Living in Cedar Hills, Utah: A Compact Bench City With Its Own Golf Course
Cedar Hills, small on purpose
Cedar Hills packs a lot into 2.73 square miles. It sits on a bench at the northeast end of Utah Valley next to the Wasatch Mountains and American Fork Canyon, with a city owned golf course running through the middle of town, city recreation programs that Alpine and Highland residents can join without non resident fees, and trails on the east bench. It had about 3,675 people per square mile in 2020, and the city's own land use plan says it is nearly built out.
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What will test you: very little vacant land left, so what you see is mostly what you get; a commercial edge on North County Boulevard; wildfire rules on the hillside open space; and HOA rules in some of the planned neighborhoods. If you are buying, you are choosing among existing homes far more than new ones. If you are selling, you are competing with homes of a similar age and style, so condition and presentation carry a lot of weight.
Here's how I'd think about it if I were you.
Then: a short history
Cedar Hills is built on a bench along the old Lake Bonneville shoreline. Early settlers called the area The Bench, and the name Cedar Hills came from the cedars that grew there. Farming attempts on the bench were largely unsuccessful, according to the state's History to Go summary.
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What finally put the area on the map was turkeys. During the Great Depression, Azra and Effie Warnick Adams built a turkey ranch here, and it did well enough that Azra Adams served as president of the National Turkey Federation in 1956. By the 1960s, neighbors in growing nearby communities were complaining about the noise and dust, costs were climbing, and the ranch was sold. Cedar Hills was built on that land.
The town incorporated in 1977 with just 31 households. Growth came fast in the 1990s; History to Go reports the population rose 174 percent from 1990 to 1997, to 1,340, and passed 9,000 by 2006. Growth has slowed a lot since then.
You do not need the history to buy here. It does explain why so much of Cedar Hills feels like it was built in one era: it mostly was.
Now: growth and what the numbers say
Census facts for this guide (Census QuickFacts / ACS 2020 to 2024 / PEP V2025):
Population, Census April 1, 2020: 10,019.
Population, Census April 1, 2010: 9,796.
Population estimate, July 1, 2025: 9,755 (about 2.6 percent below the 2020 estimates base).
ACS households: 2,591.
ACS mean travel time to work: 22.3 minutes.
ACS owner occupied housing unit rate: 88.8 percent.
ACS median gross rent: $2,179 (the renter sample here is small, so treat it loosely).
Land area (2020): 2.73 square miles; population per square mile (2020): 3,675.3.
Housing age (ACS B25034): about 73.7 percent of homes were built in 2000 or later and about 7.9 percent before 1980. About 1,567 of the city's roughly 2,651 housing units were built from 2000 to 2009. The Census did not publish a median year built for Cedar Hills in this release.
Single family detached homes: about 84.3 percent of housing units (ACS B25024; small city estimates carry wide margins).
Prices: keep the Census estimate and closed sales separate forever. the ACS median value of owner occupied housing units in Cedar Hills is $645,600. That is what owners estimate their homes are worth over a five year survey window, not what sold last month. For actual closed sales, read the monthly Market Report or call me for comps on a specific address.
What the numbers say in plain English: most of Cedar Hills was built in a single decade, it is mostly owner occupied single family homes, and its population has held roughly flat since 2010. a flat or slightly lower population in a city with almost no vacant land usually reflects changes in household size rather than homes disappearing, but the Census figures alone do not prove that.
Next: how Cedar Hills is still growing
Cedar Hills is mostly finished growing outward. The question is what changes inside the city.
The city's General Plan Land Use Element, amended by Ordinance 02-07-2023B on February 7, 2023, says that although Cedar Hills is a relatively new community, established in 1977, the city is nearly built out after rapid growth through the early 2000s.
The same element says very little land remains for future residential and commercial development, few locations need redevelopment, and redevelopment of parcels with low improvement values will be key to future economic growth.
Commercial growth is focused on the SC-1 Commercial zone fronting North County Boulevard, which the plan calls the city's most traveled thoroughfare. It includes office, mixed use and retail districts plus a retail and mixed use overlay meant to buffer adjacent homes. The city has no manufacturing or industrial zones.
The plan says development should be limited on steep slopes, flood plains, ridgelines, fault zones and other hazard areas, and that a large portion of the city's open space is designated wildland urban interface.
For buyers, Cedar Hills is a resale market first. New homes are possible on the few remaining parcels, but the plan does not publish a citywide remaining acres figure, so do not assume a wave of new construction.
What I'd do: if a home backs onto open space or sits near the commercial zone, read the future land use map for that edge before you write an offer.
Investing in itself
These are sourced projects and plans, not promises that every one is finished.
Cedar Hills Golf Club renovationThe city reopened the course on March 9, 2026 with nine holes plus the Short Course while improvements continued, and said full 18 hole play was expected during July and August, with more renovation later in the year. The work includes a new, more efficient irrigation system, rebuilt tee boxes and turf improvements. A December 2025 City Council packet proposed a project of about $4.6 million, with irrigation replacement as the largest piece, financed with sales tax revenue bonds repaid from golf revenues.
Commercial centerThe land use element designates the SC-1 zone on North County Boulevard as the city's commercial center, meant to provide services and gathering space and to generate sales tax, with standards for landscaping, design and buffering next to homes.
Parks and open spaceThe city follows a Parks Master Plan developed with landscape designers, and the land use element commits to preserving city owned open space, including the trail systems on the east bench in the Hillside zone.
Tradeoffs to check in person
These are field tests, not avoid lists. None of them tell you where you should buy.
The commercial edgethe SC-1 zone fronts North County Boulevard, and the plan asks for buffering where commercial uses meet homes. If you are near it, visit at the busiest hour of the day and at night to see the lights and traffic.
Wildfire and hillside rulesa large share of city open space is wildland urban interface, and Utah's HB 48 law took effect January 1, 2026. If an address is inside the state's high risk boundary, a flat fee of $20 to $100 per taxable structure applies for 2026 and 2027, and insurers must use the state boundary. Check the exact address on the Utah Wildfire Risk portal and the FEMA flood map.
HOA rulesthe PD-1 zone covers master planned homeowners associations guided by development agreements, and the Townsite Residential zone clusters homes around golf course open space. Read the HOA documents, fees and reserve study before you are under contract, not after.
Golf course lifethe course is mid renovation, with more work planned later in 2026. Homes near it get views and open space; they can also get construction noise, early morning maintenance and stray golf balls. Walk the backyard, not just the listing photos.
Event daysthe Family Festival brings a parade and evening fireworks each summer. If you buy close to the main parks, live through one before you decide how you feel about it.
How Cedar Hills compares
These guides compare northern Utah County cities with the same facts for each place: history, how the city works today, and what is already approved or funded for growth. They are here to help you choose a place that fits your life. They are not rankings, and they are not advice to buy or avoid any neighborhood. School boundaries, flood zones, and HOA rules change. Always verify with the city, the district, and your own walkthrough.
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None of this is a ranking. Drive each city at rush hour and walk the blocks you'd actually buy on.
HighlandThen feel: homestead acreage from the 1870s that also incorporated in 1977. Now access: SR 92, North County Boulevard and Alpine Highway; ACS mean travel time 23.1 minutes versus 22.3 in Cedar Hills; Highland's general plan says lots typically run over half an acre. Next land story: approaching build out, with infill, a Town Center and a few named parcels. Read the Highland guide (/neighborhoods/highland-ut/).
American ForkThen feel: an 1850 pioneer town with a historic Main Street. Now access: I-15, Pioneer Crossing and a FrontRunner station at 782 W. 200 S.; ACS mean travel time 23.3 minutes. Next land story: small annexations plus infill, station area planning and focus areas under its 2026 general plan. Read the American Fork guide (/neighborhoods/american-fork-ut/).
Pleasant GroveThen feel: an 1850 settlement with a downtown and Strawberry Days, a June celebration that dates to the early 1920s. Now access: North County Boulevard, State Street and the I-15 Pleasant Grove Boulevard interchange; ACS mean travel time 21.7 minutes. Next land story: its 2023 general plan says the city is nearly built out, with about 565 acres of vacant or agricultural land counted in 2022. Read the Pleasant Grove guide (/neighborhoods/pleasant-grove-ut/).
Side by side pages (for example Highland vs Alpine vs Cedar Hills) can reuse these fields later. Until then, tour the cities yourself. Which fits depends on your commute, your budget and the house itself.
Neighborhoods and areas
In a city this compact, zoning tells you more than subdivision names. These areas come from the city's land use element.
Around the golf course
The Townsite Residential zone is a master planned area with homes clustered near open space that includes portions of the Cedar Hills Golf Course.
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Views and open space are the draw. Expect closer neighbors and HOA rules.
The east bench and Hillside zone
The H-1 Hillside zone mixes attached homes and larger single family lots with sensitivity to hillside conditions, and the city's east bench trail systems are here.
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Trails and views out the door. Wildfire, slope and drainage questions come with them.
Larger lot zones
The RR 1-20,000 zone requires 20,000 square foot lots and allows large animals, and the R-1 15,000 zone also allows large animal rights.
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More room than most of the city. Confirm what the zone actually allows for the use you have in mind.
Core single family zones
The R-1 11,000 zone requires lots of at least 11,000 square feet, with parks, trails and schools mixed in, and the PR 2.2 zone has lots of about half an acre.
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Inspect for age related items on homes built in the 2000s boom, like roofs, water heaters and HVAC.
Planned developments and the North County Boulevard edge.
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The PD-1 zone covers higher density single family planned developments with HOAs, and the PR 3.4 zone mixes detached and attached homes. The commercial zone sits along North County Boulevard. Convenient to shopping and the main road. Check traffic, noise and HOA documents.
Want to see what's for sale? Start with Search homes for Cedar Hills, then call me before you fall for one.
Housing mix
Cedar Hills is about 84 percent single family detached homes by Census count, with attached homes in some planned developments and the PR 3.4 and Hillside zones. Roughly three quarters of the housing was built in 2000 or later, and more than half of all units went up between 2000 and 2009. Only about 8 percent predates 1980.
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The practical rule here is a little different from cities still growing on the edges. Most homes are resale, many from the same building boom, so the house itself and its upkeep matter more than what is planned next door. A 2005 home has had about 20 years of Utah winters; budget and inspect accordingly.
If a new build on one of the few remaining parcels catches your eye, read my New Construction Guide before you walk into a model home. The friendly person at the sales desk works for the builder, not you. Many builders want your agent registered on your first visit, so bring me, or at least name me, before you sign in.
If you are buying here for the first time, my Buying page walks through the whole process in order, preapproval to keys.
Commute and access
This is the section that decides whether Cedar Hills fits your week. Read it twice.
North County Boulevard (SR 129)
The city's most traveled road, per its land use plan, and its commercial frontage.
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It runs north into Highland toward SR 92 and south toward American Fork and Pleasant Grove.
Canyon Road
Home to City Hall at 10246 N Canyon Road.
SR 92 (Timpanogos Highway)
Reached through Highland, it runs west toward Lehi and I-15 and east toward American Fork Canyon.
Train
There is no FrontRunner station in Cedar Hills.
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The nearest station is in American Fork at 782 W. 200 S.
How long will your commute be? It depends on your street, your office and when you leave. ACS mean travel time to work for Cedar Hills workers is 22.3 minutes (ACS 2020 to 2024), across all workplaces. What I'd do: drive your real route at rush hour, both directions, on a weekday, before you write an offer. Tuesday around 5:15 tells you more than any listing ever will.
Everyday life: golf, recreation and trails
Cedar Hills Golf Club
The city's course, with the Short Course for quick rounds and groups of up to six, junior clinics, and events in the Vista Room.
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The course reopened March 9, 2026 during a renovation; check the club for current hole availability.
Community Recreation Center
At 10640 N Clubhouse Drive.
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City recreation programs are open to Alpine and Highland residents without non resident fees, according to those cities.
East bench trails
The land use element describes extensive trail systems on the east bench in the Hillside zone, on city owned open space.
Parks
Heritage Park and Mesquite Park are where local event listings place the Family Festival's main events.
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Check the city parks page for the one closest to any address you like.
American Fork Canyon
Next door to the city, with Timpanogos Cave National Monument's ticketed tours run by the National Park Service.
Signature events and local traditions
Family FestivalThe city's summer celebration. Local event listings for 2026 placed it in late May and early June, centered on Heritage Park, with a parade and an evening drone show and fireworks at Mesquite Park. Confirm next year's dates on the city's Family Festival page at cedarhills.org.
Golf course eventsThe Vista Room at the golf club hosts community gatherings and events through the season.
Schools
Cedar Hills' public schools are currently part of Alpine School District. On July 1, 2027, they move to the new Aspen Peaks School District, which covers Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland, Lehi and the Utah County part of Draper.
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Boundaries shift, and a listing or an online map can be out of date. Check your specific address with the district, not a listing, before you buy. Boundaries change. Use your district's address lookup; we do not rate schools.
Official sources
Alpine boundary and transportation tools: start at https://www.alpineschools.org/page/transportation/ and confirm the current lookup link before you rely on it.
Cedar Hills market snapshot
Two different price stories exist for any city. This page shows only the first one for now.
Census (what owners estimate their homes are worth):
Market numbers coming. Example layout only.
- Median value of owner occupied housing units
- $645,600 (ACS 2020 to 2024).
- Median gross rent
- $2,179 (ACS 2020 to 2024; small renter sample).
- Owner occupied rate
- 88.8 percent (ACS 2020 to 2024).
Closed sales (what actually sold): monthly closed sale figures for Cedar Hills are not on this page yet.
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In a city this size, a single month can swing on a handful of sales. Ask me for recent nearby sales on the exact street you care about.
A citywide number is a starting point, not your number.
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A townhome in a planned development and a half acre lot near the golf course are different markets. For the latest by city, read the monthly Market Report. If you own here, the real question is what your home would sell for, and my Home Value page is where I answer that with actual nearby sales, not a robot's guess. When you're ready to list, my Selling page lays out the whole plan.
Frequently asked about Cedar Hills
How does Cedar Hills compare with Highland?
See How Cedar Hills compares above. Short version: both incorporated in 1977, but Highland covers about 8.7 square miles with lots that typically run over half an acre, while Cedar Hills fits about 10,000 people on 2.73 square miles with a city golf course in the middle. ACS mean commutes are close, 22.3 minutes in Cedar Hills and 23.1 in Highland. None of this is a ranking. Drive both at rush hour and walk the streets you'd actually buy on.
Is Cedar Hills built out?
Nearly. The city's land use element, amended in February 2023, says Cedar Hills is nearly built out and very little land remains for new residential or commercial development. Future change is mostly redevelopment and the commercial zone on North County Boulevard.
Who owns the Cedar Hills golf course?
The city. Cedar Hills Golf Club is a city course, and the city is renovating it, with new irrigation, rebuilt tee boxes and turf work under way in 2026.
Can I use the Cedar Hills recreation programs if I live in Alpine or Highland?
According to Alpine and Highland, yes, without non resident fees. Check the Cedar Hills recreation page for current programs and registration.
Which school district is Cedar Hills in?
Cedar Hills is in Alpine School District for the 2026 to 2027 school year. On July 1, 2027, Cedar Hills schools move to the new Aspen Peaks School District. Confirm your address with the district before you buy. We do not rate schools.
Getting set up in Cedar Hills
Moving in? These are the official pages for the accounts you'll open in your first week. Start with the city, since water, sewer and trash usually go on one city bill.
UTOPIA Fiber (the city is a UTOPIA partner city; check your address)
Alpine School District (serves the city through June 30, 2027)
Aspen Peaks School District (serves the city from July 1, 2027)
Links checked October 6, 2026. Internet service varies by street, so check your exact address with each provider before you move. We do not rank providers.
Nearby guides
Looking at Cedar Hills' neighbors too? Read the guides for Highland, Alpine, American Fork and Pleasant Grove.
All area guides: Lehi, Bluffdale, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, American Fork, Highland, Alpine, Pleasant Grove, Lindon. See every city on the area map, or read local posts on the blog.
Next step
In a city this compact, the right street and the condition of the house decide almost everything, and I'll tell you the hard parts before you sign anything. Whether you are buying your first place in Cedar Hills or selling the one you've outgrown, call me at (801) 403-4185 or email franco@olympusutah.com and we'll start with an honest conversation. Search homes when you want to see what is active right now.
Franco Preston, REALTOR®, Utah license 13266410, brokered by Olympus Real Estate, license 14126754, 2656 W Reagan Park Ln, Bluffdale, UT 84065.
Fair housing note
Fair housing: Olympus Real Estate and Franco Preston offer services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or any other class protected by federal, state, or local law. This page describes cities and published data. It does not recommend or discourage any neighborhood based on who lives there. Market figures are U.S. Census QuickFacts and American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) estimates and Census PEP V2025 population estimates. Plans and projects are summarized from public documents as of October 2026 and can change. Confirm schools, taxes, flood zones, HOAs, and property condition independently before you decide.
Sources
Show all 13 sources
- https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/highlandcityutah,alpinecityutah,cedarhillscityutah,pleasantgrovecityutah/PST045224 (fetched October 6, 2026 as CSV): Census 2020 and 2010 counts; PEP V2025 estimate and change; ACS households, mean travel time, owner occupied rate, median owner occupied value, median gross rent; land area and density.
- https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDT5Y2024.B25034&g=040XX00US49$1600000 and the matching B25035 and B25024 tables (fetched October 6, 2026): year built shares, units built 2000 to 2009, unpublished median year built, units in structure for Cedar Hills, ACS 2020 to 2024.
- https://www.cedarhillsutah.gov/article/1365426 (fetched): city history; Lake Bonneville bench; The Bench; cedars; established 1977; city office and recreation center addresses.
- https://historytogo.utah.gov/post/cedar-hills/ (fetched): unsuccessful early farming; Adams turkey ranch and 1956 National Turkey Federation presidency; 1960s sale; 1977 incorporation with 31 households; 1990s growth figures; over 9,000 residents by 2006.
- https://water.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cedar-Hills-Water-Element.pdf (fetched; contains Ordinance 02-07-2023B amending the General Plan Land Use Element, February 7, 2023): 2.73 square miles; nearly built out; very little land remaining; redevelopment; SC-1 commercial zone on North County Boulevard; no industrial zones; residential zone descriptions; WUI open space; east bench trails; Parks Master Plan.
- https://www.utah.gov/pmn/files/1357323.pdf (fetched): December 2, 2025 City Council packet proposing the Golf Master Plan project, scope, cost and bond financing.
- https://www.cedarhills.org/article/2736252/ (fetched): February 27, 2026 golf course press release; March 9 reopening; nine holes plus Short Course; 18 holes expected July and August; irrigation, tees, turf; Vista Room; junior clinics.
- https://www.alpineut.gov/165/Parks-Recreation and https://www.highlandut.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9615/Highland-General-Plan-2026 (fetched): Cedar Hills recreation programs open to Alpine and Highland residents without non resident fees.
- https://www.cedarhills.org/o/cch/page/family-festival (page title confirmed; content did not render) and https://utahfunactivities.com/event/cedar-hills-family-festival/ plus https://www.movingutah.com/local/utah-valley/cedar-hills/the-family-festival/ (search result excerpts): 2026 Family Festival timing, Heritage Park, parade, drone show and fireworks at Mesquite Park.
- https://www.alpineschools.org/o/aspen-peaks-district/ and https://www.alpineschools.org/ (fetched): Aspen Peaks School District and the July 1, 2027 transition. Lookup pages: https://www.alpineschools.org/page/transportation/ and https://www.alpineschools.org/page/boundary-changes
- https://ffsl.utah.gov/ (HB 48 pages, fetched), https://wildfirerisk.utah.gov and https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home: WUI law, fees, address lookups and flood maps.
- https://www.rideuta.com/rider-info/station-addresses (fetched): American Fork FrontRunner station address.
- https://www.nps.gov/tica/index.htm (search result excerpt, as cited in the American Fork guide): Timpanogos Cave ticketed tours.