Best and worst cities for staycations in the U.S. — how does SLC measure up?

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — If you’re looking for a break but want to save some cash — or don’t enjoy travel — a WalletHub study has compiled a list of the best (and worst) places to staycation across the U.S.

Staycations are just what they sound like, taking a vacation without travelling very far. Some stay at home, others at a hotel just 20 miles from home. If you’re considering a staycation in Utah, both Salt Lake City and West Valley City made the list.

Overall, Cincinnati, Ohio, was ranked first in the U.S., whereas Yonkers, New York, was ranked very last. The study compared 182 U.S. cities against each other based on “41 key metrics,” including parks, swimming pools and restaurant-meal costs.

How did SLC and WVC rank?

Salt Lake City was overall ranked number eight, falling just behind Tampa, Florida. The city received a score of 58.53. It was ranked seventh for recreation, likely due to the wide access of hiking trails and other recreation opportunities surrounding the city.

For the “food and entertainment” metric, SLC received 22nd place, still toward the top of the list. Its lowest ranking was in the “rest and relaxation” category, where it landed 72nd out of 182.

West Valley City was ranked as one of the less favorable options for a staycation overall. It ranked 156th out of 182 overall. The city earned a score of 36.84, more than 20 points under SLC.

While West Valley City’s ranking was overall lower, it still managed to rank 50th in the recreation category, likely due to its proximity to the same trails and opportunities that nearby SLC has. It was second-to-last in the food and entertainment category, however. For rest and relaxation, it did come close to SLC, being ranked at 95th out of 182.

The methodology

WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities across the U.S. They selected the 150 most-populated cities and then selected additional cities so that at least two of each state’s most-populated cities were represented. They calculated scores for recreation, food and entertainment, and rest and relaxation.

Each category had several weighted metrics that were evaluated on a 100-point scale. More information about the methodology and how different metrics were weighted can be found on WalletHub’s website.