Home to over 112,000 people, Provo is the third largest city in the state, behind Salt Lake City and West Valley City. Like the rest of Utah, religion, and especially the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, plays a very large role in daily life in Provo. In addition to their presence as the largest religious force in town, they also operate the major University, Brigham Young. The LDS church operates Brigham Young University. More than 34,000 students attend the university, with the vast majority of them having been raised in that church's traditions. While life at the school includes adherence to follow an honor code that requires students behave in accordance with the church's values, other elements of life at BYU are much like the college experience anywhere else in the country. For example, the BYU Cougars compete in NCAA Division I sports, and support for the team is just as fanatical as that seen in most other schools.
When to Search
Provo has a bit of a tight rental market, so you do need to pay attention to when you're searching. If you look around February or March, you might find that you're in a much less competitive marketplace. You might have to look a bit longer to find the perfect apartment, but once you do, you at least won't be competing against several other renters to get it.
Staying in the Know
The presence of the University makes Provo one of the most strictly religious cities in Utah. You will find that a much higher percentage of people who live here are LDS adherents as compared to Salt Lake City. Just be aware of that going in, because you don't want to say something that could accidentally be taken as a slight towards the church, or it could hurt your chances of getting an apartment.
Life in Provo
Transportation
The Utah Transit Authority runs the local bus service in Provo. You can get through most of the local area using the bus, but if you need to travel elsewhere in the county, you will find the connections limited. A car is the easiest way to get around, although you will find it difficult to park if you need to travel to the campus.
Where to play
There are several museums on campus, such as the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum and the BYU Museum of Palaeontology that are open to the public. The Provo Pioneer Village is a recreated Pioneer display that is a fun place to visit with the family. There are some spectacular views of Bridal Veil Falls from a variety of walking and biking trails. The Coffee Pod is the popular coffee house near BYU.