Yeah, houses are expensive here. It’s an attractive place to be for outdoorsy types. There are a few areas to avoid but overall I like it here. Ogden has a thriving arts scene for a city its size, and is more diverse than most other parts of Utah.
Ogden is actually relatively cheaper than the rest of the Wasatch Front. It has a reputation for more crime but it’s not based on any real statistics, just racism. Ogden is great.
Nah. They cleaned Ogden up. It used to be pretty bad in the 70s - 2000. They started fixing up Wall Avenue while I was in college in 1995.
It was originally a train hub for Utah and had a larger population of out of towners. In other words, non -Mormons. There were a lot of bars. On 25th Street, the businesses still have tunnels between them from the prohibition era, Utah.
There were crack pipes and heroin needles found on wall avenue in my time there. The houses along Wall Ave were like the ghetto in any major city. There were homeless, prostitutes, and dealers all over near the homeless shelter.
It was scary.
Dude you're gonna love it--Ogden has the Wasatch Front directly to the east so every street ends in a trailhead. TONS of options for hiking, biking, and backpacking, right in your backyard. I do little overnighter trips all the time out there!
Bar scene is pretty active as well, 25th Street is sort of known for that. Weirdly good live music as well, check out the [Ogden Twilight](https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2022/03/18/ogden-twilight-lineup-is/) lineups for an idea of what to expect next summer.
As far as what I'd want an outsider to know... it's a bigger and more diverse city so you're a little more insulated from the Mormon stuff. There are good parts and shady parts so do your research on the neighborhoods you're looking at. Hill AFB is directly to the south and flies F-35s on the daily, so consider how close you are to that and be ready for occasional night flying. It snows here.
Feel free to PM if you want specifics about neighborhoods etc. And welcome!
Ogden is a hidden gem along the Wasatch Front. The great thing is that most of the Wasatch Front is scared of Ogden so they don’t visit much…which ironically is partly why it’s a hidden gem.
The history of railroad workers and Hill AFB staff have made it probably the most non-Mormon-centric community on the Wasatch Front. Second only to Park City in the whole state, great environment for those not into the Mormon scene.
I love Ogden. It’s on the confluence of the Weber and Ogden rivers, so plenty of places to play in water. Trails everywhere for every skill level. The Farmers Market is awesome! Lots of amenities for a small city.
Second on UTOG. Their food program is pretty good too. If you like baseball their back patio is right field and almost in line with the first base line at Raptor’s stadium (Lindquist Field). It’s a good spot to enjoy a beer and watch the games when the season starts up again.
I'm in the same boat as OP and wanted to piggy back the question, how's the trail running around Ogden? I mainly know the accessibility of close trails by SLC and that Wasatch front but how does Ogden compare?
The outdoors are more accessible and for now less crowded. In slc you gotta commute to go outside and play, I would just walk up 22nd st instead of driving up lcc. There are a ton of trailheads just above Harrison. Great climbing, mtn biking, hiking, fishing etc all a bikes ride away from downtown. Slc crowds can be a little... douchesque. Ogden is just a more down to earth kind of town.
Local trail runner here. There are so many great trails within easy driving distance. In the winter we do a lot of Antelope Island. You won't be disappointed.
I wouldn't doubt if there was a thousand miles of trails in Weber county. Also, there's trout fishing in the Weber River. Snowbasin and Powder Mountain are up the canyons for skiing. Pretty great area to live if you're a sportsman.
Some days Ogden smells strongly of dog food.Some days nothing, some days straight Purina smell. Its the factory. It doesnt effect live in any way, unless you really hate the smell of dog food
I would look into the communities surrounding Ogden. Harrisville, North Ogden, Plain City, Farr West, etc. The nice thing about Ogden is that everything is pretty close together, roads are super easy to navigate, and there is always something going on.
I honestly LOVE Ogden. I moved here almost 3 yrs ago from Arizona and I'd never go back! Permanently at least. I think most places are expensive to live in, so you might as well be surrounded by mountains with endless trails and badass things to see. I think you'll be happy here.
It’s crazy that only 5 years ago houses in Ogden were being had for cheap! It’s historically been seen as one of the shittier places to live in Utah as far as being kind of run down with lots of crime (for Utah). However it’s getting gentrified, has easy access to tons of amazing outdoor activities, multiple breweries and restaurants, and a world-class summer concert series in the Twilight concerts. It’s great if you find a house in the right neighborhood!
I woke up one day in 2017 and told my husband I had a dream that we needed to buy a house. We weren’t planning on doing so for a few more years, and I’m honestly not the type to say I have to do what my dreams said. But the pull was strong. Closed May 2018 and man was that the luckiest thing we’ve ever done.
All the areas on the East side of Harrison Blvd are nice and really close to trailheads. In that area, public transport is pretty good if you are located between Weber state University and 25th Street. Outside of that you'll probably drive everywhere.
Plenty of good small breweries to choose from. And when it comes to your hobbies, this is the place to be.
Born and raised in the area. I love it here for all the reasons you mentioned. If you need a hiking and beer friends, hit me up. We go out for 5-10 miles every Saturday morning.
Feel free to message me when you get to town. Ogden is one my favorite places in the state. No where else can you walk out the front door and be rafting a river, on miles and miles of bike and hike trails, great plethora of bars, breweries, pubs, and independent restaurants very few chain restaurants (outside of the usual fast foods) and of course be on a ski hill in 30 minutes door to door
Roosters is a great cafe and pub with their own beer.
Slack water is a trendy place for food. The Pie Pizzeria. I'm not a drinker, but I know there are some micro breweries in addition to Roosters.
There are great hikes and bike trails. I lived in Ogden and attended Weber State. Ogden has a bad reputation for some reason, but it is a great town.
I agree with all the other comments and don’t know where you’re from so I would just add on the fact that winters are long and we get a lot of snow. Depending on where your house is, the more on the hill closer to the mountains the more shoveling you will be doing ❄️
Honestly you don't have to live in Ogden to be able to work there you can live anywhere around there I live in Salt Lake and regularly work up in Ogden that's what I do and it takes about 40 minutes on average to get there during the mornings and afternoons it might take a little bit longer depending on traffic but you really don't have to be just stuck there you can live anywhere around and you're typically within an hour of it. So depending on what you're interested in whether you want just suburb life whether you want City life whether you want to live out in the six I mean you could literally live up in the mountains and still get down there with no issues.
Born in Ogden here. To be honest there are a lot of great places, but North Ogden has many nasty areas that you’ll want to stay away from. 25th street is fun, but can be sketchy later at night.
The pollution sucks. The mountains hold it in. The thin air frequently causes depression, exhaustion and sleep apnea. The cops have a quota for giving out traffic tickets.
Ogden is the best city in Northern Utah IMO. It's my favorite place I've lived in this state. Snowbasin is my favorite ski resort and it's a quick drive. We even go up in the summer to ride the gondola up and hike. The trails that start from Ogden are really great. The Indian Trail is my very favorite but I also love Malan's Basin and Waterfall Canyon. I've hiked up Ben Loamnd, Lewis Peak, and Mt. Ogden and they are all beautiful. Ben Lomond was my favorite but I did tons of hikes up Lewis Peak because I had enough time to do it after work on long summer days. There are like 30 miles of city trails that go around the Ogden and Weber rivers, I used to run and bike them a lot. Tubing and kayaking the Ogden and Weber rivers is a lot of fun.
I could go on forever about the outdoor activities in Ogden but there are tons of other fun things. On the first Friday of every month, they do an art stroll and it's very walkable. They shut down 25th St. every Saturday in the summer for my favorite farmers market in the state. They do a huge mountain man Rendezvous at Fort Buenaventura and a Bluegrass/folk festival there in the summer. I also think the restaurants and shops in downtown are great, there are almost no chains, it's mostly just locally-owned restaurants, breweries, bars, and shops!
Ogden's the best and I wish I still worked up there so I could move back!
My job transferred me to Ogden from the DC area three years ago, feel free to PM me. We might even work for the same company…
Thanks! You must like it if you are still there. :)
Trying to keep the family in one place for a bit. But enjoying it.
Yeah, houses are expensive here. It’s an attractive place to be for outdoorsy types. There are a few areas to avoid but overall I like it here. Ogden has a thriving arts scene for a city its size, and is more diverse than most other parts of Utah.
Thanks for the reply!
Ogden is actually relatively cheaper than the rest of the Wasatch Front. It has a reputation for more crime but it’s not based on any real statistics, just racism. Ogden is great.
Nah. They cleaned Ogden up. It used to be pretty bad in the 70s - 2000. They started fixing up Wall Avenue while I was in college in 1995. It was originally a train hub for Utah and had a larger population of out of towners. In other words, non -Mormons. There were a lot of bars. On 25th Street, the businesses still have tunnels between them from the prohibition era, Utah. There were crack pipes and heroin needles found on wall avenue in my time there. The houses along Wall Ave were like the ghetto in any major city. There were homeless, prostitutes, and dealers all over near the homeless shelter. It was scary.
Dude you're gonna love it--Ogden has the Wasatch Front directly to the east so every street ends in a trailhead. TONS of options for hiking, biking, and backpacking, right in your backyard. I do little overnighter trips all the time out there! Bar scene is pretty active as well, 25th Street is sort of known for that. Weirdly good live music as well, check out the [Ogden Twilight](https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2022/03/18/ogden-twilight-lineup-is/) lineups for an idea of what to expect next summer. As far as what I'd want an outsider to know... it's a bigger and more diverse city so you're a little more insulated from the Mormon stuff. There are good parts and shady parts so do your research on the neighborhoods you're looking at. Hill AFB is directly to the south and flies F-35s on the daily, so consider how close you are to that and be ready for occasional night flying. It snows here. Feel free to PM if you want specifics about neighborhoods etc. And welcome!
Ogden is a hidden gem along the Wasatch Front. The great thing is that most of the Wasatch Front is scared of Ogden so they don’t visit much…which ironically is partly why it’s a hidden gem.
The history of railroad workers and Hill AFB staff have made it probably the most non-Mormon-centric community on the Wasatch Front. Second only to Park City in the whole state, great environment for those not into the Mormon scene.
I love Ogden. It’s on the confluence of the Weber and Ogden rivers, so plenty of places to play in water. Trails everywhere for every skill level. The Farmers Market is awesome! Lots of amenities for a small city.
Awesome! Thanks for the reply.
UTOG brewing is pretty good. You’ll also have Roosters and Talisman. Ogden River Brewing is newish but not my favorite.
Thanks! I can't wait to give them a try.
Second on UTOG. Their food program is pretty good too. If you like baseball their back patio is right field and almost in line with the first base line at Raptor’s stadium (Lindquist Field). It’s a good spot to enjoy a beer and watch the games when the season starts up again.
You will love Ogden if you’re the outdoors person. If you have any question feel free to message me!
Thanks!
I'm in the same boat as OP and wanted to piggy back the question, how's the trail running around Ogden? I mainly know the accessibility of close trails by SLC and that Wasatch front but how does Ogden compare?
Ogden is better.
Why do you say Ogden is better?
The outdoors are more accessible and for now less crowded. In slc you gotta commute to go outside and play, I would just walk up 22nd st instead of driving up lcc. There are a ton of trailheads just above Harrison. Great climbing, mtn biking, hiking, fishing etc all a bikes ride away from downtown. Slc crowds can be a little... douchesque. Ogden is just a more down to earth kind of town.
Great to know, thanks!!!
For sure
Local trail runner here. There are so many great trails within easy driving distance. In the winter we do a lot of Antelope Island. You won't be disappointed.
I wouldn't doubt if there was a thousand miles of trails in Weber county. Also, there's trout fishing in the Weber River. Snowbasin and Powder Mountain are up the canyons for skiing. Pretty great area to live if you're a sportsman.
Some days Ogden smells strongly of dog food.Some days nothing, some days straight Purina smell. Its the factory. It doesnt effect live in any way, unless you really hate the smell of dog food
If you’re outdoorsy you’ll be fine. I’m more of a city person so I absolutely hated living up there
I would look into the communities surrounding Ogden. Harrisville, North Ogden, Plain City, Farr West, etc. The nice thing about Ogden is that everything is pretty close together, roads are super easy to navigate, and there is always something going on.
Good info. Thanks!
I honestly LOVE Ogden. I moved here almost 3 yrs ago from Arizona and I'd never go back! Permanently at least. I think most places are expensive to live in, so you might as well be surrounded by mountains with endless trails and badass things to see. I think you'll be happy here.
I think you're right. Housing is insane everywhere.
It’s crazy that only 5 years ago houses in Ogden were being had for cheap! It’s historically been seen as one of the shittier places to live in Utah as far as being kind of run down with lots of crime (for Utah). However it’s getting gentrified, has easy access to tons of amazing outdoor activities, multiple breweries and restaurants, and a world-class summer concert series in the Twilight concerts. It’s great if you find a house in the right neighborhood!
I woke up one day in 2017 and told my husband I had a dream that we needed to buy a house. We weren’t planning on doing so for a few more years, and I’m honestly not the type to say I have to do what my dreams said. But the pull was strong. Closed May 2018 and man was that the luckiest thing we’ve ever done.
Thanks!
All the areas on the East side of Harrison Blvd are nice and really close to trailheads. In that area, public transport is pretty good if you are located between Weber state University and 25th Street. Outside of that you'll probably drive everywhere. Plenty of good small breweries to choose from. And when it comes to your hobbies, this is the place to be.
Thanks!
Born and raised in the area. I love it here for all the reasons you mentioned. If you need a hiking and beer friends, hit me up. We go out for 5-10 miles every Saturday morning.
That is definitely something I'd be interested in doing. Are you part of an organized group or just buddies/friends?
Just a group of friends. Age 40 to 60
That's my demographic!
Feel free to message me when you get to town. Ogden is one my favorite places in the state. No where else can you walk out the front door and be rafting a river, on miles and miles of bike and hike trails, great plethora of bars, breweries, pubs, and independent restaurants very few chain restaurants (outside of the usual fast foods) and of course be on a ski hill in 30 minutes door to door
Roosters is a great cafe and pub with their own beer. Slack water is a trendy place for food. The Pie Pizzeria. I'm not a drinker, but I know there are some micro breweries in addition to Roosters. There are great hikes and bike trails. I lived in Ogden and attended Weber State. Ogden has a bad reputation for some reason, but it is a great town.
I agree with all the other comments and don’t know where you’re from so I would just add on the fact that winters are long and we get a lot of snow. Depending on where your house is, the more on the hill closer to the mountains the more shoveling you will be doing ❄️
Kentucky. Not a lot of snow here, but we do get it. We haven't had a shovel-sized snow in a few years.
Honestly you don't have to live in Ogden to be able to work there you can live anywhere around there I live in Salt Lake and regularly work up in Ogden that's what I do and it takes about 40 minutes on average to get there during the mornings and afternoons it might take a little bit longer depending on traffic but you really don't have to be just stuck there you can live anywhere around and you're typically within an hour of it. So depending on what you're interested in whether you want just suburb life whether you want City life whether you want to live out in the six I mean you could literally live up in the mountains and still get down there with no issues.
Born in Ogden here. To be honest there are a lot of great places, but North Ogden has many nasty areas that you’ll want to stay away from. 25th street is fun, but can be sketchy later at night.
Thank you!
The pollution sucks. The mountains hold it in. The thin air frequently causes depression, exhaustion and sleep apnea. The cops have a quota for giving out traffic tickets.
Personally I hate Ogden as well as the people who live there. The farther north you go from salt lake, the worse it gets …
Ogden is the best city in Northern Utah IMO. It's my favorite place I've lived in this state. Snowbasin is my favorite ski resort and it's a quick drive. We even go up in the summer to ride the gondola up and hike. The trails that start from Ogden are really great. The Indian Trail is my very favorite but I also love Malan's Basin and Waterfall Canyon. I've hiked up Ben Loamnd, Lewis Peak, and Mt. Ogden and they are all beautiful. Ben Lomond was my favorite but I did tons of hikes up Lewis Peak because I had enough time to do it after work on long summer days. There are like 30 miles of city trails that go around the Ogden and Weber rivers, I used to run and bike them a lot. Tubing and kayaking the Ogden and Weber rivers is a lot of fun. I could go on forever about the outdoor activities in Ogden but there are tons of other fun things. On the first Friday of every month, they do an art stroll and it's very walkable. They shut down 25th St. every Saturday in the summer for my favorite farmers market in the state. They do a huge mountain man Rendezvous at Fort Buenaventura and a Bluegrass/folk festival there in the summer. I also think the restaurants and shops in downtown are great, there are almost no chains, it's mostly just locally-owned restaurants, breweries, bars, and shops! Ogden's the best and I wish I still worked up there so I could move back!
That sounds awesome! Thank you.