Orem, Utah

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Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is approximately Template:Convert south of Salt Lake City.

Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and Juab counties. The 2020 population was 98,129,<ref name="QuickFacts" /> while the 2010 population was 88,328<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> making it the 6th most populous city in Utah. Utah Valley University is located in Orem.

History

At one time the area was known as Sharon, a Biblical name for a mostly level strip of land running between mountains and the sea, and the name of the Vermont birth town of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> Another former name was Provo Bench.<ref name=":4" />

Unlike many other early Utah communities, Orem's houses were not originally clustered in a town composed of regular city blocks. Instead, Orem's farmers dispersed their homes, building them along the territorial highway (now called State Street) and other major roads so that they could be close to both transportation corridors and to their fields and orchards.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

In an apparent attempt to attract more investment to the town and provide an easy way for the large population of farmers with orchards to ship produce, in 1914 it was named after Walter C. Orem, President of the Salt Lake and Utah Railroad in the early 1900s.<ref name="Rigert">Template:Cite news</ref> Orem was incorporated on May 5, 1919.<ref name="Rigert"/>

Assassination of Charlie Kirk

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On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem during the first college campus stop on The American Comeback Tour event. Kirk was taking questions and debating attendees when he was shot in the neck.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to the Associated Press, the shot came from the Losee Student Success Center, approximately Template:Convert from where Kirk was speaking.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Orem is in a high desert, with an average elevation of Template:Cvt. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of Template:Cvt, all land. Orem is near the eastern shore of Utah Lake, bordering Provo on the east and south, Vineyard to the west, Lindon contiguous to the north, and Mount Timpanogos/Wasatch Mountain range to the east.

Demographics

Template:US Census population

2020 census

Orem, Utah – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> % 2000 % 2010 Template:Partial
White alone (NH) 73,076 68,433 68,948 86.66% 77.48% 70.26%
Black or African American alone (NH) 267 524 866 0.32% 0.59% 0.88%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 521 528 485 0.62% 0.60% 0.49%
Asian alone (NH) 1,202 1,688 1,968 1.43% 1.91% 2.01%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 710 856 1,409 0.84% 0.97% 1.44%
Other race alone (NH) 103 162 469 0.12% 0.18% 0.48%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 1,228 1,913 4,130 1.46% 2.17% 4.21%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7,217 14,224 19,854 8.56% 16.10% 20.23%
Total 84,324 88,328 98,129 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of 2011 the 88,112 residents of Orem had a racial and ethnic composition of 89.3% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander Americans, 4% non-Hispanics reporting some other race, 2.9% two or more races reported and 14.8% Hispanic, as Orem has a large Mexican American community with other Latinos residing in the city. This contrasts with the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, which showed a racial makeup of 90.80% White, 0.33% African American, 0.73% Native American, 1.45% Asian, 0.86% Pacific Islander, 3.64% from other races, and 2.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.56% of the population.

The 2000 Census counted 84,324 people, 23,382 households, and 19,079 families. The population density at that time was Template:Convert. There were 24,166 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. There were 23,382 households, out of which 48.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 3.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 35.4% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 14.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,703, and the median income for a family was $59,066. Males had a median income of $42,249 versus $30,742 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,971. About 10.3% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16% of those under age 18 and 6% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2002, over 97% of all church-going citizens of Orem are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed Due to the high numbers of Latter-day Saints in the area, Church President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple in Orem on October 5, 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The temple is located Template:Convert south of the Interstate 15 exit at University Parkway on South Geneva Road.

Education

Orem is in the Alpine School District<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is home to three high schools, three junior high schools, and 14 elementary schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An education center of Utah State University is also in Orem.

Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University campus

Utah Valley University is a public university operated by the state of Utah. UVU is one of the United States' only Open Enrollment Universities, accepting all applicants. UVU offers a wide variety of bachelor's and master's degrees. It is Utah's largest and fastest-growing public university, with over 43,000 undergraduates.<ref name="UVU Enrollment">Template:Cite web</ref> The campus's notable features include the UCCU Center, the Digital Learning Center library, the Hal Wing Track and Field Complex, and the Woodbury School of Business. The Roots of Knowledge stained glass display is in the Fulton Library on campus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Clear left

Government

Orem has a council–manager government. The mayor and council members are elected and serve part-time, while the city manager is appointed and serves full-time. Six city council members serve alongside the mayor. The mayor and city council are elected to staggered four-year terms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Orem City Center Complex on State Street housed city staffer offices from 1969 until 2025, when a new city hall was built.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The old city hall was 3D scanned before it was demolished.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

List of mayors of Orem<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (years served):

  • J. Lawrence Snow (1919–1925)
  • J.W. Gillman (1925–1931)
  • Ivan J. Burr (1932–1935)
  • Emery McKellip (1936–1937), died in 1952<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • B. M. Jolley (1938–1945)
  • J. W. Gillman (1946–1953), served twice non-consecutively
  • Ray E. Loveless (1953)
  • Leland Jarman (1954–1957)
  • Luzell Robbins (1958)
  • V. Emil Hansen (1958–1959)
  • Melbourne D. Wallace (1960–1961)
  • G. Milton Jameson (1962–1965)
  • James E. Mangum (1966–1967)
  • Winston M. Crawford (1968–1973), also served on Chamber of Commerce and the city council, died April 10, of coronary complications at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • James E. Mangum (1974–1981)
  • Delance W. Squire (1982–1985)
  • S. Blaine Willes (1986–1991)
  • Joyce Johnson (1991)
  • Stella Welsh (1992–1997), first elected female mayor of Orem<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Joseph Nelson (died in office) (1998–1999)
  • Chris Yandow (1999–1999)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Jerry C. Washburn (2000–2011)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Died on September 26, 2011, after a long battle with cancer.<ref>Orem mayor loses battle with cancer. ksl.com (September 26, 2011). Retrieved on 2013-07-21.</ref>
  • James T. Evans (2011–2014)
  • Richard F. Brunst, Jr. (2014–2021)
  • David A. Young (2022–present)

Economy

A meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orem set against winter mountain backdrop

Orem has a wide variety of stores and businesses. It is also home to University Place, Utah County's oldest mall, opened in March 1973.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Top employers

According to the city's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the city's top employers are:

# Employer # of employees Percent of Total

City Employment

1 Utah Valley University 3,030 5.9%
2 Alpine School District 1,222 2.4%
3 City of Orem 569 1.1%
4 Timpanogos Regional Hospital 507 1.0%
5 Avetta, LLC 500 1.0%
6 Wal-Mart 499 1.0%
7 Target Corporation 409 0.8%
8 United Parcel Service, Inc. 360 0.7%
9 Costco 350 0.7%
10 U.S. Synthetic Corporation 347 0.7%
Total 7,793 15.3%

Company startups

Several notable companies started in Orem:

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Oremfest is an annual, multi-day summer festival that has included different activities over the years, but most recently has featured a charity golf tournament,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> pool party, outdoor concert, volunteer opportunities, car show, and parade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Oremfest originated in 1949 to celebrate the completion of State Street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other events traditionally included in the festival: a baby contest, a boutique, the Rotary Club Breakfast, a 5K Fun Run, fireworks, a carnival, and vendor booths.

The festival came to be known as Summerfest, until Orem city officials received a cease-and-desist letter in 2022 from Milwaukee World Festival Inc., based on that city's Summerfest music festival trademark and usage of the name dating back to 1969.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In lieu of signing a licensing agreement to use the Summerfest name, the Orem city council opted instead to rebrand to Oremfest. Other Utah cities like South Jordan, however, obtained permission use the trademarked Summerfest name for their own festivals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Since 2020, the Orem Farmer's Market runs weekly at City Center Park from mid-summer into the fall, and includes over 200 vendors of crafts and baked goods.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The market also features food trucks and live musical performances.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of 2025, other city arts & cultural events<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> through fall and winter include:

  • 9/11 Day of Service
  • "Taste of Orem" (food festival)
  • Harvest Festival
  • Veteran's Day Program
  • "Lights On" (winter light displays)

Library

Orem's first library opened in 1939, before eventually relocating. The new Orem Public Library was built on the same lot as city hall, adjacent to City Center Park, under Mayor Winston Crawford's tenure in 1971.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The library features stained glass art depicting several fairy tales at a window near the children's storytelling wing, the piece was created by artist Tom Holdman at the beginning of his career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Library Hall is an events space used for author visits, film screenings, and other programs, and includes an art gallery in the dōTERRA South Lobby.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sports

Hootz, the mascot of the Orem Owlz franchise in the Pioneer League

Orem has been home to a number of professional sports teams in addition to being the home to Utah Valley University's Wolverines athletic teams. The Orem Owlz minor league baseball team, a rookie league affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, began play in 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Owlz won 5 championships and had more than 90 major league players as part of the team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Owlz played their home games at UCCU Ballpark on the campus of Utah Valley University. The stadium has a capacity of 5,000 spectators.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Owlz competed in the Pioneer League against teams from Colorado, Idaho, Montana and one team in Utah – the Ogden Raptors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They relocated to Windsor, Colorado, in 2021 and became the Northern Colorado Owlz.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Orem has also been the home to two indoor football teams as well as a G League professional basketball team. In 1998, the Utah Catzz played their only season in the Professional Indoor Football League as the league only lasted one season. The Utah Flash was an NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers that was established in 2007.

Club Sport League Venue Established Concluded Championships Notes
Orem Owlz Baseball Pioneer League, Baseball UCCU Ballpark 2005 2020 5 The Pioneer League 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Utah Catzz Football Professional Indoor Football League UCCU Center 1998 1998 0 The Professional Indoor Football League only operated for one year during the 1998 season.
Utah Flash Basketball NBA G League UCCU Center 2007 2011 0 The Utah Flash was later moved and is now known as the Delaware Blue Coats.
Utah Valley Thunder Football American Indoor Football Association UCCU Center 2009 2009 0 The Utah Valley Thunder returned to the Arena Football League until 2013.

Transportation

Public transit

Several modes of transportation are available in Orem. The Utah Transit Authority operates the Frontrunner train, Utah Valley Express (UVX) bus rapid transit and regular bus service in the city. The Orem station serves Utah Transit Authority's FrontRunner train.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The UVX route runs from Orem Central Station through UVU and along University Parkway through Orem's uptown near its southern boundary with Provo, which is where the opposite end of the bus line is located.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

The road system includes an Interstate highway, US highways, state highways, and city-maintained roads. Interstate 15 runs through the west side of Orem with four interchanges in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> US Highway 89 (State Street) runs northwest–southeast through the middle of the city, while US Highway 189 (University Avenue) passes through a short section of northeast Orem. There are also four state routes that pass through the city – SR-52 (800 North/Canyon Parkway), SR-114 (Geneva Road), SR-241 (1600 North), and SR-265 (University Parkway).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable people

Notable groups include:

City parks

Scera Park

Orem has more than 20 parks throughout the city. In 2017, the Orem Splash Pad opened at Palisade Park. The Splash Pad uses Template:Convert per minute and has a weave spray nozzle as well as 22 other spray nozzles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Skate Park opened in 2002 and has Template:Convert of cemented space for extreme sport use.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> City Center Park is home to the annual Orem Summerfest as well as concerts and other cultural events.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> City parks include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

  • Bonneville Park
  • Cascade Park
  • Cherry Hill Park
  • City Center Park
  • Community park
  • Foothill Park
  • Geneva Park
  • Hillcrest Park
  • Lakeside Sports Park
  • Mt. Timpanogos Park
  • Nielson's Grove Park
  • Northridge Park
  • Orchard Park
  • Palisade Park
  • Scera Park
  • Sharon Park
  • Skate Park
  • Spring Water Park
  • Westmore Park
  • Windsor Park

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Sister cities

Orem has one sister city in Ürümqi, China, according to the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Utah Sister Cities Coalition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

References

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