About South Salt Lake
South Salt Lake is a small city with big opportunities. Our City is among the most socially and economically diverse in Utah, with many newcomers arriving from other countries every year. With a population of about 27,000, our community has grown from a first-tier suburb of single-family homes to a burgeoning urban village with a new downtown and streetcar neighborhood. The City has fully embraced its niche, offering varied housing that attracts a diverse demographic.
At a Glance
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Population: 26,777
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Median Household Income: $49,616
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Median Age: 32.2
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Businesses: 3,200
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Total Retail: $1,331,288
The City is 7 square miles in area and shares its borders with Salt Lake City, West Valley City, and Millcreek City. We are conveniently located within 15 minutes of Salt Lake International Airport. The University of Utah, Westminster College, and Salt Lake Community College campuses are also within minutes of the City. Interstates I-15 and I-80 intersect within the northern boundary of South Salt Lake, providing convenient transportation all across the state.
The western two-thirds of the city is dominated by industrial and commercial businesses, while the eastern portion has a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. For years, the City of South Salt Lake was known as the "Center of Industry" and zoned for commercial or light industrial uses. While the City still embraces itself as an important commercial and industrial hub for Utah, the City has adopted the tagline "City On The Move" to include all of the progressive developments occurring within the City today.
We are growing at approximately 1% annually, and have built hundreds of new housing units close to public transit systems. The neighborhoods that make up the city were built in several eras, starting with the bungalows from around the time of city incorporation (1938), to post-war cottages (1950s), to modern subdivisions (1960s to today). Multi-family units, from duplexes on up to urban apartment buildings, are mixed in throughout, particularly around our seven light rail stops. More than half of our residents are renters.
South Salt Lake youth attend Granite School District schools, including three elementary schools, one International charter school for grades 7 through 12, and one junior high school. High School students attend several different high schools outside city boundaries. The City hosts numerous afterschool and summer programs through Promise South Salt Lake - a nationally recognized program for youth and families that operates out of both schools and City community centers. A Youth City Council also connects youth to City leadership, the legislative process, and service opportunities.
Our City is served by a full-time mayor, a seven-member city council, and approximately 400 employees. The city has its local police, Fire department, and Public Works department.
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About the Mayor
Cherie Wood
South Salt Lake's first female Mayor, Cherie Wood was elected to office in 2010. As a third-generation, lifelong resident of South Salt Lake, Cherie attended its public schools and graduated from Granite High School. After graduation, at the age of 19, she started working for the city, moving her way up through several different departments and positions on her way to becoming Deputy Mayor under Mayor Bob Gray all while earning her college degrees and raising her family.
Cherie fully learned the ins and outs of how a city is managed and earned the respect of city employees, and then realized she had what it takes to run a city and be the leader her community needed. She took office as a mom, raising young boys in the midst of a recession, and during the controversial closing of Granite High School. She could clearly see that change was needed and that the future would indeed be much different from the past.
She launched several comprehensive initiatives and partnerships that have strengthened and fundamentally reshaped the City of South Salt Lake, of these, Promise South Salt Lake, an initiative that invests in youth and families, has become her proudest legacy.
Mayor Wood's motto, "What I wish for myself and my family, I wish for everyone in my community" exemplifies her approach. She simply cares. She has prioritized initiatives and projects that make a difference in everyday lives, proving that true leaders are compassionate and committed. A closer look at programs created under her leadership and their outcomes speak for themselves.