're ready to see your top choices, don't forget to bring all your paperwork, or else you might miss out on a great deal. Some apartments are too good to hold off on, so you want to be sure you have your credit report, proof of income, bank statements, and such all copied and ready to go. After that, it's just a matter of writing out a check, and with low rents like these you'll be able to feel good about saving a little extra every month too.
Neighborhoods
Layton has a good mix of everything, and its neighborhoods are a perfect example of that. For a medium-sized city in the middle of Utah, it does a pretty good job of staying current, and residents seem to love it. Whether people live and work in Layton or plant roots here while commuting to nearby Salt Lake City, it's an area that keeps on growing. Here are a few of the more popular neighborhoods in town.
Church Street and North Fairfield Road: This area is centered around Lindquist Cemetery and has a lot of pretty and quaint subdivisions with spacious homes occupied primarily by owners. Many of the homes are older, stately spots that were built back in the '40s when the population quickly increased due to the war. You might take one look and faint as this is one of the priciest areas to look, and youll find lots of homes with four and five bedroom here. Lots of college kids live here too, and the homeowners seem to have figured out how to keep a lid on the students' shenanigans because it remains a quiet and respectable neighborhood. $$$$
North Church Street and E 3000 Street: Theres lots of pretty parks here for your kids. Sand Ridge Park, Kays Creek Parkway, and Oak Forest Park are some of the nicest spots in town to hang out and smell the flowers. Adams Elementary is situated right in the middle of the neighborhood, so you can walk your kids to school in the morning, and rest assured knowing they will be getting a great education its one of the best schools in the city. Off to the east of this neighborhood is the mountainous terrain leading up to Thurston Peak, so youll have superb views of the rugged mountains. $$$
Laytona: This is a more urban part of town with quite a few apartment complexes and high-rise apartments to be found, with a fair mix of owners and renters alike. Theres a 5.8 percent vacancy rate, so this is a good place to start looking for apartments to rent if youre new to town. Lots of military folks live here, so expect to see people in uniform heading to the Air Force Base and back. Rents are quite a bit lower where the units are smaller, so its a nice place to look if you dont need a whole lot of space. It runs right along Veterans Memorial Highway, so youre looking at an easy commute if youre planning on driving to a nearby city. $$
North Main Street and Church Street: Small houses and mobile homes are what youll find here in one of the most affordable areas in Layton; in fact, rents are dirt cheap. You might have to deal with the noise of I-15, which runs right through this neighborhood, but some think its worth it to be near Crestview Elementary, Central Davis Jr. High School, and the Davis County Central Library. Theres also the Gaber Brothers Main Street Grill and a few other yummy eateries close by.$