Highland, Utah could be considered idyllic and comfortable for some, but for those who live there, it’s an area filled with flaws. Its consistent growth has made it home to nearly 20,112 people as of 2022
. So, with all these individuals and families residing in this city, what are the reasons they should have considered before moving here?
Many different factors need to be taken into account when deciding which cities to live in. Here are 17 reasons not to move to Highland, Utah.
17. Litter
Since Highland is an epicenter for a lot of homes and businesses, litter happens to be an issue many might not notice, but it remains a problem. Due to the construction within a mile of almost anywhere you go in the area, you will almost always be welcomed with debris from projects that are currently being built or were just finished. This garbage litters the streets and walkways.
However, it’s not just construction that cause so much trash to be thrown about, the people are the biggest cause of this issue. I’ll be walking my dog and will always see cans, glass, papers, clothes, wrappers, bags, etc. littering the sides of the road, stuck in weeds, and gently blowing in the breeze going every which way.
16. No more Farmlands
The growth of this city has caused a lot of the once beautiful, flourishing farmlands to be diminished to make room for more homes and businesses.
These lands are not only gorgeous to look at but provide level space to see the surroundings behind them. Once the last of the farmlands are gone and there’s nothing but buildings in their midst, much of the beauty of the city will be lost.
15. Restaurants
One would think that since many people are building in Highland, there would be quite a variety when it came to places to eat. That is not the case. There are a handful of restaurants in the area, especially in the busiest part of the city near the middle school, but they’re all pizza places, smoothie shops, and ice cream shops.
Call me crazy, but when there’s a large city with so many people wanting to go out and eat all the time, pizza shouldn’t be the only option.
With so much being constructed all around the area, I don’t think the people would mind so much if there were more fast food and restaurant options.
14. Renters
Renters are hard to put up with. They stay in basement apartments, backyard casitas, and homes, unnecessarily increasing local traffic.
They also obscure neighborhood unity with regular turnovers and not having the same opportunities to meet people in more conventional ways.
13. Animals
If you are an animal lover, Highland could be the place for you, but beware that everyone here loves animals. One can almost always guarantee that a dog will bark right as they’re trying to go to sleep and continue to do so sporadically throughout the night until it’s almost time to get up in the morning.
There are also issues with neighboring deer that come down every day to leave little surprises for you to pick up in your yard. This, along with the literal hazards of their presence whenever you’re trying to drive anywhere near the canyon at night and one pops out of nowhere right in front of your car, can cause unsettling feelings whenever you’re behind the wheel.
12. No Variety
Most Utah neighborhoods are very similar in the sense that the residents are almost always White, conservative, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The majority of Highland, Utah happens to follow this trend as well. In all my years living near and going to school in this city, I’ve seen maybe only a handful of different races or members of the LGBTQ+ community. Not that this is necessary for every community, but given this growing area, it’s easy to notice there isn’t much racial diversity.
11. Schools
Some of the schools are located in great proximity to anyone living in Highland and have been regarded as some of the best in the state. However, these awards were given by people that didn’t go to these schools and don’t know what they’re about like someone who did.
Let’s talk about the main high school Lone Peak High School. This school has had so many scandals with teachers showing up drunk or high and having inappropriate relationships with students, sexual or abusive. Most of these issues eventually get reported, but some don’t.
There was also a point in time when this school had the highest state average for suicides in one year because as it prides itself on being “world-class”, it makes its state accomplishments more of a priority than the safety and comfort of the students in attendance.
However, the students aren’t completely innocent either. There were several times I’ve personally seen drugs being dealt and abused, as well as sexual liaisons behind the building, in bathrooms, and in parked cars before and after school hours. And that’s just during the day. At night, you will always spot cars in the parking lot drag racing or doing who knows what else while the engines are off.
10. People
There are thousands of good, decent people in Highland, Utah, but there are some of the most unpleasant there as well.
The residents of Highland can be the most judgemental, conceited, and self-righteous individuals on the face of the planet. It’s hard to make lasting friendships and relationships with any of them because you’ll never know what their true intentions are.
Annoyances that didn’t use to be here since the invasion of so many changes have caused the people that have been living here, as well as the ones now moving in, to be more exclusive and disrespectful. They take it out on one another behind each other’s backs, in person, and while driving.
9. Businesses
The businesses are only beneficial to about 2% of the people in Highland, the restaurants aren’t that great, and with so much being built, it doesn’t spark a lot of hope for what’s in store. There’re too many nail salons and boutiques, and a few more entertainment options for the general public to enjoy would make living in this area more tolerable.
These corporations are also extra expensive because of the growth in the city, so it’s also hard to even have the means to utilize what the city has have to offer.
8. Between Cities
Highland isn’t normally a main destination for people, but the roads in between more populated and well-known cities are in Highland. This can be frustrating for a few different reasons.
The number of accidents that happen on the roads is probably double where they are anywhere else. The drivers are coming off the freeway on their way to a large city and the traffic is getting worse, which causes incidents almost daily.
7. Fault line
One of the more potentially dangerous things about Highland is the fault line that runs through it. The fault line pretty much guarantees that there will be an earthquake at some point that could potentially affect the whole state. A large earthquake on this fault line will severely damage Highland.
This fault line is also overdue for a massive earthquake by over a hundred years or so. Though it could be another hundred years before this earthquake finally happens, it could also be any day now, which should be taken into account before moving to Highland.
6. Mountain
The mountain and canyon are blessings to a lot of the residents, as well as the people in the surrounding neighborhoods, but with all the wildlife, extra snow, and potential for landslides, it can also be very hard to live near.
Not only that, but it also brings a lot of overcrowding with people coming to hike, canoe, or camp, it grows frustrating for the residents having to deal with the traffic, and also never being able to go up without making reservations to do what they grew up enjoying now that everyone knows about it.
Because there is a marshland at the base of the mountain and canyon, the smells that float through a lot of the city are also hard to handle sometimes because of how foul it can get. Not to mention the number of bugs that comes with it as well.
5. Winters
Winters are extremely rough here because it’s next to the mountains and canyon, and the winds are harsh, with violent wind tunnels getting created on cold days.
These winters make it hard for drivers to get from place to place safely since the roads become slick with ice, and a lot of people have a hard time knowing how to drive in such hazardous situations like that.
It also causes problems with homes and cars when certain functions freeze over, as your pipes will definitely freeze if you live in this city if you don’t prepare them properly.
4. Expensive
There are plenty of wealthy people in this area, so it’s no surprise that many of the homes are incredibly overpriced and expensive. Within the last several years, multimillion-dollar homes within the boundaries of Highland have become exponentially more popular.
Lots of people have been moving out lately due to the now almost unbearable environment with the influx of people and construction. With this, people have been selling their homes for almost triple what they originally bought them for years prior.
With the housing market shooting up as much as it has been, this has only been increasing the prices in houses in individual neighborhoods and the overall city.
3. Traffic
I’d say one of the most annoying issues to have to deal with in and around Highland is the traffic. There are so many stop signs and stop lights everywhere, everything is constantly backed up more than necessary.
There’s also the fact that since it consists of neighborhoods with children that could run out at any moment, the average speed limit is around 25 miles per hour on any given street. The rest is where businesses are so areas get super busy from drivers getting to appointments, restaurants, and shopping.
Drivers around here are also not the brightest since a lot of the vehicles are just passing through to get to another city or the nearest freeway entrance. So, expect to be cut off, honked at, flipped off, and tailgated at any given time.
2. Construction
With Highland being one of the faster-growing cities in the state of Utah, it’s pretty much a guarantee that frequent construction will be involved. As someone that’s lived near here for the last 14 years, I’ve never seen so much construction as there’s been in the last couple of years.
It’s hard to drive down any street, or enter any area without there being a “road-closed” or “detour ahead” sign blocking the path you’d like to take, promising to make you late for any commute.
Because of this, along with the sheer amount of noise so much machinery makes, it’s nearly unbearable to go anywhere and enjoy your time outside when it is warm during the summer.
1. Overcrowded
The biggest reason you should not move to Highland, Utah is the cause of a lot of these issues. It’s a growing city that once had a lot of room because of the beautiful farmland, and it is now being overrun with people.
There is too much construction, nad homes and businesses are being built almost on top of one another. The more people moving in and working here, bringing cars that contribute to the traffic. More people are going to businesses and restaurants, increasing wait times for everyone.
Many people are reading about how amazing the school’s rankings are and wanting their kids to come here to partake in the opportunities that could be offered.
Overall, there are many reasons why you should not move to Highland, Utah.
