Quick Facts and Stats About Salt Lake

The more you get to know Salt Lake, the more you want to see. Since 1847, we’ve been a destination where traditional outlooks mingle with progressive ideals. A little bit wild, a little bit refined – but always inventive and inspiring. Here are some quick numbers and handy info to help you plan your next vacation here.

By the numbers

Salt Lake is the largest metropolitan area in Utah. Salt Lake is used to refer to both the city and the county. The city is bordered by the Great Salt Lake and the snow-capped Wasatch Range. Meanwhile, the county stretches from the suburbs of North Salt Lake to Bluffdale and is ringed by the Oquirrh (pronounced “oaker”) and Wasatch ranges.

Estimated Population

Salt Lake is an arid mountain desert. The air is thin, dry, and ranges between hot and freezing throughout the year. The area does experience four full seasons. (Sometimes they just all hit in one day.)

On average, Salt Lake gets 20 inches of rain per year in addition to 54 inches of snow per year. Typically, there are 222 sunny days each year in Salt Lake.

We strongly suggest dressing in layers no matter what time of year you plan your Salt Lake vacation. 

Average Daily Temperature

Salt Lake lies in a mountain valley with the Wasatch Mountains to the east and north, and the Oquirrh (pronounced “oaker”) Mountains to the west. State Street runs north to south at the bottom of the valley floor. The area was once covered by the ancient Lake Bonneville. This huge lake once stretched across Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. The eastern parts of the city were built on ancient beaches of this lake and are now called, “benches” in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains. The Great Salt Lake is the last remaining remnant of Lake Bonneville. Its shores form the northwest border of Salt Lake.

Phone Numbers

Utah’s area codes are 801, 385, and 435. (The US code is 1.) In Salt Lake, most numbers begin with 801.