by Terry Morrison 
A beautiful small city perched 4,977 feet above sea level at the base of the South Wasatch Range, Highland, Utah was a well-kept secret for more than 100 years. It seemed as if its early settlers knew a good thing when they found it and weren’t eager to share too quickly with the rest of the world. These pioneers were Mormon immigrants who came from Scotland in the early 1870s and named their tiny community for its resemblance to their homeland.
The people who founded Highland were as distinctive as its landscape. One local historian relates that, unlike most Latter-day Saints communities of its time, “Highland was a freelance settlement, not a result of a ‘central mind.’ No one was ‘called’ to settle Highland — they just did. … It has been suggested that some of those who moved to Highland were actually trying to hide from Brigham Young so he wouldn’t send them on a mission to some godforsaken place they didn’t want to go.”
When the municipality was finally incorporated into Utah County in 1977, it had only a few hundred residents. Since then, it has grown steadily, and its population has quadrupled since 1990. Today, 20,425 people call Highland home. Ranked by Niche as the top Utah suburb to live in and best place in the state to raise a family, it’s a thriving, prosperous city with a strong sense of community, a median age of 24.6 years, and an average household income of $231,164.
Why Move to Highland?
If you enjoy small-town, family-oriented living in fabulous natural surroundings plus easy access to the employment possibilities and cultural offerings of larger cities, Highland might be right for you. While its mountain setting offers abundant opportunities for outdoor exploration and recreation, it’s also an easy commute via I-15 to Salt Lake City, 30 miles to the north, and Provo, 19 miles to the south.
People who live in Highland are as well-educated as they are affluent. According to the latest U.S. Census data, 98.5% of those 25 and older have at least a high school diploma, while 64.7% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Virtually every household has a computer, and 98.5% have broadband internet access that makes it easy to continue learning either formally or informally. The public schools are highly rated.
Highland residents are most likely to work in fields such as professional, scientific, and technical services; retail trade; and healthcare and social assistance. Utilities, transportation, and warehousing are among the highest-paying industries. Major employers of Highland residents include the wellness and fitness company doTERRA International, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), Intermountain Healthcare, Utah Valley Hospital, and Zions Bancorporation.
This is also a great place to launch your next high-tech startup. Silicon Slopes, the nonprofit that promotes Utah as “the entrepreneur capital of the world,” has brought many software and hardware companies, including SanDisk and EA Sports, to nearby Salt Lake City, Provo, and Park City in hopes of someday outshining California’s Silicon Valley.
When it comes to Highland’s lifestyle, the saying about birds of a feather flocking together holds true. Over 90% of the people who live here are white, and more than 93% are members of the LDS church, formerly known as the Mormons. Over 90% of Highland’s households are headed by married couples who own their homes, and many of them have growing families. About 39% of the population is under 18 years of age, and over 6% of these young residents are less than 5 years old.
Why They Love This City
Happy Highland residents share their thoughts about living here in reviews on Niche.
“Highland is a beautiful area with an amazing view of Mt. Timpanogos. It is a quiet, family-friendly town. The schools are great. Access to the Interstate to either go north or south is about 10 minutes. Businesses are closed on Sunday to give people time to be home with family. Two hospitals are within 10 minutes’ drive. Short drive to American Fork canyon. It is a wonderful place to live.”
“I love where I live! The community is great, everyone is very accepting and safe. Children are often out playing in the parks or at the schools. It’s a very friendly environment for families. The schools around here are great, too, very good education for little ones through high schoolers!”
“I like the tight-knit community feel. You see people you know at the grocery stores and walking through the neighborhood.”
“It’s a beautiful place to live. Safe neighborhoods, friendly people, close location to anything you might need! It is a great place to live, close enough to Salt Lake City to be able to visit a larger city, but far enough away that it’s peaceful and not too busy at night.”
The Inclusivity Initiative
While they find a lot of things to like in Highland, some residents are less than enthusiastic about its lack of diversity, as this review demonstrates:
“Highland, Utah is a good place to raise your kids: It is safe, practical, and relatively affordable. The people around here are nice and always willing to be a friend. Conversely, everybody is the same! They are close-minded, white, and Christian. You can’t really escape the bubble wrap in Utah County.”
The bubble wrap started to come off in 2020. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis and other events that caused civil unrest throughout the nation, people in Highland started talking to each other about diversity and inclusivity.
Realizing that some of their neighbors felt left out because they were members of a minority race or religion or even differently abled, the people of Highland declared their commitment to change things for the better. A statement on the city’s official website says, “Our long-term goal is to create a community of inclusivity for all by becoming more aware of the feelings of any of our friends and neighbors who may feel excluded because of a variety of factors.”
Outdoor Adventures
From wild to mild, nature gives you lots to explore in and around Highland. There’s a magical underground world to discover at Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Throughout the summer, you can hike the 1.5-mile-paved trail leading to the caves. This is an adventure in itself since the rugged terrain rises 1,092 feet to an elevation of 6,730 feet above sea level. Once you reach the entrance to the cave system, rangers will take you on an all-ages tour of three caves, a lantern-lit underground expedition for those 7 and up, or a strenuous Introduction to Caving tour that is limited to visitors 14 and older who are in good physical condition.
In winter, you can enjoy some of the best skiing Utah has to offer. Famous ski destinations like Sundance Resort, Snowpine Lodge, and Snowbird are all less than a 45-minute drive from Highland.
Throughout the year, weather permitting, you can enjoy boating, swimming, fishing, and paddleboarding at Utah Lake State Park in Provo. It surrounds the state’s largest freshwater lake, which encompasses roughly 148 square miles.
Golfers have their pick of two championship 18-hole courses. Alpine Country Club boasts a state-of-the-art aquatics center along with its golf course that provides amazing views of the Wasatch Mountains. Cedar Hills Golf Club carved its course into the natural landscape, which includes a point on the 14th hole that’s 5,253 feet above sea level, overlooking the American Fork River 750 feet below.
Highland’s seven scenic trails invite you to spend a day hiking, biking or trail running. They vary from 0.7 to 10.8 miles in length and easy to difficult in intensity. There’s plenty more to explore at more than two dozen city parks that offer playgrounds, sports fields, picnic facilities and other family-friendly venues, including the kid-approved Town Center Splash Pad. Another popular activity for children is Hooked on Fishing, a city program every spring that teaches 6-to-13-year-olds about fishing and aquatic resources.
The Fling Is the Thing
Since 1978, Highland has been keeping its Scottish heritage alive with the Highland Fling, a 6-day festival that takes place every summer. This is an event that truly has something for everyone.
The Fling has a baby celebration, a kids’ night, and a fine art show with divisions for youth and adults. Sporting events include a rodeo, a 5k glow run, a strongman competition, and disc golf and horseshoe tournaments. Those who prefer to celebrate at a more leisurely pace can enjoy backyard garden tours, a book sale, Historical Society displays, and entertainment at a talent show and other performances on stage.
On the final day of the festival, everyone turns out for the grand parade and headliner band. The festival goes out with a bang with its Grand Fireworks Show.
Throughout the Highland Fling, treasure hunters of all ages have fun participating in the Medallion Hunt. A distinctive medallion is hidden somewhere on the city’s public grounds, and clues are offered each morning until someone locates it. The finder goes home with the medallion plus a $200 cash prize.
Other popular annual events include an Arbor Day tree sale and planting, an Easter egg hunt, a June photography contest, Trick-or-Treat Street to welcome Halloween, a Thanksgiving coloring contest, and Hometown Holiday events for Christmas. These include a tree lighting, a scavenger hunt, and Santa Claus teaming up with the mayor to entertain kids at City Hall. And although Highland is a very youthful place, the younger members of the community take time every August to honor residents 55 and over with a Senior Citizen Appreciation Dinner.
Tips for Buying a Home in Highland
Property values are rising sharply. In April 2024, according to Redfin, the median sale price of a home in Highland was $880,000, up 36.6% over the same month in 2023. More homes have been selling, and faster. Houses now stay on the market an average of 53 days before selling, compared to 70 days last year.
It’s not uncommon for a homeowner in Highland to receive offers from multiple buyers. The average house sells for about 3% less than list price and goes pending in 42 days. “Hot homes” sell around list price, and it takes only 17 days for buyer and seller to come to an agreement.
What does this mean to the prospective buyer? In Highland’s somewhat competitive housing market, you need to have a strategy in place so that you’ll be prepared to act quickly when you find a house that strikes you as “the one.”
Fulton Bank offers these tips:
- If you plan to finance your home purchase, get prequalified for a mortgage loan ahead of time. When you start meeting with sellers, you’ll have a prequalification letter to show.
- Look into special mortgage programs that can help you if you’re a first-time buyer or a little strapped for cash to handle the down payment and closing costs. Government-backed home loans, closing cost assistance programs, and low-down-payment mortgages are available.
- List your needs and wants. Knowing which features are non-negotiable and which are just nice to have can help you come to a quick decision when it’s time to make an offer or move on.
- Keep in touch with your Realtor and loan officer so that you can be among the first to learn of desirable homes coming on the market and get answers to any financing questions that may come up during your house hunt.
- Make the strongest offer you can, considering that others may be bidding on the house you want. Offer a higher price, make a bigger down payment, let the seller choose the closing date, and/or limit the number of contingencies — like home inspection, appraisal, financing approval, insurance, or selling your current home — that you request.
- Stay focused on your goal. Even if you lose out on a couple of properties, persist until you succeed at buying a home you can love.
