Utah is not a four-letter word. I prefer Ogden to Logan or Cedar City because Ogden has much better shopping, dining, and other options. Logan is also one of if not THE coldest part of Utah, just as St George on the opposite corner is the hottest.
Ogden gets about five days a year at or above 100 degrees and about five days below zero. Access to hunting, fishing, skiing, and camping within minutes. I came here almost 35 years ago and I am never leaving.
The smaller the town, the more the Mormon percentage, but while they will outnumber you they are not oppressive. Just tell your neighbors that you aren't interested and that's it. Ogden is about 50/50 LDS and not. They make wonderful neighbors. The church does affect state politics to a degree, but that's actually lessening over time as the population changes.
The downside? Utah is rapidly running out of water. We depend totally on snowfall for water, and with our exploding population (both birth and incomers like you) it is getting pretty near critical. If you move here, consider an existing house in an older neighborhood over new construction - to be sure you'll have water rights.
Yes. Make sure you have some kind of guarantee to water and it's in the sales contract. If it's not you will be paying hugely for it, IF you can get it at all. My brother got his contract years ago and he is doing OK but now every drop is spoken for. Water rights are the only thing that keeps Utah from being overrun by Californians. They show up and they just assume water is a given. It's not.
kwg
