43 miles south of Salt Lake City is the largest city in the state of Utah, Provo. Being the county seat, as well as home to BYU, you can find one too many reasons to stay here! Here’s basically everything you need to know about the city. Especially if you’re planning on finding a room for rent in Provo!

Getting to know the city

Provo is located in the Wasatch Front region of the state of Utah in the United States of America. It is also known as a base for exploring the surrounding countryside and national parks. Provo is located in Utah County, which is often considered the most conservative county in the most conservative state in the country. Approximately 90% of the residents are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon), compared to about 65% of the state.

It is also the location of Brigham Young University, an LDS-owned university. Additionally, the public Utah Valley University is located in the adjacent city of Orem. The presence of Brigham Young University makes it fairly easy to find rooms for rent in Provo.

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Finding Rooms For Rent in Provo, Utah

Considering its population of 116,618 people and 28 constituent neighborhoods, Provo is also one of the largest communities in Utah.

Provo is also a nice balance between life in a moderately big city and the interesting diversions and culture that come from having a big college student population. The thousands of students who arrive on campus every fall will find that Provo has plenty of amenities and opportunities for them, while residents of Provo enjoy the lectures, music, art, and economic trickle-down that colleges typically provide. “Town and Gown” complement each other in Provo.

If you’re looking for rooms to rent in Provo, here are the top neighborhoods!

Top neighborhoods in Provo, Utah

• Edgemont: the best neighborhood in Provo, if you’re looking for a quiet neighborhood. Within this slightly older community, residents will find convenient destinations like the Sprouts Farmers Market and the BYU Creamery on Ninth. Also if you’re looking for a great restaurant in Edgemont, head over to Ripple’s Drive-In for great burgers and other comfort food. Plus, residents can enjoy living in a dog-friendly neighborhood designed for walking and hiking.
• Little Rock Canyon: the best neighborhood in Provo, if you’re looking for a young, thriving, Provo community. Within Little Rock Canyon, residents will find a highly popular community. Because of its popularity, Little Rock Canyon has a population density of 5,291 people per square mile. While the rest of the neighborhoods in Provo have a population density of only 2,949 people per square mile. Compared to many local Provo neighborhoods, Little Rock Canyon has a very young community. The average age of people in the community is 35 years old.
• Lake View North: the best neighborhood in Prov, if you’re looking for beautiful parks. Residents in Lake View North can enjoy having plenty of neighborhood parks to visit with their loved ones. Two of the most popular parks in the area include Lakeview Park and Harbor Park. Lakeview Park is particularly popular among joggers and cyclists because of its many trails.

Average rent in Provo, Utah

In Provo, roughly 45% of buildings are single detached homes. The rest of the houses are mainly large apartment buildings, small apartment buildings, and townhouses. Provo has a good choice of housing sizes, ranging from lofts to four or more bedrooms. Renters occupy roughly 55% of the units in the municipality, whereas the remainder is occupied by owners.

Here’s what the average rent in Provo looks like!

Rooms for Rent in Provo	Average Rent
1 Bedroom Apartment For Rent in Provo	$467
2 Bedroom Apartment For Rent in Provo	$871
3 Bedroom Apartment For Rent in Provo	$1,425

University life in Provo, Utah

The main university in Provo is the Brigham Young University, which is a religious school affiliated with the LDS Church. It’s located in the middle of looming overhead mountains grandly displaying the seasons, and nearby Sundance serving as the perfect vista for winter or summer past-times. South of campus is full of BYU-approved housing, including apartment complexes and multiple-room houses; large apartment complexes and resulting communities abound all around the edge of campus as well. A stroll down University Ave toward Center Street acquaints you with many of the small businesses and locals. After freshman year, most students live off-campus, with many commuting mostly by bike or by foot.

The dorms mostly consist of freshmen, and many of these freshmen form strong groups, usually within their churchward, that last throughout college. Every dorm building has its own culture, with some offering more socialization than others (for example, those that include six students per unit and have individual kitchens usually have fewer social functions; those that include 1-2 students per unit, without individual units, usually have more). There aren’t any sororities or fraternities on campus, but church wards often provide a lot of social structure. There are also a lot of campus functions and activities, often specifically geared toward freshmen, but these are also often attended by ward groups.

Besides BYU, here are the other universities and colleges in Provo, Utah.

• Utah Valley University
• Stevens-Henager College
• Provo College
• Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals

How transit friendly is Provo, Utah?

Walkability in Provo

With an overall transit score of 74, most of the places in Provo are extremely walkable. There will be some trasit required for certain errands, however, Provo has a biker’s score of 94 given by the website Walkscore, and is described as a walker’s paradise!

Roads and traffic in Provo

One of the major street rules in Provo is that when you park, be mindful that you are not obstructing driveways, fire hydrants, nearby intersections, and crosswalks. The City of Provo itself does not boot or tow except in extreme circumstances. However, the practice is common among some property owners. Provo is able to regulate these practices on private property only to a small degree.

Biking in Provo

Provo has made great strides over the past few years while to make the city more bike-friendly. The effort has not gone unnoticed and some big plans are in the works to make main streets in Provo even more accessible and safer for two-wheeled travelers. Some of the most infamous bike tracks in Provo include:

• Lakeview Parkway
• Provo River Trail after Bridal Veil Falls
• Slate Canyon Drive
• South Fork Road
• Tour de Parks

Public transportation in Provo

Provo is home to a rapidly growing public transportation network. Between the bus and the train you can get almost anywhere, you need to go.

The new UVX bus rapid transit line, which opened just a year ago, provides fast, free service in Provo and Orem. Buses run primarily in dedicated lanes every 6 minutes at peak times and every 10-15 minutes in the off-peak hours. Additionally, BYU and UVU have partnered with UTA to provide free access to all UTA services (including the Frontrunner train) for students, faculty, staff, and family members. Also, the RYDE shuttle route runs to and from the BYU campus and certain Provo apartment complexes.

The FrontRunner commuter rail line is another great way to save wear and tear on your car. It runs Monday-Saturday with trains leaving Provo as often as every half hour, stretching from Provo to Ogden with stops in between. These roomy trains have restrooms, laptop tables, outlets, and WiFi to give you the most comfortable and convenient train ride. Visit Utah Transit Authority’s website to find routes, timetables, and any other UTA information you might need.

Cabs and Taxis in Provo

Taking a cab is fairly easy in Provo, given the number of services available. However, like in most cities, taking a cab from one part of the city to another may cost you more than other modes of public transportation. Some of the best cab and taxi services in Provo include:

• City Taxis
• Yellow Cab of Provo
• Champion Taxi

Airports and rails in Provo

The Provo Municipal Airport is Utah’s second busiest airport in terms of the number of aircraft take-offs and landings. There’s also the Salt Lake City International Airport, which is the closest international airport. Allegiant Air runs several affordable flights each week from Provo to Phoenix/Mesa, Oakland, and Los Angeles. Visit FlyProvo.com to find promotions for cheap flights.

You can also take an Amtrak train to your desired destination. You can also purchase Amtrak tickets here.

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Festivals in Provo

Every July, Provo hosts America’s Freedom Festival at Provo which includes the Stadium of Fire at BYU. It is held in LaVell Edwards Stadium, home to BYU’s NCAA football team. The Independence Day festivities are popular among residents and have featured such notable figures as Bob Hope, David Hasselhoff, Reba McEntire, Mandy Moore, and Toby Keith. In 2015, the event included performances by Journey and Olivia Holt and was hosted by television personality Montel Williams.

Provo also has two other large festivals each fall. Festival Latinoamericano is an annual family-oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region’s Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances.

Additionally, the city has hosted an annual LGBT Provo Pride Festival since 2013. More information on the same can be found here!

Population in Provo

The population in Provo is 116,199. There are 2,789 people per square mile aka population density. The median age in Provo is 23.7, the US median age is 37.4. The number of people per household in Provo is 3.3, the US average of people per household is 2.6.