This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Heber City was named Tuesday as one of the nation's Top 10 small towns in which to live.
The Wasatch County city popped up at No. 8 on Livability.com's list, behind Los Alamos, N.M.; Northfield, Minn.; Lebanon, N.H.; Hood River, Ore.; Port Angeles, Wash.; Glenwood Springs, Colo.; and Spearfish, S.D.
Heber (population 13,000) finished just ahead of Traverse City, Mich., and Hailey, Idaho.
Heber's "low crime rate, good schools and excellent health-care system attract families to the area and help the town lay claim to the highest growth forecast on our list," Livability.com wrote. "Tourism anchors the local economy, where employment is higher than in much of the nation, thanks to a broad range of businesses supported by locals.
"Natural landscapes of forested canyons, mountains, lakes and streams surround the city," the website added. "Festivals and special events are held nearly every week, including theater performances, art shows and the annual Wasatch County Fair."
The annual list looks at cities with populations less than 20,000. Livability.com ranked them on 41 data points, from cost of living to health-care spending, racial and socioeconomic diversity, adult obesity, crime, air quality and natural amenities.
Livability.com said the Top 10 small towns "provide beautiful locales that inspire both creativity and activity, and they offer unhurried atmospheres, authentic characters, cultural gems, fantastic outdoor settings and the uncommon ability to change lifestyles, shift points of view and nourish souls with simple pleasures."