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UVU students enjoy some downtime.

Courtesy August Miller, UVU Marketing

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UVU students participate in a recreational event for student orientation.

Courtesy Nathaniel Ray Edwards, UVU Marketing

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First-year students pose in the bowling alley inside the new student center at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Courtesy Nathaniel Ray Edwards, UVU Marketing

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There are more than 80,000 students attending six universities or colleges in the Provo/Orem area. It is a place for the young and young-at-heart.

No wonder that among all midsize U.S. metros with a below-average cost of living, Provo-Orem is the third most popular for young adults, according to an analysis by HireAHelper.com.

U.S. census numbers and the HireAHelper analysis found that in the Provo-Orem metro area — where the cost of living is 4.2% less than the U.S. average — 16.1% of the population is 18-24 years old, compared to 9.1% nationally.

According to the United Way of Utah County Community Needs Assessment, Utah County remains young. It is the youngest county (of significant size) in the nation, with 33% of its population being younger than 18 years.

The needs assessment notes the average age in the youngest city, Eagle Mountain, is 19 years. “If you live in Eagle Mountain and you graduate from high school, you are officially over-the-hill,” said Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of the United Way of Utah County.

Why would young adults want to live in the Provo/Orem area? Just look at the offerings, officials in both cities say. Gone are the days when single adults would have to go to Salt Lake City for entertainment, even though they still pop on FrontRunner to get to northern event venues now.

Just in downtown Provo, there are plenty of things for the 18-24 year-old set to do. There are 70 restaurants (not one a national chain) with several hundred throughout both Provo and Orem.

Music venues such as Velour, Platinum Music and more have seen the birth of groups like Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees. Entertainment also includes Comedy Sportz, Dry Bar Comedy, Heart & Seoul Karaoke and more. There is always live theater at the Covey Center for the Arts.

“Provo being recognized as one of the best places for young people is not only a reflection of our vibrant, young population and the cost of living but also of the opportunities that abound in Provo for that population,” said Keith Morey, the city’s economic development director. “Provo’s rich tech and startup environment creates a robust employment atmosphere. When you combine that with unparalleled access to the outdoors, night life venues like Velour and dinning opportunities from every corner of the world — well, that’s what we call ‘The Provo Advantage’ and why our young population calls Provo home.”

In Orem, residents have gathering places at University Place Mall, the Noorda Theater at Utah Valley University, the SCERA Center for the Arts and SCERA Shell outdoor theater, Hale Center Theater Orem and recreation opportunities including hiking and biking trails.

“Orem’s economically vibrant community coupled with its rich history of launching technology-enabled startups and close proximity to both UVU and BYU attracts young adults who are looking for a great place to start their careers,” said Kathi Lewis, Orem’s Economic Development Division manager. “In addition, the abundance of outdoor high-adventure opportunities in the Wasatch Mountains and urban cultural opportunities draw young adults seeking a great work-life balance.”

From water skiing and boating on Utah Lake to hiking and biking trails to rappelling and rock climbing, there are many outdoor options for young singles. And don’t forget there are water parks, golfing and nearly 50 parks between the two cities.

“The majority of Utah Valley University’s full-time students are between the ages of 18-24,” said Scott Trotter, senior director of public relations at UVU. “And we keep growing. Last year’s fall enrollment was 43,099 students, which was a 4.45% increase over the year before.”

“Young people are drawn to UVU and Utah County. We are located in the middle of Silicon Slopes with a young demographic and a buzz of educational and economic activity,” Trotter added. “It is no wonder why young people want to live and got to school here.”

Although his university student’s age average is 35 — as it is a graduate school offering masters and doctorate degrees — Cameron Martin, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, says he still has young students who “are a part of the hustle and bustle of Provo.”

While some may disagree with the HireAHelper analysis when it comes to living costs, it is still low enough to make the area attractive to young working singles and college students.

“When deciding where to live, one important factor other than affordability is being around other similarly aged people that can help share housing costs,” the analysis says. “However, the young adult demographic can greatly vary by location. In general, states with lower costs of living tend to have larger populations of young people.”

According to HireAHelper, Utah and North Dakota have the highest percentages of people ages 18-24 in the country at 11.4% and 11%, respectively.

“Both of these states also have relatively low costs of living — 5.4% and 8.9% less than average. In contrast, states on the West Coast and in the Northeast have higher costs of living as well as lower populations of young people,” according to the analysis.

When it comes to large metro areas, Salt Lake City comes in at No. 5 in that same analysis.

“Paying an entire monthly rent bill is often out of the question for young adults who are either still in college or are just starting out in their careers. As a result, young adults frequently live with others to lessen the financial burden of rent,” the analysis concludes. “Just 5% of young adults ages 18 to 24 live alone. Most young adults (69%) live with their parents or other relatives, and nearly one-fifth live with roommates. Living with roommates has become much more common over the last few decades; in 1967, just 2.8% of people ages 18 to 24 lived with roommates.”

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