Where Is Federal Heights in Salt Lake City?
Federal Heights sits in the northeast corner of Salt Lake City, generally east of Virginia Street and north of South Temple, with the University of Utah wrapping its south and east sides and the Wasatch foothills rising to the north. It is mostly in ZIP code 84103, in Salt Lake City Council District 3, and in the Greater Avenues Community Council area, which lists Federal Heights as one of its board districts.
Many locals treat it as the eastern extension of the Avenues: the lettered streets end at Virginia Street, and Federal Heights begins on the other side. Preservation Utah describes two historic halves. The Lower Heights runs from Virginia Street east to the university, between about 100 South and Perry Avenue; the Upper Heights climbs from about 2nd Avenue north to Popperton Park. Streets you will see on listings include Perry Avenue, Sigsbee Avenue, Laurel Street, Wolcott Street, Circle Way and Federal Heights Drive. Above the homes, the neighborhood borders the Red Butte Canyon Research Natural Area and the Tomahawk Natural Area.
How Did Federal Heights Get Its Name?
Federal Heights is named for its federal neighbor, Fort Douglas, the Army post established on the bench above the city in 1862; the south end of today’s neighborhood was once fort land. In 1906, Lucien Nunn and A.W. Wrench of Telluride Realty bought 60 acres from LeGrand Young, divided them into more than 300 lots and called the subdivision Federal Heights. Early ads touted private building restrictions, common at the time, along with “the life above the smoke” of the coal-heated valley.
The Upper Heights has its own story. Rancher Charles Popper settled about 160 acres near the mouth of Dry Canyon in 1864 and won the land from the fort by an 1885 act of Congress. It later became Popperton Place, Samuel Newhouse’s Newhouse Park (1908) and Bonneville-on-the-Hill (1917). The area was essentially built out by the mid-1950s. In the late 1940s, owners petitioned the city for a single Federal Heights zoning district to limit apartment and fraternity-house conversions. Federal Heights is not a city local historic district (the South Temple district stops at Virginia Street), though several individual homes are on the National Register of Historic Places.
What Are Federal Heights Homes Like?
Federal Heights homes are mostly single-family houses from the early 1900s through the 1950s, with later infill. The developers worked with the slope instead of grading it flat, and a newspaper of the day promised the Upper Heights would have “no corners and no straight streets.” The architecture is deliberately restrained compared with the Victorian houses of the older Avenues: Prairie School and Arts and Crafts designs, brick and stucco bungalows, English and Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, and Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean revival homes. The Prairie-style house at 126 Virginia Street has been attributed to the Salt Lake firm Ware and Treganza.
Lots vary a lot. Lower blocks near Wolcott Street and Virginia Street include homes on roughly a tenth of an acre with alley-loaded garages, while upper cul-de-sacs hold 1970s and 1980s brick ramblers and large Colonial-style homes on a quarter acre to more than half an acre. Many homes have walkout lower levels and southwest views over downtown, the University of Utah and the valley. Teardowns, rebuilds and lot splits have become more common, so the streetscape mixes century-old homes with newer construction.
Federal Heights at a glance
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04 / Prices
What Do Homes Cost in Federal Heights?
Federal Heights is one of the highest-priced neighborhoods in Salt Lake City, with typical prices well above the citywide median and the upper end reaching the luxury tier. At the entry point you will find original bungalows and smaller period homes on compact lots; the top of the market is large view homes and estates on the upper cul-de-sacs, where lot size, view and condition drive value more than square footage alone.
Inventory is very thin. Only a handful of Federal Heights homes sell in a typical year, so neighborhood medians can swing sharply from quarter to quarter on one or two sales. That makes street-by-street comparable sales, with adjustments for views, lot slope, garage access and how much updating a home has had, far more reliable than any headline average. For live numbers, check the market stats on this page, or ask Jpok Homes for a pricing analysis of a specific address.
Where homes fall
- Original bungalowsEntry
- Smaller period homesEntry
- Updated revival homesMiddle
- View homes, upper streetsUpper
- Estates on the cul-de-sacsTop
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05 / Daily life
Is Federal Heights a Good Place to Live?
Living in Federal Heights means foothill trails, the University of Utah and downtown are all close. Popperton Park, at 360 N Popperton Park Way, has a playground, athletic field and a trailhead connecting to Dry Creek Canyon and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The Living Room trail starts on Colorow Road near the Natural History Museum of Utah and Red Butte Garden, climbing roughly 950 to 1,000 feet over about 2.5 miles to rock seats overlooking the valley. Red Butte Canyon itself is a research area that is closed to public entry.
The University of Utah campus, Rice-Eccles Stadium, University of Utah Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Institute and Primary Children’s Hospital are a short walk or drive, and TRAX Red Line stations at Fort Douglas, Stadium and the University Medical Center serve the campus. Downtown is about ten minutes by car. Trade-offs to know: groceries generally require a drive, the curving hillside streets and steep driveways take planning in snow, and blocks closest to campus see game-day and student parking pressure.
Popperton Park
360 N Popperton Park WayThe Living Room trail
From Colorow RoadBonneville Shoreline Trail
Via Dry Creek CanyonRed Butte Garden
Above campusNatural History Museum of Utah
Rio Tinto CenterUniversity of Utah
Next doorU of U Hospital & Huntsman
Short walk or driveTRAX Red Line
Fort Douglas · Stadium · Medical CenterDowntown SLC
About 10 minutes by car06 / Schools
What Schools Serve Federal Heights?
Salt Lake City School District. Confirm assignments for each address.
Wasatch · Bryant · West
Federal Heights is in the Salt Lake City School District. Recent MLS listings across the neighborhood show Wasatch Elementary (30 R Street), Bryant Middle School (40 South 800 East) and West High School as the assigned schools. Boundaries can change and can differ by address, so confirm current assignments for any specific home with the district’s school boundary lookup before you buy.
Rowland Hall · University of Utah
The district also offers open-enrollment options, and private schools are within a short drive. Rowland Hall is consolidating near the University of Utah: its new Richard R. Steiner Campus for grades 6–12, next to the McCarthey Campus on Guardsman Way, is scheduled to open in December 2026, replacing the Lincoln Street campus near 9th and 9th. Because the University of Utah sits next door, the neighborhood also has easy access to campus programs, lectures, museums and performances.
07 / Compare
Federal Heights vs. the Avenues vs. Yalecrest
| Federal Heights | The Avenues | Yalecrest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streets | Curving hillside streets | Grid of lettered streets and numbered avenues | Flatter east-bench grid |
| Homes | Prairie, Arts & Crafts and 1910s–50s revival | Victorian-era and early-1900s homes, more condos | 1910s–30s English cottages, Tudors, bungalows |
| Lots | Generally larger, many with views | Smaller lots | Modest city lots |
| Historic rules | No local historic overlay | Local historic district (1978) | Local districts on parts |
| Nearby | Trailheads, campus, hospitals | Walkable shops and cafés | Red Butte Creek, Miller & Laird parks |
Federal Heights vs. the Avenues: the Avenues runs west of Virginia Street on a tight grid of lettered streets (A through U) and numbered avenues (1st through 18th), with the Avenues Historic District listed on the National Register in 1980 and a city local historic district designated in 1978. Expect Victorian-era and early-1900s houses on smaller lots, more condos and multi-unit buildings, and design review for exterior changes. Federal Heights trades the grid for curving hillside streets, generally larger homes and lots, more 1910s to 1950s revival and Prairie styles, no local historic overlay, and a higher price tier.
Federal Heights vs. Yalecrest: Yalecrest sits south of the university on the east bench, roughly between Sunnyside Avenue and 1300 South from 1300 East to 1900 East. It is a flatter, cohesive grid of 1910s to 1930s English cottages, Tudors and bungalows around Red Butte Creek and Miller and Laird parks, and parts of it carry local historic district rules. Federal Heights offers more slope, bigger views and trailheads, and a shorter trip to campus and the hospitals.
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08 / Buying
Tips for Buying a Home in Federal Heights
Few homes come up each year, so get pre-approved and be ready, then inspect for the issues common to century-old hillside homes.
Be ready
Get pre-approved and watch for coming-soon and off-market homes.
Sewer scope
Old clay laterals and mature tree roots are frequent problems.
Water service line
Ask about lead or galvanized lines. The city began a no-cost lead line replacement program in 2026.
Wiring & heating
Check original wiring, aging boilers and furnaces, and unpermitted additions.
Slope & drainage
Have retaining walls, grading and drainage evaluated on sloped lots.
Radon
Test for radon, which is common in Utah.
Wasatch Fault
Review Utah Geological Survey hazard maps and any seismic upgrades.
Insurance
Foothill homes may carry elevated wildfire risk ratings. Get quotes early.
Local rules
Check ADU owner-occupancy, the 30-day rental minimum and permit parking near campus.
Scroll for all 9 →
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09 / Selling
Selling a Home in Federal Heights: What Buyers Pay For
Selling a home in Federal Heights rewards preparation because buyers here compare every listing against a small set of recent sales. They pay most for views, light and lot privacy; for updated systems such as electrical, HVAC, roofing and a replaced or lined sewer lateral; for preserved original character like built-ins, leaded glass, fireplaces and hardwood; and for a garage, main-level living and usable outdoor space on a sloped lot.
Before listing, consider a pre-inspection and sewer scope, gather permits and receipts for past upgrades, and fix drainage or retaining-wall concerns that will otherwise surface in a buyer’s inspection. Professional photography should capture the view at twilight and the walk to trailheads and campus. Price from street-level comparables rather than neighborhood averages, since one or two sales can move the median, and plan around the spring market and relocation demand tied to the University of Utah and its hospitals.
What buyers look for
- Views & light
- Lot privacy
- Updated electrical & HVAC
- New roof
- Replaced sewer lateral
- Built-ins & leaded glass
- Garage
- Main-level living
- Usable outdoor space
10 / Jpok Homes
Work With a Federal Heights Real Estate Expert
Federal Heights real estate is a small, detail-driven market where the right comparable sale, inspection plan and listing strategy make a real difference. Jpok Homes, with Signature Group Real Estate, helps buyers and sellers across Salt Lake City’s east bench neighborhoods, from Federal Heights and the Avenues to Yalecrest and Bonneville Hills.
If you are thinking about selling, request a free home valuation built on street-level comparables rather than a neighborhood average. If you are buying, ask for a tour of current Federal Heights homes for sale and alerts for new and coming-soon listings that match your lot, view and style priorities. Reach out to Jpok Homes to start the conversation.
Featured Listings
Questions & answers
Federal Heights Real Estate FAQs
The questions buyers and sellers ask most about living in, buying in, and selling in Federal Heights.
Where is Federal Heights in Salt Lake City?
Federal Heights is in the northeast corner of Salt Lake City, generally east of Virginia Street and north of South Temple. The University of Utah borders it on the south and east, and the Wasatch foothills, Popperton Park and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail sit above it to the north. It is in ZIP code 84103, City Council District 3 and the Greater Avenues Community Council area.
Is Federal Heights part of the Avenues?
Federal Heights is adjacent to the Avenues and often treated as its eastern extension, but it is a distinct neighborhood. The Avenues’ grid of lettered streets ends at Virginia Street, and Federal Heights begins east of it with curving hillside streets. Both are represented by the Greater Avenues Community Council, which lists Federal Heights as one of its board districts.
Why is it called Federal Heights?
Federal Heights is named for its federal neighbor, Fort Douglas, the U.S. Army post established above Salt Lake City in 1862; part of the neighborhood was once fort land. Developers Lucien Nunn and A.W. Wrench of Telluride Realty used the Federal Heights name when they subdivided 60 acres into more than 300 lots in 1906–07, with the first lots selling in 1907.
What zip code is Federal Heights in?
Federal Heights is mostly in ZIP code 84103, the same ZIP code as the Avenues and Capitol Hill. Because 84103 covers several neighborhoods with very different home styles and price tiers, searching Federal Heights homes for sale by neighborhood or by street, such as Perry Avenue, Sigsbee Avenue or Federal Heights Drive, gives a more accurate picture than a ZIP-wide search.
Is Federal Heights a historic district?
Federal Heights is not a Salt Lake City local historic district, so exterior changes generally do not go through historic design review. The neighboring South Temple local historic district ends at Virginia Street, and the University Neighborhood National Register district (a listing that does not trigger city design review) lies south of South Temple. Several individual Federal Heights homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Confirm the status of any specific property with Salt Lake City Planning.
What schools serve Federal Heights homes?
Federal Heights is served by the Salt Lake City School District. Recent listings in the neighborhood show Wasatch Elementary, Bryant Middle School and West High School as the assigned schools. Boundaries can change and may differ by address, so buyers should confirm current school assignments for a specific Federal Heights home directly with the Salt Lake City School District.
How expensive are homes in Federal Heights?
Federal Heights is one of Salt Lake City’s highest-priced neighborhoods, with typical prices well above the citywide median and the upper end in the luxury tier. Original bungalows on smaller lots are the entry point, while large view homes on the upper cul-de-sacs sit at the top. Because only a handful of homes sell each year, street-level comparables are the best guide to value.
Is Federal Heights a good place to live?
Federal Heights appeals to buyers who want historic architecture, mature trees, valley views and foothill trails close to the University of Utah, its hospitals and downtown, which is about ten minutes away by car. Trade-offs include high prices, very limited inventory, steep winter driving on hillside streets, groceries that usually require a drive, and parking pressure on blocks nearest campus.
What hiking trails are near Federal Heights?
Federal Heights has some of Salt Lake City’s closest-in trail access. Popperton Park connects to Dry Creek Canyon and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, and the Living Room trail starts on Colorow Road near the Natural History Museum of Utah, gaining roughly 950 to 1,000 feet over about 2.5 miles. Red Butte Garden is nearby, while Red Butte Canyon itself is a research area closed to public entry.
Can I build an ADU or rent out a home in Federal Heights?
Salt Lake City allows accessory dwelling units in single-family zones, but the owner generally must live on the property and ADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals. Rentals under 30 days are generally prohibited in Salt Lake City’s residential zones, including Federal Heights. Rules differ by zone, and foothill zones can require extra approvals, so check a specific Federal Heights parcel with Salt Lake City Planning.
What is the difference between Federal Heights and Yalecrest?
Federal Heights is a hillside neighborhood north of South Temple next to the University of Utah, with curving streets, larger view lots and trailheads. Yalecrest lies south of the university, roughly Sunnyside Avenue to 1300 South and 1300 to 1900 East, on a flatter grid of 1910s to 1930s English cottages, Tudors and bungalows around Red Butte Creek, with local historic rules in parts of the neighborhood.
What should I inspect when buying an older home in Federal Heights?
When buying an older Federal Heights home, order a sewer scope for clay laterals and root intrusion, and ask about galvanized or lead water lines, original wiring and aging heating systems. On sloped lots, evaluate retaining walls, grading and drainage. Test for radon, review Wasatch Fault hazard maps and any seismic upgrades, and get homeowners insurance quotes early because foothill homes may carry elevated wildfire risk ratings.
