Pros and Cons of living in Woods Cross, Utah

Woods Cross, Utah is a small south Davis County city of about 11,400 residents (2020 Census), tucked between Bountiful to the east, West Bountiful to the north and North Salt Lake to the south. Its biggest selling point is location: downtown Salt Lake City, the airport and the Davis County foothills are all close, and the city has its own FrontRunner station. Buyers who want to see current inventory can explore every Woods Cross home for sale.

The city also has some honest drawbacks, including refineries, rail lines and summer mosquitoes on its west side. This guide covers both sides so buyers can decide whether Woods Cross fits.

Woods Cross at a Glance

• County: Davis County
• Population: 11,410 at the 2020 Census, up about 17% from 2010
• Size: about 3.8 square miles
• Elevation: about 4,249 feet
• Zip codes: 84087 and 84010
• Named for: Daniel C. Wood, a pioneer settler who lived and died in the area; the city was settled in 1865 and incorporated in 1935

Who Woods Cross Is Best For

• Salt Lake City commuters who want one of the shortest drives into downtown from Davis County
• Frequent travelers, since Salt Lake City International Airport is a short drive away via Legacy Parkway and I-215
• Transit riders who want a FrontRunner station inside the city
• Buyers priced out of Bountiful who still want access to its foothill trails, shops and restaurants

Woods Cross is a weaker fit for buyers who want to be far from industry and rail lines, for anyone highly sensitive to odors or mosquitoes, and for buyers who want a large selection of homes to choose from at any one time, since the city is small and inventory is limited.

Woods Cross Home Prices: What Buyers Should Know

Because Woods Cross is small, only a handful of homes sell in a typical month, so monthly medians swing more than in larger cities. The best live snapshot is the current asking price:

• Median list price of active homes: $550,000

The housing mix ranges from older ramblers and split-levels in established neighborhoods to newer townhome communities built in recent years. Buyers looking for a lower entry point can browse townhomes for sale in Woods Cross, and buyers who want everything on one floor can check single-story homes in Woods Cross. Some of the most active subdivisions in recent years include The Audrey and Valentines Estates.

Why online estimates miss the mark here

Utah is a non-disclosure state, so sale prices are not public record and automated estimates have to guess. In a small city with few monthly sales, those guesses rely on thin data, and they rarely account for how close a home is to the rail lines, Legacy Parkway or the refineries, factors that can move a home's value noticeably in either direction.

The Commute Reality

When the commute works

Woods Cross is one of the closest Davis County cities to downtown Salt Lake City. Outside rush hour, the drive is often about 15 minutes, using I-15 or Legacy Parkway, which runs along the city's west side. The airport is about as close. The Woods Cross FrontRunner station at 750 South 800 West opened in 2008 and has roughly 230 free park-and-ride spaces, giving commuters a train option to downtown Salt Lake City and north to Ogden.

When it doesn't

The I-15 corridor through south Davis County is one of the busiest stretches in the state, and rush-hour traffic can stretch a short trip considerably. Freight and commuter rail lines also cross the city, and residents on the west side sometimes wait on trains at crossings at inconvenient times.

Schools in Woods Cross

Woods Cross is part of the Davis School District. The city is home to Woods Cross High School and two elementary schools, Woods Cross Elementary and Odyssey Elementary. Junior high assignments depend on the address. Davis School District adjusts boundaries as enrollment changes, so buyers should confirm the assigned schools for a specific home with the district.

Refineries, Rail Lines and Mosquitoes: The Honest Downsides

The west side of south Davis County is an industrial area. HF Sinclair operates an oil refinery in Woods Cross, and the industrial area along the rail corridor brings truck traffic, the occasional odor and views of storage tanks from some streets. Many residents stop noticing it, but buyers should drive by a home at different times of day before committing, especially when the wind is coming from the west.

The Great Salt Lake's wetlands lie just west of the city, and mosquitoes can be a real nuisance on summer evenings, particularly in west-side neighborhoods. Homes closer to the Bountiful border, on the east side of the city, are generally farther from both the wetlands and the industrial area.

Safety and Everyday Feel

Woods Cross is a small, mostly residential city, and most neighborhoods are quiet streets of single-family homes and townhomes. The feel changes block by block, though: east-side streets near Bountiful are leafy and established, while west-side streets sit closer to the freeway, Legacy Parkway, rail lines and industrial buildings. As in most suburbs, the bulk of reported crime is property crime rather than violent crime. Buyers who want specifics can request recent incident data from the police agency serving Woods Cross and visit a neighborhood at different times of day before buying.

Outdoor Recreation Nearby

Woods Cross itself is flat and mostly residential, but the foothills are only a few minutes away. The Mueller Park trail above Bountiful is a popular hiking and mountain biking route through the trees, and segments of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail run along the bench above Bountiful. In winter, the ski resorts in Salt Lake County's Cottonwood canyons and Snowbasin near Ogden are each within about an hour's drive.

Lagoon amusement park in Farmington is a short drive north on I-15. For more local ideas, see this list of things to do in Woods Cross.

Dining, Shopping and Healthcare

Woods Cross has everyday shopping near its I-15 interchanges, and Bountiful, right next door, adds more grocery stores, restaurants and its older Main Street. The best-known local stop is Pace's Dairy Ann, a long-running drive-in on the Woods Cross–Bountiful border known for burgers and its Astro Bars, a thick frozen treat on a stick.

For hospital care, residents typically use Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful or one of the large hospitals in Salt Lake City, all a short drive away.

Weather

Woods Cross has a semi-arid, four-season climate. Summers are hot and dry, and winters bring cold temperatures and periodic snow, with January and February usually the snowiest months. Because the city sits low on the valley floor, winter inversions can trap haze for days at a time.

The Real Trade-Off

What buyers get:

• One of the shortest commutes to downtown Salt Lake City and the airport from Davis County
• A FrontRunner station in town
• Access to Bountiful's foothills, shops and restaurants, often at a lower price than Bountiful itself

What buyers give up:

• Distance from industry, since a refinery and rail lines are part of the city
• Bug-free summer evenings on the west side
• A large selection of homes, since inventory in a small city is limited

A Simple Scorecard for Deciding if Woods Cross Fits

1. Is the main commute to Salt Lake City or the airport?

If yes, Woods Cross is one of the most convenient places to live in Davis County.

2. How sensitive is the household to odors and noise?

Visit the specific street at different times of day before writing an offer.

3. Is the home on the east or west side of the city?

East-side homes sit closer to Bountiful and farther from the industrial area and wetlands.

4. Will someone use FrontRunner?

Check the walking or driving distance to the station at 750 South 800 West.

5. Can the search be patient?

With limited inventory, the right home may take time to come up, so being ready to act matters.

Common Mistakes Buyers Make Before Moving to Woods Cross

• Touring only once, instead of checking the neighborhood on a still evening and a weekday morning.
• Ignoring rail crossings on the daily route to work or school.
• Assuming school assignments without confirming them with the Davis School District.
• Relying on online estimates in a city with only a few sales each month.
• Overlooking HOA rules in newer townhome communities, including rental limits and parking.
• Not comparing neighboring cities such as Bountiful, West Bountiful and North Salt Lake before deciding.

Is Woods Cross a Good Place to Live?

Woods Cross works well for:

• Downtown Salt Lake City and airport commuters
• FrontRunner riders
• Buyers who want south Davis County at a lower price point than Bountiful

Woods Cross is less ideal for:

• Buyers who want distance from industry and rail lines
• Anyone very sensitive to odors or mosquitoes
• Buyers who need a wide selection of homes right now

Bottom Line

Woods Cross trades a little polish for a lot of convenience. Buyers who commute to Salt Lake City or travel often get one of the best locations in Davis County, as long as they choose a street carefully with the refinery, rail lines and wetlands in mind. For comparison, look at neighboring Bountiful and North Salt Lake before deciding.