Orem, Utah

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. Another former name was Provo Bench.

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.

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. Orem was incorporated on May 5, 1919.

In 2025, Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated at Utah Valley University.

Geography

Orem is in a high desert, with an average elevation of 4,767 ft. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of 18.4 sqmi, 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

2020 census

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 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 4,572.6 /mi2. There were 24,166 housing units at an average density of 1,310.4 /mi2. 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. 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. The temple is located 0.5 mi south of the Interstate 15 exit at University Parkway on South Geneva Road.

Economy

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.

Top employers

According to the city's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's top employers are:

Company startups

Several notable companies started in Orem:

• Blendtec
• Caldera
• Fishbowl Inventory
• Mity-Lite
• Novell (now owned by Micro Focus)
• Omniture (now owned by Adobe Systems)
• PowerQuest
• Wahoo Studios
  • NinjaBee, subdivision of Wahoo Studios
• WordPerfect (now owned by Corel, it was first named Satellite Software International and used Orem City Center as its headquarters for a time in offices the city had available in the basement)

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, pool party, outdoor concert, volunteer opportunities, car show, and parade. Oremfest originated in 1949 to celebrate the completion of State Street. 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. 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.

As of 2025, other city arts and cultural events 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. 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. 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.

Sports

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. The Owlz won 5 championships and had more than 90 major league players as part of the team. 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. The Owlz competed in the Pioneer League against teams from Colorado, Idaho, Montana and one team in Utah – the Ogden Raptors. They relocated to Windsor, Colorado, in 2021 and became the Northern Colorado Owlz.

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.

Parks and recreation

Orem has more than 20 parks throughout the city. In 2017, the Orem Splash Pad opened at Palisade Park. The Splash Pad uses 1000 USgal per minute and has a weave spray nozzle as well as 22 other spray nozzles. The Skate Park opened in 2002 and has 0.25 acre of cemented space for extreme sport use. City Center Park is home to the annual Orem Summerfest as well as concerts and other cultural events.

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. The Orem City Center Complex on State Street housed city staffer offices from 1969 until 2025, when a new city hall was built. The old city hall was 3D scanned before it was demolished.

List of mayors of Orem (years served):

• J. Lawrence Snow (1919–1925)
• J.W. Gillman (1925–1931)
• Ivan J. Burr (1932–1935)
• Emery McKellip (1936–1937), died in 1952
• 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.
• 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
• Joseph Nelson (died in office) (1998–1999)
• Chris Yandow (1999–1999)
• Jerry C. Washburn (2000–2011) Died on September 26, 2011, after a long battle with cancer.
• James T. Evans (2011–2014)
• Richard F. Brunst, Jr. (2014–2021)
• David A. Young (2022–2025)
• Karen McCandless (2026-present)

Education

Orem is in the Alpine School District and is home to three high schools, three junior high schools, and 14 elementary schools. An education center of Utah State University is also in Orem.

Utah Valley University

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. 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.

Infrastructure

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. 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.

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. 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).

Notable people

• Alan Ashton – owns land of Thanksgiving Point and is co-founder of WordPerfect
• Ben Cahoon – receiver for the Montreal Alouettes
• William Campbell – California state legislator
• James C. Christensen – fantasy, religious and surrealism artist
• Ally Condie – New York Times bestselling author of the Matched series
• LaVell Edwards – BYU football coach
• Travis Hansen – former guard for Atlanta Hawks; co-founder of Eddy
• Brett Helquist- illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Gary Herbert – former Governor of the State of Utah
• Chelsie Hightower – Professional ballroom dancer on Dancing with the Stars
• Tom Holdman – stained glass artist and studio owner
• Allison Holker – So You Think You Can Dance season 2 finalist
• Julianne Hough – actress, professional ballroom dancer on Dancing with the Stars, and singer, born in Orem
• John S. K. Kauwe III – Biologist and president of Brigham Young University–Hawaii
• Paul Kruger – NFL linebacker for the Cleveland Browns
• Chad Lewis – NFL tight end
• Bert McCracken – lead vocals of the rock band The Used, was born in Provo but grew up in Orem
• Rome Odunze – NFL wide receiver for the Chicago Bears was born in Orem
• Donny Osmond – American actor and singer
• Marie Osmond – American actress and singer
• Noelle Pikus-Pace – 2005 overall World Cup Skeleton title winner and silver medalist at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics
• Shauna Rohbock – silver medalist in women's bobsleigh at the Turin 2006 Olympics
• Thomas Sederberg – Creator of the T-spline
• Marlon O. Snow – member of the Utah House of Representatives
• Howard Tayler – author of Schlock Mercenary
• Erin Thorn – WNBA guard
• Dan Wells – author of the I Am Not a Serial Killer and Partials Sequence Notable groups include:
• Rock band The Used

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.

References

References

1. "QuickFacts: Orem city, Utah". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. {{GNIS. 2411333
4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau.
5. "10 fun facts about Orem that you may not know".
6. Cannon II, Kenneth L.. (1994). "Utah History Encyclopedia". University of Utah Press.
7. Rigert, Michael. "Orem founded 90 years ago today".
8. Amatulli, Jenna. (September 10, 2025). "Charlie Kirk, Trump ally and rightwing activist, shot dead at Utah university". [[The Guardian]].
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
10. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Orem city, Utah". [[United States Census Bureau]].
11. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Orem city, Utah". [[United States Census Bureau]].
12. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Orem city, Utah". [[United States Census Bureau]].
13. "Orem, Utah (UT) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders".
14. (2019-10-06). "Members around the world react to President Nelson's 8 new temples announcement".
15. Buckley, Jay H.. (2010). "Orem". Arcadia Publishing.
16. "City Finances – City of Orem".
17. "Kiwanis Charity Golf Tournament – OremFest".
18. Vassilaros, Lexi. (2024-04-22). "An Orem 2024 summer: Community events".
19. "Festival Flashback:".
20. "Orem changes summer celebration name to Oremfest after legal threat".
21. "SoJo Summerfest {{!}} South Jordan, UT".
22. "Events – City of Orem".
23. (2006-10-17). "Orem Library Collection 'One of Best'".
24. (2017-01-15). "Man with life-long stutter finds a voice through art".
25. "Library Hall".
26. (2005-06-16). "Fowl ball: Orem Owlz look to soar like Provo Angels of old".
27. Coles, Joe. (2020-07-14). "Wait 'til next year: Cancellation of minor league baseball season leaves void in lives of players and fans alike".
28. "Facilities".
29. "2019 Pioneer League".
30. Kirk, Alexander. (November 30, 2020). "Orem Owlz announce move to Windsor in 2021".
31. (2 February 2017). "Orem to open splash pad at Palisade Park in May".
32. (August 2025). "11 fun things to do in Orem".
33. Herald, Genelle Pugmire Daily. (August 2025). "Orem's Summerfest postponed".
34. "Mayor & City Council – City of Orem".
35. "Orem City Hall – City of Orem".
36. "Orem City Hall".
37. Yumpu.com. "City of Orem: A Centennial Benchmark".
38. "Atom v3 {{!}} HBLL".
39. (1992-04-12). "DEATH: WINSTON M. CRAWFORD".
40. "Stella Welsh, first elected female mayor of Orem, turns 90".
41. Herald, Reva Bowen-Daily. "Orem will start looking for new mayor next week".
42. "BYU Magazine: The Magazine of Brigham Young University".
43. [http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=17415987 Orem mayor loses battle with cancer]. ksl.com (September 26, 2011). Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
44. "Alpine School District".
45. "www.orem.org".
46. "Utah Valley University Fall Enrollment Tops 43,000 Students". UVU Content Hub.
47. "Roots of Knowledge".
48. "Station Addresses".
49. (7 October 2019). "New Provo-Orem rapid bus now rivals the ridership of TRAX Green Line".
50. "All Exits along I-15 in Utah starting near Portage {{!}} iExit Interstate Exit Guide".
51. (7 November 2019). "Orem council approves 1600 North ownership transfer to UDOT for $30 million widening".
52. (2010-10-20). "Former Cougar Ben Cahoon becomes Canadian Football League's leading receiver".
53. Woo, Elaine. (2015-03-25). "Sen. William Campbell dies at 79; longtime state lawmaker".
54. (2017-01-09). "Of fantasy and faith: LDS artist James C. Christensen dies at 74".
55. (28 November 2010). "YA, LDS author Ally Condie takes on dystopian matchmaking". Deseret News.
56. (2016-12-30). "LaVell Edwards, who coached BYU for nearly 30 years, dies at 86".
57. (2025-06-04). "How former BYU star Travis Hansen found purpose beyond basketball in faith, service".
58. (2017-09-07). "BYU extends Mormon illustrator's 'Unfortunate' exhibit one more month".
59. "Salt Lake dance workshop ready to cha cha and rumba with Chelsie Hightower".
60. (2017-01-15). "Man with life-long stutter finds a voice through art".
61. (2010-11-02). "Orem dancer thrilled to be part of 'So You Think You Can Dance' tour".
62. Tevaga, Media Contact: Laura. (2020-05-12). "New president named for Brigham Young University–Hawaii".
63. (2012-01-21). "Kruger finally finding his place in Baltimore defense".
64. (2008-07-07). "Chad Lewis - from missionary to China representative".
65. (2024-06-19). "Another receiver with ties to Provo hopes to break Puka Nacua's rookie records this season".
66. "Shauna Rohbock - Athlete - 2010 Vancouver Olympics".
67. Tayler, Howard. "Blógünder Schlock » About".
68. (23 January 2023). "Former BYU, WNBA player Erin Thorn talks Cougars women, growth of women's basketball".
69. (2025-05-03). "The Used on their humble start in Utah — and growth over the past 25 years".
70. Andelin, Jennifer. (10 September 2010). "Utah's International & Sister City Partnerships".