Is West Valley City, Utah the Ugliest City in America?

There was a list released last year that ranked the 200 most glamorous big cities to the least glamorous big cities in America. Of course, my hometown was LAST on the list. It is officially the Least Glamorous, and many in the comments went ahead and called it the Ugliest. Crushing. But hey, not all cities can be the most beautiful. Some have to do all the work, and we should still appreciate them.

Why do we do these lists that disparage my hometown? Sure, it’s on the west side and a little run down in spots, but it holds such great memories for me.

In fact, there were a lot of sports in the 2002 Winter Olympics that were held in my hometown! The Maverik Center, which was buzzing with Olympic energy back then, still hosts concerts, hockey games, and big community events that bring people together from all over Utah.

Coming in at #200 on the list of 200…
My hometown of West Valley City, Utah.

What? How??? What is the criteria?
As reported by the Salt Lake Tribune: “LawnStarter, an outdoor home service company, compared the 200 biggest cities in the United States based on six categories broken down into 39 ‘glam factors.’ The metrics include the number of million-dollar homes, Michelin-starred restaurants, plastic surgeons, luxury jewelry shops and exclusive yacht clubs.”

Well, that makes sense. Why would anyone in the landlocked middle of Utah own a yacht? Apparently some do, but I can’t even comprehend having enough money to own one I’d rarely get to use.

Here’s what they didn’t include in their list of “glam factors”: West Valley City is Utah’s second-largest city, with over 140,000 residents, and it’s also one of the most culturally diverse places in the state. It started as farmland and only officially became a city in 1980, but it’s grown into a hub for small businesses, affordable housing, and families building their futures. Its cultural celebrations and annual WestFest show off the kind of community spirit you won’t find in a spreadsheet of yacht clubs.

Here is how I remember my hometown: ♥

We came together to play, mourn, and celebrate. Our school games were packed with citizens who actually cared.