Stay in Utah or move to Denver area ? (hotel, home)

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

I can honestly say I have never heard that narrative. Actually just the opposite. I have read threads on here from folks that say a lot of communities are closed and hard to break into if you are not of the majority faith.

Originally Posted by Coloradomom22

Actually people do promote Utah as a place that would be comfortable for non-Mormons to fit into and as a place that no longer has a strong Mormon effect. I see this often on CD when people ask about places to move.

I spent some time (just shy of 2 years) in SLC. We're not LDS. We lived down town SLC and spent a lot of time at PC resorts. Down town is much less (less than half I think) than north/south counties, and thus is much easier place to live. We enjoyed our time there, and have several friends still in the area (both LDS and non). To be fair - we didn't have kids at the time, so this may have been an issue.

OP - where specifically do you live in Utah?

[otowi]

Originally Posted by hothulamaui

Or teaching in a private school. I couldn’t live in Utah for the exact reasons the op mentioned. Go where you feel comfortable.

Private schools usually pay even less.

[BarryK123]

If you have multiple wives, you'll have to stay.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Coloradomom22

Actually people do promote Utah as a place that would be comfortable for non-Mormons to fit into and as a place that no longer has a strong Mormon effect. I see this often on CD when people ask about places to move.

Actually, they promote Salt Lake City as such a place (which it is), but not Utah in general (which it isn't.) Salt Lake City is really quite different from the rest of Utah, Park City being another exception, and to some extent Moab.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Actually, they promote Salt Lake City as such a place (which it is), but not Utah in general (which it isn't.) Salt Lake City is really quite different from the rest of Utah, Park City being another exception, and to some extent Moab.

That seems to be true. What about St. George and its retirees? Especially since it is practically in Nevada.

We met a group of four young adults on vacation who bemoaned the Mormon control. They lived in metro SLC. But this was back in early 2005 and things might have gotten more cosmopolitan since then. Also, these folks enjoyed living it up the stereotypical yuppie way—happy hours, lots of recreation that did not involve kids, traveling. Not family-oriented stuff.

One thing I’ve heard about SLC makes me smile. Supposedly the residents favor ice cream parlors over bars, and there are many places to support that preference. It happens to match mine also, and it matches a key quirk of metro Boston, where I lived. I loved seeing lines around the block, of people waiting to get an ice cream cone...on a frigid January day!

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by BarryK123

If you have multiple wives, you'll have to stay.

No, THOSE people live in heavily guarded (armed patrol) enclaves in rural areas where they quietly bought up huge parcels of secluded land. Sometimes the wives appear in local stores with their WIC coupons, bilking the federal gov. BUT it should be said that the polygamists are not Mormons, who no longer condone polygamy, at least officially.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by pikabike

That seems to be true. What about St. George and its retirees? Especially since it is practically in Nevada.

We met a group of four young adults on vacation who bemoaned the Mormon control. They lived in metro SLC. But this was back in early 2005 and things might have gotten more cosmopolitan since then. Also, these folks enjoyed living it up the stereotypical yuppie way—happy hours, lots of recreation that did not involve kids, traveling. Not family-oriented stuff.

One thing I’ve heard about SLC makes me smile. Supposedly the residents favor ice cream parlors over bars, and there are many places to support that preference. It happens to match mine also, and it matches a key quirk of metro Boston, where I lived. I loved seeing lines around the block, of people waiting to get an ice cream cone...on a frigid January day!

St George is a community I have experience with and one that I was thinking of when I said some communities in Utah are still relatively “closed.” It’s the town where all the Mormons with money head to. There are some interesting posts in the St George threads regarding this exact issue.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by pikabike

No, THOSE people live in heavily guarded (armed patrol) enclaves in rural areas where they quietly bought up huge parcels of secluded land. Sometimes the wives appear in local stores with their WIC coupons, bilking the federal gov. BUT it should be said that the polygamists are not Mormons, who no longer condone polygamy, at least officially.

There's an FLDS enclave in TX which is home to men with 10-20 or more wives and literally busloads of kids. Under TX law only one wife is recognized, the other 20 wives are considered single moms who, along with 30-50+ kids are eligible for TX benefits of welfare or food stamps or unemployment, etc. Taxpayers of TX are eating millions of dollars in benefits every month. IIRC this was a segment on TV show 60 Minutes several years ago. Not sure how it is in other states, but it sure as hell needs to stop.

[beachmouse]

DoD can be hard to get into at times unless you’re a status candidate (ie. you are a military spouse)

[otowi]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

DoD can be hard to get into at times unless you’re a status candidate (ie. you are a military spouse)

This is true - I know teachers who apply for decades before getting in. Further, you need to be very flexible about the location of your assignment if you really want to do it - you'll get in sooner if you are okay being sent anywhere in the world.