Orem, UT

Orem, in Utah County, is the sixth-largest city in Utah, with a population of about 93,000 residents. Located in the north-central part of the state, Orem is composed of slightly more than 18 square miles and is near the foothills of Mount Timpanogos. Many high-tech companies are based in Orem, drawn by the easy living, the hiking, golf and skiing, and the promixity to Brigham Young University in nearby Provo.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

• Aspen: The Aspen area is a residential community that blends luxury living with world-class skiing.
• Bonneville: This area is most known for its homes in the middle-to-upper price bracket and its local golf course.
• Geneva: Geneva is filled with single-family and multi-family homes and fast-food restaurants. The neighborhood comprises most of the east end of Orem.
• Westmore: The Westmore neighborhood of Orem is a mixed residential area with moderately priced homes, making it easy for home buyers to find something in their price range.
• Northgate Village: The area known as Northgate Village is approximately 65 acres and is a blend of residential homes and business space. The architectural theme is Tuscan, and residents enjoy views of Mount Timpanogas and Utah Lake.
• University Mall: This mall boasts 1.5 million square feet of shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities, with nearly 200 businesses under one roof.
• Lake Pointe Shopping Center: This shopping center has more than 175,000 square feet of retail space, restaurants and entertainment venues.
• Shops at Riverwoods: The Shops at Riverwoods offers local boutiques side-by-side with national retailers in an open-air format. Several restaurants are also scattered in the area and offer outdoor patios so patrons can enjoy the beautiful vistas.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The city is consistently ranked high on Money magazine's list of the "Best Places to Live in America." Orem boasts an economic base that consists of more than 4,000 businesses, including giants such as Costco, Target and Wal-Mart. In addition to these retail businesses, Orem is also a technological hotbed, with 236 high-tech companies, including Novell, WordPerfect, PowerQwest and MyFamily.com calling the city home. It's easy to see why Orem was recognized as the second-best city in America for new and growing companies in the December 2000 issue of Inc. magazine. These are a few of Orem's largest employers:

• Convergys
• MyFamily.com
• Novell
• Omniture
• Timpanogos Regional Hospital

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Orem enjoys a very low unemployment rate, with only about 2 percent of its residents unemployed in 2007. The average median household income in 2007 was $50,683, which is slightly lower than the state average of $55,109. The average median home value in Orem for the same time frame was $224,100, which is slightly higher than the state average of $218,700.

EDUCATION

Orem is home to an extensive public school system and a handful of colleges:

• Utah Valley University
• Stevens-Henager College
• Utah Career College

EVENTS

• LDS (Latter Day Saints) Film Festival: This film festival is held each January and highlights the skills of local filmmakers. One of the most popular draws is the 24-hour filmmaker contest, in which contestants are given a theme and have 24 hours to produce a short film.
• Summerfest: This festival celebrates summertime with a parade, baby contests, boutiques and entertainment. Typically held in June, this is a must-see festival for those in the area.
• Freedom Festival: Created to promote American values, this nonprofit organization hosts events all year long; its largest celebration is held on Independence Day. With parades, carnivals, a car show and competitive cook-offs, this festival is not to be missed.
• Timpanogos Storytelling Festival: This storytelling festival is typically scheduled for late August or early September and features storytelling workshops and stories from favorite storytellers such as Carmen Deedy, Bill Harley and Syd Lieberman.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Hale Center Theatre: This live theater venue has a strong focus on the performing arts. It has a collection of archived costumes and offers educational programs for kids and adults.
• Scera Shell: Part of the Scera arts organization, Scera Shell is an outdoor theater group that puts on a variety of shows each year, including such well-known productions as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and West Side Story.
• UVSC Woodbury Art Museum: This museum is part of Utah Valley State College and showcases displays from the Smithsonian Americanos collection, as well as items from the American Watercolor Society and the Art of Utah Foundation.
• Utah Valley Wolverines: The Wolverines are part of Utah Valley University. The school fields teams playing a number of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track and field, volleyball and wrestling.
• Orem Owlz (Pioneer League baseball)
• Utah Flash (D-League basketball)
• Utah Valley Thunder (AIFA arena football)