Provo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Utah County, Utah, United States. It is south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front, and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south. With a population at the 2020 census of 115,162, It is Utah's second-largest metropolitan area after Salt Lake City.
Provo is the home to Brigham Young University (BYU), a private higher education institution operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Provo also has the LDS Church's largest Missionary Training Center (MTC). The city is a focus area for technology development in Utah, with several billion-dollar startups. The city's Peaks Ice Arena was a venue for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002.
History
thumb|right|Ft. Utah in 1850
The Provo area was originally called Timpanogas, a Numic (Ute people) word perhaps meaning "rock river". The area was inhabited by the Timpanogos. The ample food from the Provo River made the Timpanogos a peaceful people. The area also served as the traditional meeting place for the Ute and Shoshone tribes and was used as a common location for worship of their creator deity.
Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorer, is considered the first European explorer to have visited the area in 1776. He was guided by two Timpanogos Utes, whom he called Silvestre and Joaquín. Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin Desert. The Europeans did not build a permanent settlement but traded with the Timpanogos, whom they called Lagunas (lake people) or Come Pescado (fish eaters). Escalating tensions with the Timpanog contributed to the Walker War. Fort Utah was renamed Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825.
In 1850, the first schoolhouse was constructed in Provo, built within Utah Fort.
As more Latter-day Saints arrived, Provo quickly grew as a city. It soon was nicknamed The Garden City with a large number of fruit orchards and gardens there.
In 1872, a railroad reached Provo. It was also this year that the Provo Woolen Mills opened. They were the first large factory in Provo and employed about 150 people, initially mainly skilled textile laborers who had emigrated from Britain.
The construction of the blast furnace plant of the Columbia Steel Company in 1923-1924 marked the arrival of heavy industry in Provo, albeit most of the pig iron was shipped to the company's steel mills in California. The plant supplied manufactured gas to the area and in 1948 Provo via a pipeline to Salt Lake City was connected to the interstate natural gas transmission system.
Geography
thumb|Rock Canyon in Provo
Provo lies on the eastern bank of Utah Lake in Utah Valley at an elevation of . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and , or 5.66%, is water.
The Wasatch Range contains many peaks within Utah County along the east side of the Wasatch Front. One of them, known as Y Mountain, towers over the city. There is a large hillside letter Y made of whitewashed concrete halfway up the steep mountain, built in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate BYU (original plans included construction use of all three letters). Wild deer (and less frequently, cougars, and moose) still roam the mountains (and occasionally the city streets). The geography allows for hiking, skiing, fishing and other outdoor activities.
Climate
Provo's climate can be classified as either a hot-summer Mediterranean climate classification (Köppen: Csa) or as a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk). Overall, annual rainfall at the location of BYU is around ; however, the western part of the metropolitan area near Orem is substantially drier, receiving only around of precipitation and consequently has a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk).
|source 2= Weather Atlas
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Provo, Utah – racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!
!% 2000
!% 2010
!
|-
|White alone (NH)
|88,311
|87,186
|style='background: #ffffe6; |81,655
|83.97%
|77.51%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |70.90%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|432
|672
|style='background: #ffffe6; |971
|0.41%
|0.60%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.84%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|703
|719
|style='background: #ffffe6; |590
|0.67%
|0.64%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.51%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|1,903
|2,743
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,772
|1.81%
|2.44%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.41%
|-
|Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|873
|1,229
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,655
|0.83%
|1.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.44%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|141
|194
|style='background: #ffffe6; |406
|0.13%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.35%
|-
|Mixed-race or multiracial (NH)
|1,790
|2,654
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,718
|1.70%
|2.36%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.97%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|11,013
|17,091
|style='background: #ffffe6; |21,395
|10.47%
|15.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18.58%
|-
|Total
|105,166
|112,488
|style='background: #ffffe6; |115,162
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
thumb|Map of racial distribution in Provo, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person:
As of the 2020 census, Provo had a population of 115,162. The median age was 23.8 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 7.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males.
99.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.6% lived in rural areas.
There were 34,067 households in Provo, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.1% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 85,955 || 74.6%
|-
| Black or African American || 1,072 || 0.9%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 1,168 || 1.0%
|-
| Asian || 2,844 || 2.5%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 1,695 || 1.5%
|-
| Some other race || 9,433 || 8.2%
|-
| Two or more races || 12,995 || 11.3%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 21,395 || 18.6%
|}
2010 census
At the 2010 census, According to a study in 2015, the Provo-Orem metro area is about as dissimilar to the rest of America as possible. Weighing factors such as race, housing, income, and education, the study ranked Provo-Orem 376th of 381 of the United States' largest cities in terms of resemblance to the country.
Religion
According to the breakdown for Utah County in 2010, most people (90.6%) were Christian, with Latter-day Saints constituting 88.7% of the population. Catholics constituted 1.3% and Protestants constituted 0.6%. Other religions constituted 0.3% of the population. 9.1% of the population did not adhere to any religion.
Economy
Local companies
Provo has more than 100 restaurants (with over 60 in the downtown area) and a couple of shopping centers. The Shops At Riverwoods and Provo Towne Centre, both shopping malls, operate in Provo. Several small shops, music venues, and boutiques have popped up downtown, along Center Street and University Avenue. Downtown has also begun to host "gallery strolls" every first Friday of the month that features local artists. There are many dining establishments in and around downtown Provo.
Five Provo companies are listed on Inc.com's Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. The largest, DieCuts With a View, is ranked number 1403 and has revenues of $26.2 million. Other companies on the list are VitalSmarts (ranked 4109, with $41.4 million in revenue), and Connect Public Relations (ranked 3694, with $6.1 million in revenue). The global recreation and entertainment company Ryze Trampoline Parks, with locations throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S., is headquartered in Provo.
Novell, the dominant personal computer networking company from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, was headquartered in Provo and occupied several buildings at the height of its success. It was eventually acquired by The Attachmate Group and then by Micro Focus, which still maintains facilities there.
The Food & Care Coalition is a local organization providing services to the homeless and low-income citizens of Provo and Utah counties. It also provides volunteer opportunities.
International companies
thumb|[[Novell headquarters]]
thumb|upright|[[Nu Skin Enterprises|Nu Skin headquarters]]
- Action Target, a shooting range manufacturer
- Morinda Bioactives (formerly Tahitian Noni International), a multi-level marketing health and skin care manufacturer whose products are based on the Tahitian fruit called noni
- North American Arms, a firearms manufacturer
- Nu Skin Enterprises, a multi-level marketing firm for skin care products founded in 1984
- Qualtrics, a private research software company
- Vivint (formerly APX Alarm Security Solutions), a residential security company
Top employers
According to Provo's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of employees
|-
| 1
| Brigham Young University
|5,000-6,999
|-
|2
| Utah Valley Regional Medical Center
|3,000-3,999
|-
|3
| Vivint
|3,000-3,999
|-
|4
| Arm Security
|1,000-1,999
|-
|5
| Revere Health
|1,000-1,999
|-
|6
| Chrysalis Utah
|1,000-1,999
|-
|7
| Qualtrics
|1,000-1,999
|-
|8
| RBD Acquisition
|1,000-1,999
|-
|9
| Frontier Communications
|500-999
|-
|10
| Nu Skin International
|500-999
|}
Arts and culture
Annual cultural events
thumb|upright|[[Cosmo the Cougar at America's Freedom Festival at Provo]]
Every July, Provo hosts America's Freedom Festival at Provo which includes the Stadium of Fire at BYU. It is held in LaVell Edwards Stadium, home to BYU's NCAA football team. The Independence Day festivities are popular among residents and have featured such notable figures as Bob Hope, David Hasselhoff, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, Mandy Moore, Huey Lewis and the News, Toby Keith, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Fred Willard, and Taylor Hicks. In 2015, the event included performances by Journey and Olivia Holt, and was hosted by television personality Montel Williams.
Provo has two other large festivals each fall. Festival Latinoamericano is an annual family-oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region's Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances.
The city has hosted an annual LGBT Provo Pride Festival since 2013.
Points of interest
thumb|[[Provo City Library in the former Brigham Young Academy]]
thumb|The [[Provo Tabernacle before destruction by fire in 2010. It was later renovated into Provo City Center Temple.]]
thumb|The [[Provo Utah Temple]]
thumb|The Utah Valley Convention Center
Covey Center for the Arts
The Covey Center for the Arts, a performing arts center, is at 425 West Center Street. It features plays, ballets, art showcases, and musical performances throughout the year. The size of the building is a total of . The main performance hall seats 670 people. Three dance studios are furnished with a piano, ballet bars, and mirrors. Another theater, the Brinton Black Box Theater, seats 60 for smaller, more intimate events. There are also two art galleries: the Secured Gallery and the Eccles Gallery in the lower lobby.
LDS Church MTC
Provo is the location of the church's largest MTC. Each week approximately 475 missionaries enter for 3–9 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field, becoming part of more than 58,000 in more than 120 countries. About 1,100 instructors (many of them returned missionaries) teach 62 languages. The MTC in Provo began construction in July 1974 and was completed in July 1976. The MTC was expanded in the early 1990s to become the largest of the 17 such centers than in the world. Additional construction was completed in 2017.
Provo City Library at Academy Square
The Provo City Library is a public library that occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy, built-in 1892. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Its collection contains over 277,000 media. The library is on University Avenue and 550 North.
Provo Recreation Center
With construction finished in 2013, the center provides a location for aquatic and gym recreation next to the Provo Power plant.
Provo Utah Temple
The Provo Utah Temple is at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. This temple has been among the busiest in the LDS Church due to its proximity to BYU and the MTC. The temple closed in February 2024, has been razed, and is currently being reconstructed. The temple, estimated for completion in 2027, will reopen as the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple.
Provo City Center Temple
Located at the corner of University Avenue and Center Street, the Provo City Center Temple serves as another temple for the Provo area's Latter-day Saint population. After a fire in 2010 destroyed the Provo Tabernacle, Thomas S. Monson, then LDS Church president, announced the site would become the city's second temple. Renovations were finished and the temple was dedicated in March 2016.
Utah Valley Convention Center
The Utah Valley Convention Center opened in 2012. It has of combined meeting, pre-function and garden space.
Other points of interest
- Brigham Young University Arboretum
- BYU Museum of Paleontology
- LaVell Edwards Stadium, home of the NCAA college football BYU Cougars as well as Stadium of Fire, an annual 4th of July fireworks show and concert
- The Marriott Center, home of the NCAA college basketball BYU Cougars. The Marriott Center is also used for large university gatherings, such as devotionals, guest lectures, and graduation ceremonies
- Peaks Ice Arena, hockey venue for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games
- The Provo River, known for fishing, and the Provo River Parkway, a paved bicycle and walking trail adjacent to the river
- Reed O. Smoot House, a National Historic Landmark, at 183 East 100 South
- Seven Peaks Water Park, the largest water park in Utah.
- The Shops At Riverwoods, a center of residences, retail, and entertainment at the mouth of Provo Canyon
- Timpanogos Cave National Monument
- Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, a national forest on the Wasatch Front bordering the east edge of Provo and Utah Valley
- Utah Lake, a fresh-water lake popular for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities
Government
Federally, Provo is part of Utah's 3rd congressional district, represented by Republican Mike Kennedy, elected in 2024.
City administration
{| id="toc" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; width: 30%; font-size: 90%;" cellspacing="3"
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Elected officials of Provo City as of 2024
|-
|Official||Position||Term
|-
|Marsha Judkins||Mayor||2026-2030
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|City council members
|-
|Katrice Mackay||City Wide I||2022-2026
|-
|Gary Garrett||City Wide II||2024-2028
|-
|Craig Christensen||District 1||2024-2028
|-
|George Handley||District 2||2022-2026
|-
|Becky Bogdin||District 3||2024-2028
|-
|Travis Hoban||District 4||2024-2028
|-
|Rachel Whipple||District 5||2022-2026
|}
Provo is administered by a seven-member city council and a mayor. Five of the council seats are elected by individual city districts, and two of the seats are elected by the city as a whole. These elected officials serve four-year terms, with elections alternating every two years. Provo has a Mayor–council government, which creates two separate but equal branches of government. The mayor is chief executive of the city and the council is the legislative and policy-making body of the city. The mayor is Marsha Judkins, who has been in office since January 5, 2026.
Education
thumb|[[Brigham Young University taken from the east of the campus]]
thumb|Pre-game entertainment parachuters at [[LaVell Edwards Stadium]]
Higher education
BYU is a private university operated by the LDS Church. BYU is the largest private religious university in the United States, with more than 30,000 students. It is the flagship of the Church Educational System. On the campus is the Spencer W. Kimball Tower, the tallest building in Provo.
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a private, for-profit university emphasizing graduate healthcare education. The Northwest Commission accredits the university of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). RMUoHP offers programs in nursing practice, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and health science. RMUoHP will be building Utah County's first new medical school.
Provo College is a private, for-profit educational institution specializing in career education. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Provo College offers associate degrees and diplomas in fields such as nursing, medical assisting, criminal justice, graphic design, and office administration.
Primary and secondary education
Almost all of Provo is within the Provo School District. The school board has seven members, each representing a different district of the city. There are thirteen elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools. Provo High School was the first school in Utah County to be an IB World school. The school has a record of 4A state basketball championships, more state champions than any other school in the state. Timpview High School has a record of 4A state football championships.
A small section of the city lies within Alpine School District. The Provo Intermodal Center, near the Amtrak station, connects the FrontRunner with local bus routes, as well as Greyhound service.
The Provo Municipal Airport is Utah's second busiest airport regarding the number of aircraft take-offs and landings. Allegiant Airlines has been based out of the airport since 2022.
Notable people
Provo is home to (or the hometown of) many well-known people, including The Osmonds (including Donny, Marie, and the Osmond Brothers), LDS Church president Dallin H. Oaks, and NFL and BYU quarterback Steve Young. Goodwin Knight, who served as the 35th Governor of California (1947–1953), was born in Provo. The global economist Dambisa Moyo moved to Provo following her marriage to Qualtrics co-founder Jared Smith.
Sister cities
Provo has three sister cities designated by Sister Cities International:
- Nanning, China
- Chengdu, China
- Meissen, Germany
See also
- List of cities and towns in Utah
References
External links
- Provo historical images at the Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
- Aerial view of Provo, Utah, MSS SC 2962 at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University