How Walkable Is Salt Lake City?
Yes, Salt Lake City is a highly walkable city. SafeStreets rates Salt Lake City 8.4 out of 10 for walkability, a "Very walkable" city. That ranks 117 of 203 US cities scored. The score is stricter than amenity-count ratings because pedestrian-fatality data and crossing quality make up 30% of it, alongside daily-needs access, transit reach, and walking comfort. Salt Lake City records 0.75 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people a year, lower than the US average. Citywide figures are averages and walkability changes block by block, so SafeStreets scores any individual US address free at safestreets.streetsandcommons.com.
Salt Lake City has invested heavily in light rail and a walkable downtown, though its wide street grid and mountain valley sprawl create challenges for pedestrians.
Salt Lake City sits in a mountain valley between the Wasatch Range and the Great Salt Lake, laid out on a vast 1847 Mormon pioneer grid that radiates from Temple Square. Its bones are unusually legible but also unusually large, so walkability varies sharply between dense pockets and wide arterial blocks.
Street Network in Salt Lake City
The grid is famously easy to navigate but its oversized blocks and wide streets work against pedestrian scale. The city follows the Plat of Zion, with streets numbered outward from Temple Square so an address like 900 South 900 East tells you exactly where you stand. The original plat used roughly 10-acre blocks with streets wide enough to turn an ox team around, leaving today's downtown with long crossings and big intersections. This makes orientation simple but lengthens walking distances and exposes pedestrians at corners. Denser, finer-grained neighborhoods like the Avenues, 9th and 9th, and Sugar House feel far more walkable than the broad downtown arterials. The University of Utah anchors the city's eastern bench above the grid.
- Plat origin: 1847 Plat of Zion grid
- Block size: roughly 10-acre Mormon blocks
- Address system: numbered from Temple Square
Getting Around Salt Lake City
UTA gives the city light rail, commuter rail, a streetcar, and buses, with TRAX as the downtown spine. The Utah Transit Authority runs TRAX light rail through downtown and out to the suburbs and the airport, plus FrontRunner commuter rail along the Wasatch Front. The S-Line streetcar connects the Sugar House area to the TRAX network, and an extensive bus network fills in the rest. Transit reaches major destinations like the University of Utah, downtown, and the airport, which helps reduce car dependence in the core. Coverage thins outside the central corridors, where the wide grid and lower density make walking to stops harder.
- Operator: Utah Transit Authority (UTA)
- Rail modes: TRAX light rail, FrontRunner, S-Line streetcar
Density and Daily Needs in Salt Lake City
Density is concentrated downtown and in a few walkable enclaves, with the broad grid keeping much of the city low-slung. Downtown around Temple Square and the central business district holds the city's tallest and densest development. Neighborhoods like the Avenues, 9th and 9th, and Sugar House offer walkable mixes of homes, shops, and cafes at a finer grain than the wide arterials. The oversized blocks of the pioneer plat tend to spread buildings out, diluting the foot traffic that supports street life. The University of Utah adds a concentrated population on the eastern bench above the valley floor.
- Dense core: downtown and Temple Square area
- Walkable enclaves: Avenues, 9th and 9th, Sugar House
How Salt Lake City Got This Way
The city's form traces directly to its 1847 founding by Mormon pioneers using the Plat of Zion. Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers settled the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and laid out the city on the Plat of Zion, a regular grid of large blocks and wide streets centered on Temple Square. The mountains of the Wasatch Range to the east and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest framed and constrained the valley settlement. That early plan still governs the address system and the generous street widths that shape walking today. Later neighborhoods like the Avenues grew on the slopes, and Sugar House developed as an early outlying community.
- Founded: 1847 by Mormon pioneers
- Plan: Plat of Zion centered on Temple Square
Salt Lake City Walkability at a Glance
- Median walkability score: 14.0 / 20 (EPA National Walkability Index)
- Walkable neighborhoods: 88% of mapped neighborhoods score above average
- Median home value: $486,900 (Zillow ZHVI 2026)
- Median household income: $92,767 (US Census ACS)
- Zero-car households: 4%
Based on 547 neighborhoods within 20 km of central Salt Lake City.
Walkability Distribution in Salt Lake City
- Most Walkable: 159 neighborhoods (29%)
- Above Average: 321 neighborhoods (59%)
- Below Average: 56 neighborhoods (10%)
- Least Walkable: 11 neighborhoods (2%)
Cost of Living in Salt Lake City
Estimated annual housing-plus-transport cost for the median home in Salt Lake City, UT (mortgage at 6.5% rate, 30 year, 80% LTV; AAA UT car cost; state-average property tax and homeowners insurance).
- Car-free household: $33,365 per year
- One-car household: $45,165 per year
- Two-car household: $56,965 per year
- Going car-free saves: about $23,600 per year
How People Get Around in Salt Lake City
- Drive alone: 65.3% (US average 68.1%)
- Public transit: 2.1% (US average 4.2%)
- Walk: 0.6% (US average 0.5%)
- Work from home: 1.8% (US average 2.5%)
Population-weighted shares from US Census ACS 5-year estimates, aggregated across 488 mapped neighborhoods.
Pedestrian Safety in Salt Lake City
57 pedestrian fatalities recorded by NHTSA FARS within 20 km of central Salt Lake City over 3 years (2022 to 2024). Annualized rate: 0.75 per 100,000 residents per year. US average: about 2.27 per 100,000 per year.
Health Outcomes in Salt Lake City
Adult-prevalence rates from CDC PLACES, aggregated across neighborhoods within 20 km of central Salt Lake City. US averages shown for comparison.
- Obesity: 30.7% (US 33.4%)
- Diagnosed diabetes: 8.7% (US 12.0%)
- No leisure-time physical activity: 19.7% (US 25.5%)
- High blood pressure: 27.5% (US 34.1%)
- Current asthma: 11.1% (US 10.4%)
- Frequent mental distress: 18.0% (US 16.8%)
Salt Lake City Walkability Highlights
- TRAX light rail has 3 lines connecting the university, downtown, and suburbs
- Downtown has been redesigned with better sidewalks and City Creek Center
- The 9 Line and other trail projects are improving bike/ped connectivity
- FrontRunner commuter rail connects SLC to Provo and Ogden
Transportation and Transit in Salt Lake City
UTA operates TRAX light rail (3 lines), FrontRunner commuter rail, the S-Line streetcar, and buses. The system is extensive for a metro this size.
Most Walkable Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City
Downtown. Compact core with TRAX access, City Creek Center, and Temple Square
Sugar House. Walkable neighborhood with S Line streetcar, shops, and Highland Drive dining
9th and 9th. Small walkable neighborhood node with local shops and restaurants
The Avenues. Historic hillside neighborhood with a tighter street grid and walkable character
Walkability Challenges in Salt Lake City
- Extremely wide streets (132 feet) in the original grid create long pedestrian crossings
- Winter inversions cause poor air quality that discourages outdoor activity
Frequently Asked Questions About Walkability in Salt Lake City
Is Salt Lake City walkable?
Yes, Salt Lake City is a highly walkable city. Salt Lake City scores 8.4/10 on the SafeStreets 15-minute-city walkability score (rated "Very walkable"), based on daily-needs access, street safety, transit, and walking comfort. Salt Lake City sits in a mountain valley between the Wasatch Range and the Great Salt Lake, laid out on a vast 1847 Mormon pioneer grid that radiates from Temple Square. Its bones are unusually legible but also unusually large, so walkability varies sharply between dense pockets and wide arterial blocks.
What are the most walkable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City?
The most walkable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City include Downtown, Sugar House, 9th and 9th and The Avenues. Compact core with TRAX access, City Creek Center, and Temple Square
Can you live in Salt Lake City without a car?
About 4% of households here already live without a car. The Utah Transit Authority runs TRAX light rail through downtown and out to the suburbs and the airport, plus FrontRunner commuter rail along the Wasatch Front. The S-Line streetcar connects the Sugar House area to the TRAX network, and an extensive bus network fills in the rest. Transit reaches major destinations like the University of Utah, downtown, and the airport, which helps reduce car dependence in the core. Coverage thins outside the central corridors, where the wide grid and lower density make walking to stops harder.
How do you get around Salt Lake City?
UTA gives the city light rail, commuter rail, a streetcar, and buses, with TRAX as the downtown spine. The Utah Transit Authority runs TRAX light rail through downtown and out to the suburbs and the airport, plus FrontRunner commuter rail along the Wasatch Front. The S-Line streetcar connects the Sugar House area to the TRAX network, and an extensive bus network fills in the rest. Transit reaches major destinations like the University of Utah, downtown, and the airport, which helps reduce car dependence in the core. Coverage thins outside the central corridors, where the wide grid and lower density make walking to stops harder.
Why is Salt Lake City walkable the way it is?
The city's form traces directly to its 1847 founding by Mormon pioneers using the Plat of Zion. Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers settled the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and laid out the city on the Plat of Zion, a regular grid of large blocks and wide streets centered on Temple Square. The mountains of the Wasatch Range to the east and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest framed and constrained the valley settlement. That early plan still governs the address system and the generous street widths that shape walking today. Later neighborhoods like the Avenues grew on the slopes, and Sugar House developed as an early outlying community.
Is it safe to walk in Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City records 0.75 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people a year, below the US average of 2.27, based on 57 fatalities NHTSA recorded over 3 years. Most pedestrian deaths happen on wide, fast arterials, so safety changes block by block. Check the street safety score for a specific address.
How is walkability measured?
SafeStreets scores walkability from 0 to 10 using four weighted parts: daily-needs reach (40%), street safety (30%), transit access (15%), and walking comfort (15%). Street safety folds in pedestrian-fatality data from NHTSA FARS and WHO, not just how many places sit nearby. Every input is public (EPA, OpenStreetMap, US Census, CDC PLACES, NHTSA) and the full method is documented.
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Walkability in Other Cities
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Sources: EPA Smart Location Database, Zillow ZHVI 2026, US Census ACS 5-year, AAA Your Driving Costs 2024, Tax Foundation / ATTOM property tax 2023, Insurance Information Institute HO-3 averages 2023 to 2024.
Cite as: SafeStreets by Streets & Commons. "How Walkable Is Salt Lake City?" https://safestreets.streetsandcommons.com/walkability/salt-lake-city-ut
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