Cedar City, Utah has never been a city that’s shied away from attention. As well known for its outdoor attractions as it is for its annual festivals (the latter earning it the nickname of Festival City, USA), it should be a tremendous draw for people looking to move here to Utah. And it is. There’s great weather in Cedar City, a thriving art culture, top rated schools and close proximity to just about every imaginable outdoor activity you can think of.
So why would you consider putting up your home for sale in Cedar City?
One reason might be that Cedar City’s seen a fair amount of changes compared to the rest of Utah in recent years. That doesn’t necessarily mean those changes are for the worse. But they’re not always predictable, either. Cedar City’s seen an almost 20 percent growth rate of residents over the past 10 years to the point where its population is close to 35,000. And with that growth rate comes new opportunities as well as new challenges.
Whether you’re considering moving to Cedar City or selling your home, those changes may affect you. In fact, you may be positively delighted at them. Before you consider moving to or leaving Cedar City, here are some things you might want to reevaluate first.
Weather In Cedar City, Utah
One of the refreshing things about Cedar City is that it’s relatively mild compared to the rest of Utah; and Iron County in particular. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have unique quirks. After all, it’s in a desert valley, and snowfall can be pretty high during the peak skiing months of November – February. But weather in Cedar City generally tends to be consistent; particularly in the summer months where temperatures rarely rise above the high 80s. Compare that to even a nearby city like St. George where it’s not unheard of for the weather to reach in excess of 100 degrees during July!
Jobs In Cedar City, Utah
Here’s some good news about unemployment in Utah overall. The number of new claims filed here has actually gone down substantially as the state begins to reopen slowly after the Coronavirus pandemic. That doesn’t mean it’s great news; the unemployment rate in Utah is currently at 8.5 percent. That’s still lower than the national rate of 13.3 percent. But it is something to take into consideration before planning to sell your home in Utah.
Cedar City borders right on Dixie National Forest and is only a quick car ride from Zion National Park. So it’s natural to assume parks and recreation represents a fairly substantial part of the local economy. But it’s actually relatively minor, and nowhere near as much as other leading industries such as education, government, healthcare, tourism, public administration and hospitality—all of which contribute significantly to the workforce in Cedar City.
Festivals In Cedar City, Utah
Cedar City has become well known as “Festival City USA”, with over a dozen world renown festivals taking place annually including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Summer Games, the Frontier Folk Life Festival, the Utah Midsummer Renaissance Faire and even the Cedar Livestock & Agricultural Festival (yes, Virginia; sheep parades really do exist.) No matter how niche your interest might be, the sheer diversity of the festival culture in Cedar City is one of a kind. Keep in mind that due to Coronavirus precautions, many of Cedar City’s festivals have been postponed or cancelled, so make certain to double check the ones which strike your interest.
Education in Cedar City, Utah
Cedar City is synonymous with Southern Utah University, and with good reason. With an annual enrollment of approximately 4,500 students, it’s one of the oldest and most popular public colleges in the greater Rockies and was recently named by US News & World Report as number 72 in the 100 Best Regional Universities in the West. But education in Cedar City isn’t solely limited to SUU. They’re simply one of the most popular schools, known as much for their athletics as they are for their academics. There’s actually several other private colleges in Cedar City, as well as Dixie State University in nearby St. George—less than 50 miles away.
There’s close to twenty public schools falling under the banner of the Iron County School District. That includes Cedar City’s public school system. But how do they fare compared to the rest of Utah? Well, they actually rank higher in growth and achievement according to recent state reports. But as Cedar City continues to grow, both its educational system as well as its public infrastructure are expected to face entirely new challenges commensurate with that growth.
Life In Cedar City, Utah
Iron County’s fairly sparsely populated. And Given Cedar City’s proximity to the outdoors, you’d expect it to be a fairly rural city. But it’s not. Tourism is a big draw in Cedar City, helping to give it a distinctly prominent place as a major Southern Utah destination spot. Its proximity to the Dixie National Forest allows over two million acres of breathtaking scenery including the famous Red Canyon, pine, fir and juniper trees.
But ironically, Cedar City’s a suburb. And a quickly growing one at that. With an average annual growth rate of over two percent, there’s a very strong chance it could transform itself into a dominant attraction in Utah. So what is the quality of life like in Cedar City?
It’s estimated that Cedar City is approximately 85 to 90 percent more affordable than most other U.S. cities of comparable size, and even more affordable than many cities in Utah. But its crime index is only 20 percent safer than other major cities in the U.S. Which isn’t too much different from many other cities in Utah. Your chances of becoming a victim of violent crime in Cedar City is 1 in 472, compared to Utah’s chances being 1 in 429. It isn’t that Cedar City is particularly violent. It’s that it’s growing at a larger percentage than many other hubs in Utah. And with growth, there’s the occasional conflict.
Houses In Cedar City, Utah
The real estate market is relatively mild right now in Cedar City, with the median price of a home being $254,900. By comparison, the median price of a home in Utah overall is $370,000. It’s a bit of a seller’s market in Cedar City. But it could become much more of one in the next five years if its growth continues on its projected upward trend.
Delinquent mortgages in Cedar City tend to be much lower than the national average, owing to its relative economic stability. But that holds true for much of Utah. It’s not that we’re abundantly prosperous. We’re stable, and our way of living tends to reflect that stability.
But if Cedar City wasn’t predicting its own unprecedented population growth, both Utah and the rest of the country wasn’t predicting the current uncertainty sparked in no small part by the Coronavirus pandemic. Utahns are resilient, and we like to assume that when the crisis is over we can continue on our upward economic climb. But you may find yourself in the position of having to move from Cedar City. And at Gary Buys Houses, we have a solution for you which is quick, immediate and fair.
We’ll purchase your home in Cedar City and just about any other major just destination in Utah in as little 3 – 5 business days. We promise a reasonable estimate based on current fair market value and can provide you with a solution which has helped hundreds of other homeowners in Utah find immediate relief when times seem the most pressing.