is orem-pravo really safe as it appears in safest cities list (Salt Lake City: fit in, crime rates)

[Egyptian2009]

hello

we are Muslim family searching for good place , we consider orem due to its rankings in the safest cities nationwide , i want to know

1-is it generally safe , can some one walk alone at night

2-is it safe for Muslims , are people used to see hair scarfed Muslim women or she will face harassment

3-how safe it regarding natural disasters , tornadoes , hurricanes

thanks

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Egyptian2009

hello

we are Muslim family searching for good place , we consider orem due to its rankings in the safest cities nationwide , i want to know

1-is it generally safe , can some one walk alone at night

2-is it safe for Muslims , are people used to see hair scarfed Muslim women or she will face harassment

3-how safe it regarding natural disasters , tornadoes , hurricanes

thanks

Yes, it's safe. It would be safe for a Muslim family, even though people there are definitely not used to seeing a scarfed Muslim women, and it would be safe with respect to natural disasters. That doesn't necessarily mean that it would be the ideal place for your to live. It's really hard for me to imagine a Muslim family feeling comfortable and at-home in Orem or Provo. Salt Lake City would be another matter.

[eggalegga]

I'm originally from Orem. Haven't lived there in over 20 years but I visit often. Haven't seen any hair-scarfed women there. I doubt a Muslim family would be comfortable there and feel as though they were part of a community. Utah county is very family oriented.

As of the 2010 census, over 80% of Utah county's population is white.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by eggalegga

Utah county is very family oriented.

Actually, so are Muslims.

As of the 2010 census, over 80% of Utah county's population is white.

I'm trying to figure out how skin color ties into this conversation. The only Muslims I know personally are white.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Asides from earthquakes, not much in the natural disaster realm. Hasn't been one in a long time but we are said to be overdue.

[smithfamily2012]

Wow, I was a little saddened to see the sparse responses to your question. The nice thing about the LDS community in Orem, UT, is they love and accept all people. You would fit in if you:

- Love Family
- Enjoy being around others who love family and have kids
- Don't mind neighbors who want to help you
- Don't mind a few plates of cookies being offered to your family to welcome you into the neighborhood
- Invitations to activities for families

Orem is one of the safest cities in the Nation. If you do live here, stay away from the cheaper housing areas as that is where most of the issues are at. Anywhere close to state street, close to busy roads like 800 south, University, and anything south of University is poorer and has higher crime rates. If you lived next to us, you'd find a neighborhood full of LDS people, who would love to have you as neighbors and respect you, your wife, your family, and do all we can to help you feel welcome.

No tornados as of yet, I've lived here now over 30 years. Have yet to feel one single earth quake, but we are told we are due for one. But if we did have an earthquake, we are known here in Utah to be the most prepared and helpful and giving people in the world when natural disasters occur. A grate safety net.

[markg91359]

Wow, I was a little saddened to see the sparse responses to your question. The nice thing about the LDS community in Orem, UT, is they love and accept all people. You would fit in if you:

- Love Family
- Enjoy being around others who love family and have kids
- Don't mind neighbors who want to help you
- Don't mind a few plates of cookies being offered to your family to welcome you into the neighborhood
- Invitations to activities for families

Orem is one of the safest cities in the Nation. If you do live here, stay away from the cheaper housing areas as that is where most of the issues are at. Anywhere close to state street, close to busy roads like 800 south, University, and anything south of University is poorer and has higher crime rates. If you lived next to us, you'd find a neighborhood full of LDS people, who would love to have you as neighbors and respect you, your wife, your family, and do all we can to help you feel welcome.

No tornados as of yet, I've lived here now over 30 years. Have yet to feel one single earth quake, but we are told we are due for one. But if we did have an earthquake, we are known here in Utah to be the most prepared and helpful and giving people in the world when natural disasters occur. A grate safety net.

I've lived in Utah all my life. I am LDS. If you forgive me, I think this is an extremely rosy view to present when it comes to moving to the Provo/Orem area.

"Enjoy being around others who love family and have kids"

I'm sure this is a fair characterization of the Provo/Orem area. What you are likely to find in this area that is 80% LDS is that they enjoy being around their family and their kids. Being around your family and your kids is a totally different story and many, many immigrants to the Utah County area complain that they feel left out and left alone.

"Don't mind neighbors who want to help you"

I suppose this varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, so generalizing is probably unfair. If there is an emergency, you'll get help if you ask for it. Usually, most of the "help" in these areas goes to the most popular and connected families in the area.

"Don't mind a few plates of cookies being offered to your family to welcome you to the neighborhood"

This probably will happen. Than, when these people "have done their duty", you're unlikely to see them again unless its honking or waving to you while you are going to or returning from work.

"Invitations to activities for the family"

HUH? Don't get me started on this one. Unless you participate in church activities, in my view, its unlikely you'll get more than one or two. If you get that many, you're doing well.

Honestly, the advice many of us LDS people on this forum give newcomers is to skip Utah County altogether. Salt Lake County is probably a better place to move. If you live in South Salt Lake County, its a fairly short commute to Provo/Orem. The difference is that Salt Lake County is far more diverse and your likely to meet people from all religions, races, cultures, and affiliations. Salt Lake does have a couple of Mosques and there is a Muslim community of sorts there.

My advice to you is to think this Provo/Orem idea through very, very carefully.

[goooooru]

I'm from Orem; lived here most of my life. While it is uncommon to see Muslims, they are here. The best people to know what it is like to live here as a Muslim would probably be to contact the Utah Valley Islamic Council.

Utah Valley Islamic Council
University Mall, Suite No. 215,
Orem, UT 84604, USA
Phone: 801-362-6022
Email: [email]kuddusru@yahoo.com[/email]

[thekellysong]

Hello .

I have lived in both Orem and Provo for years without any safety issues whatsoever. I am a single woman who is a night-owl, and I prowl around both cities at all hours with no problem. That being said, there are always areas of town that are safer than others, and I don't go exploring down dark streets or anything. Your wife would most likely be perfectly safe as long as she used basic common sense.
I personally have not seen a whole lot of Muslims with headscarves in this county, although I have seen some. You would certainly be in the minority of religions if you moved to Orem or Provo, but that doesn't mean you would be persecuted. There are many kind, accepting people here, along with some bigots and uneducated people (just like anywhere else).
I do agree with a previous poster that you MIGHT feel more comfortable in the Salt Lake area, as there is more diversity there than in the Utah County area. Best of luck to you.