Orem, Utah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orem, Utah
City
Orem City Center
Flag
Nickname(s):  Family City USA
Location in Utah County and the state of Utah
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Utah
Settled	1877
Town charter granted	May 5, 1919
Named for	Walter C. Orem
Area
• Total	18.57 sq mi (48.10 km2)
• Land	18.57 sq mi (48.10 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,767 ft (1,453 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	98,129
• Density	5,267.22/sq mi (2,033.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
Area codes	385, 801
FIPS code	49-57300
GNIS feature ID	2411333

Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, located in the northern part of Utah, United States. It's right next to cities like Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard. Orem is about 45 miles south of Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah.

Orem is a major city in the Provo-Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area includes all of Utah and Juab counties. In 2020, Orem had a population of 98,129 people. This makes it the 5th most populated city in Utah. Utah Valley University is also located here.

History of Orem

The area where Orem now stands was once called Sharon. This name comes from the Bible and describes a flat piece of land between mountains and the sea. It was also the name of the Vermont hometown of Joseph Smith, who started the Latter Day Saint movement. Another old name for the area was Provo Bench.

In 1914, the town was renamed Orem. This was done to honor Walter C. Orem, who was the President of the Salt Lake and Utah Railroad. The goal was to attract more money to the town. It also made it easier for local farmers to ship their produce. Orem officially became a city on May 5, 1919.

Arts and Culture in Orem

Orem is well-known for its fun events and celebrations. One popular event is the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. People come from all over to hear amazing stories.

Another big event is Summerfest. This celebration happens in June and includes a lively parade. It's a favorite activity for many local families.

Geography of Orem

Orem is located in a high desert area. Its average elevation is about 4,756 feet above sea level. The city covers a total area of about 18.4 square miles (48.1 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

The city is close to the eastern shore of Utah Lake. It shares borders with Provo to the east and south. To the west, it borders Vineyard, and to the north, it borders Lindon. The beautiful Mount Timpanogos and the Wasatch Mountain range are to the east.

Population and People of Orem

Orem has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, the city's population was 98,129 people. This was a big jump from 88,328 people in 2010.

Orem is a diverse city with people from many backgrounds. In 2020, about 70% of the people were White. About 20% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. There are also growing communities of Black, Asian, and Pacific Islander residents.

Many families live in Orem. In 2000, nearly half of the households had children under 18. The average household had about 3.57 people. The median age in the city was 24 years old. This means Orem has a lot of young people and families.

In 2019, a new temple was announced for Orem. It is located near the Interstate 15 exit at University Parkway.

Education in Orem

Orem is part of the Alpine School District. The city has many schools for students of all ages. There are three high schools, three junior high schools, and 14 elementary schools.

Stevens-Henager College is also in Orem. Plus, Utah State University has an education center here.

Utah Valley University

The campus of Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University (UVU) is a large public university. It is run by the state of Utah. UVU is special because it is one of the few "Open Enrollment" universities in the United States. This means it accepts all applicants.

UVU offers many different bachelor's and master's degrees. It is the largest and fastest-growing public university in Utah. More than 43,000 undergraduate students attend UVU.

The campus has several important buildings. These include the UCCU Center, a large arena. There is also the Digital Learning Center library and the Hal Wing Track and Field Complex. The Woodbury School of Business is another key part of the campus. Inside the Fulton Library, you can see the amazing Roots of Knowledge stained glass display.

Economy and Jobs in Orem

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

Orem has many different stores and businesses. It is home to University Place. This is the oldest mall in Utah County, first opening in 1973.

Top Employers in Orem

Many people work in Orem. Here are some of the biggest employers in the city:

Companies Started in Orem

Several well-known companies began in Orem. These include:

• Blendtec
• Bluehost
• Caldera
• Chess.com
• Fishbowl Inventory
• Flexsim
• Mity-Lite
• Novell (now owned by Micro Focus)
• Omniture (now owned by Adobe Systems)
• PowerQuest
• Wahoo Studios
  • NinjaBee, a part of Wahoo Studios
• WordPerfect (now owned by Corel)
• Zuka Juice

Sports in Orem

Hootz, the mascot of the Orem Owlz

Orem has been home to several professional sports teams. It also hosts the Utah Valley University Wolverines athletic teams.

The Orem Owlz were a minor league baseball team. They were connected to the Los Angeles Angels. The Owlz started playing in 2005. They won 5 championships and helped more than 90 players reach the major leagues. The Owlz played their games at UCCU Ballpark at Utah Valley University. This stadium can hold 5,000 fans. The Owlz played in the Pioneer League against teams from other states. In 2021, they moved to Colorado and became the Northern Colorado Owlz.

Orem has also had indoor football teams and a professional basketball team. The Utah Catzz played indoor football in 1998. The Utah Flash was a professional basketball team from 2007 to 2011. They were part of the NBA G League.

Transportation in Orem

Getting around Orem is easy with several transportation options.

Public Transit

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) helps people travel in the city. They operate the FrontRunner train, which has a station in Orem. They also run the Utah Valley Express (UVX) bus rapid transit system. This special bus route goes from Orem Central Station through UVU and along University Parkway. Regular bus services are also available throughout the city.

Major Roads and Highways

Orem has a good road system. This includes an Interstate highway, US highways, and state highways. City roads are also well-maintained.

Interstate 15 runs along the west side of Orem. It has four exits within the city. US Highway 89 (State Street) goes through the middle of Orem. US Highway 189 (University Avenue) passes through a small part of northeast Orem. There are also four state routes: SR-52, SR-114, SR-241, and SR-265.

Notable People from Orem

Many talented people have lived in Orem. Here are a few:

• Alan Ashton - co-founder of WordPerfect
• Ben Cahoon - a football player for the Montreal Alouettes
• James C. Christensen - a famous artist
• Ally Condie - a New York Times bestselling author
• LaVell Edwards - a well-known BYU football coach
• Travis Hansen - a former basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks
• Brett Helquist - illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Gary Herbert - a former Governor of Utah
• Chelsie Hightower - a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars
• Allison Holker - a dancer from So You Think You Can Dance
• Julianne Hough - an actress, dancer, and singer
• Paul Kruger - an NFL football player
• Chad Lewis - an NFL football player
• Bert McCracken - lead singer of the rock band The Used
• Donny Osmond - a famous American actor and singer
• Marie Osmond - a famous American actress and singer
• Noelle Pikus-Pace - an Olympic silver medalist in skeleton
• Shauna Rohbock - an Olympic silver medalist in bobsleigh
• Howard Tayler - author of Schlock Mercenary
• Erin Thorn - a WNBA basketball player

Notable groups from Orem include:

• The rock band The Used
• The indie pop band The Aces (indie pop band)

City Parks in Orem

Scera Park

Orem has more than 20 parks for everyone to enjoy. In 2017, the Orem Splash Pad opened at Palisade Park. It has many fun water sprays. The Skate Park opened in 2002 and is a great place for extreme sports. City Center Park hosts the annual Orem Summerfest and other events.

Here are some of Orem's city parks:

Sister Cities

Orem has one sister city. It is Ürümqi, China.