West Jordan, Utah

West Jordan is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City and had a population of 116,961 as of the 2020 Census, making it the third most populous city in the state. The city is located at the southwest end of the Salt Lake Valley and sits at an elevation of 4,330 feet (1,320 m). It is named after the nearby Jordan River, with the city's boundaries starting on the river’s western bank and ending in the eastern foothills of the Oquirrh Mountains, where the Kennecott Copper Mine, the world's largest man-made excavation, can be found.

Settled in the mid-19th century, West Jordan has grown into an important regional center. As of 2012, the city had four major retail centers, with Jordan Landing being one of the largest mixed-use developments in the Intermountain West. Several companies have their headquarters in West Jordan, including Mountain America Credit Union, Lynco Sales & Service, SME Steel, and Cyprus Credit Union. The city is home to Jordan Valley Medical Center, its only major hospital, and a campus of Salt Lake Community College.

Notable landmarks in West Jordan include Gardner Village, established in 1850, and the South Valley Regional Airport, formerly called "Salt Lake Airport #2". This airport supports general aviation and serves as a base for the 211th Aviation Regiment of the Utah Army National Guard, which operates Apache and Black Hawk helicopters.

History

West Jordan was named by settlers who arrived in 1847 led by Brigham Young. They called the river west of Salt Lake City the Western Jordan, after a river in Jordan. The city was founded in 1849 along this river.

One of the first sawmills in the area was built there in 1850. The city grew slowly at first, relying on farming, mills, and mining. Over the years, West Jordan has grown very quickly. Many new homes and buildings have been built, and it is now one of the fastest-growing cities in Utah.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.9 square miles (80.0 km²), all land.

West Jordan is bordered on the west by the Oquirrh Mountains and on the east by the Jordan River. The western neighborhoods of Welby, Copper Hills, and Jordan Hills are growing quickly along the lower slopes of the eastern Oquirrh Mountains. The fastest development is happening between 4800 West and State Route 111, a highway that runs through the slopes of the Oquirrh Mountains.

The city lies about 18 miles (29 km) southwest of downtown Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by Taylorsville and Kearns, on the south by South Jordan, on the east by Sandy, Murray and Midvale, on the west by Copperton, and on the extreme northwestern corner by West Valley City.

Government

West Jordan became an official city on January 10, 1941. In 2017, people voted to change how the city is run to a council-mayor system, which started on January 6, 2020. The city has a city council with seven members: a chair, a vice-chair, and five council members. In 2024, they started rotating these leadership roles every six months, on January 1 and July 1.

The mayor is the main leader of the city and appoints someone to help manage city work. The council makes important decisions, and the mayor carries them out. The mayor and council members are elected for four-year terms. Some council members are chosen from specific parts of the city, while others are chosen by everyone. This way, people vote for at least one city leader every two years. Dirk Burton is the current mayor.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

According to the 2020 census, West Jordan had a population of 116,961 people. The median age was 31.6 years. About 30% of the residents were younger than 18, and about 9% were 65 years or older. For every 100 females, there were about 99 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were about 97 males aged 18 and over.

All residents lived in urban areas. There were 35,044 households, with 46% having children under 18 living in them. Most households, around 61%, were made up of married couples. About 13% had a male householder without a spouse or partner, and 20% had a female householder without a spouse or partner. Roughly 14% of households were made up of individuals, and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 36,247 housing units, with 3% being vacant. The rate of vacant homes for sale was 0.6%, and the rate of vacant rental units was 7.2%.

Education

Most of West Jordan is part of the Jordan School District, but two small areas in the north belong to the Granite School District. The city has 16 elementary schools, four middle schools, and two high schools named West Jordan and Copper Hills. There are also campuses of Salt Lake Community College and Broadview University in the city.

The Jordan Campus of Salt Lake Community College in West Jordan offers general education classes and all of the college's health science courses. The Jordan School District's Applied Technology Center is also located on this campus.

Transportation

Interstate 15 is a big highway located east of West Jordan, helping people travel from the north and south. Another highway, Interstate 215, circles around the northeast part of the city. Bangerter Highway (State Route 154) runs through the center of West Jordan, close to a shopping area and an airport.

West Jordan has a smaller airport called the South Valley Regional Airport, which helps with travel in the area. The city also has many bus routes run by the Utah Transit Authority, connecting to train stations and downtown Salt Lake City. A train line was added in 2011, making it easier to travel through the city.

Notable people

West Jordan has been home to many interesting people. Delila Abbotts and Ken Ivory both served as Utah state legislators. Don Fullmer and his brother Gene Fullmer were notable boxers, with Gene winning the world middleweight championship in 1957. Wassef Ali Hassoun served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Carolyn Jessop wrote a book called Escape about her time in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sealver Siliga played professional football in the National Football League.

In the media

In the pretend TV show Big Love on HBO, one of the character's home improvement stores is said to be in West Jordan.

Sister cities

West Jordan has a sister city, as chosen by an organization called Sister Cities International.

The sister city of West Jordan is Votkinsk, located in Udmurtia, Russia.