Where to live in Wyoming

B

Buckrvr1

Guest
24 months I can retire from teaching in Illinois. If I were to look at Wyoming..what would be the top 5 towns to consider to live in and if you don't mind, your reason....the problem I see with Wyoming is that it is difficult to find affordable housing.. I looking at hunting,fishing, camping in scenic beautiful places.....
 
Casper is not the cheepest or prettyest but is surounded with thousands of acers of puplic land, 4 lakes withen 80 miles, and 20 miles of the best trout fishing river in the state.

Moseley Middleton
 
But Montana is not as easy on the "retiree" as Wyoming is with not taxing retirement out of state pensions, etc....
 
Sheridan---It's right near the BigHorn Mountains, only a few minutes up into Montana, a few hours up over the mountains to Cody and Yellowstone, a couple hours from Rapid City, SD and the Black Hills. If you like a smaller town, I also like Buffalo, which is right at the base of the BigHorns just 30 minutes south of Sheridan.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-06-12 AT 07:52PM (MST)[p]jackson is nice but super expensive. sheridan thinks it is like jackson and a lot of stuck of people i found out when i lived there. they say its the number one western town but i didnt see anything western about it.

i personally like the cody area. your close to yellowstone. close to boysen resivor.. close to thermoplis hot springs. close to the bighorn mountains. then you got meetetsee, south fork, north fork, sunlight, and crandall mountain ranges. not to far from the beartooths and red lodge Mt. dont take long to travel to billings, MT to go to costco and do all your shopping and there is no state tax to pay on your groceries there.

thus is the reason why i live in the area for all these reasons.


congrads on getting close to retirement!!
 
What about cost of housing nfh? I have been interested in WY myself.

Bill

Kill the buck that makes YOU happy!
 
Here in the Pinedale area its a little colder than most other spots, but I think the fishing is as good as it gets in Wyoming, if you like natural lakes and streams anyway, there something like 1300 fishing lakes in the Wind river range alone, and its close to some of the better pronghorn areas,There are Elk, Moose, good deer genetics and we have lots of public land. There are some pretty good housing deals available right now, everywhere has pros and cons but everytime I go elsewhere, it seems nice to come back.
 
>What about cost of housing nfh?
>I have been interested in
>WY myself.
>
>Bill
>
>Kill the buck that makes YOU
>happy!


Housing of course is out of control in jackson. sheridan got crazy when the methane had its boom. for rent a grand dont get you much in sheridan. they are really proud of there housing market there. gillete is really high to due to the coal mines. here is the cody/powell area housing is fair. still a little high but its the high land prices if you want some acres.

other towns such as lovell,byron, basin,greybull there housing prices are low but those areas that dont offer much in town. not much of achoice for shopping.....
 
>>What about cost of housing nfh?
>>I have been interested in
>>WY myself.
>>
>>Bill
>>
>>Kill the buck that makes YOU
>>happy!
>
>
>Housing of course is out of
>control in jackson. sheridan got
>crazy when the methane had
>its boom. for rent a
>grand dont get you much
>in sheridan. they are really
>proud of there housing market
>there. gillete is really high
>to due to the coal
>mines. here is the
>cody/powell area housing is fair.
>still a little high but
>its the high land prices
>if you want some acres.
>
>
>other towns such as lovell,byron, basin,greybull
>there housing prices are low
>but those areas that dont
>offer much in town. not
>much of achoice for shopping.....
>

here is a link to a local reality company. there is some land lots and houses to get an idea from my area

http://www.heartmountainrealty.com/
 
Cody is a neat town and I love the BB Historical Museum. I've never been to Pinedale, but I'm sure that's a beautiful area too. You guys are both in great spots!
 
I really like the Cody area, also town has anold feel to it but they got just about anything you would need.some of the friendliest people you will meet that doesn't hurt either.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-07-12 AT 04:54AM (MST)[p]I spent a month in Dubois one time and I think it is a nice place to retire to.
Beautiful and good hunting in the area.Very friendly town.
 
Unless you're a billionare, Jackson will not be on your list. I'm in Evanston and like how I'm close enough to the big city stuff when I need it.

The question you should ask yourself is - how fond of the cold and wind are you? I'm serious about this one. If you choose western Wyo, you will see snow 9 to 10 months out of the year. That period from December through April will be a completely different planet from the one you remember from your hunting and fishing trips in late summer and fall. Wyoming's climate and geography tends to weed out the less hardy souls.

That being said, Wyoming is a truly awesome place. Its is so varied that it would be hard to pick the top 5 places to live. Being a retiree, you could rent a place and try it on for size, while exploring other areas of the state.
 
I heard Wyoming has two seasons. 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad sledding. It does have some good hunting and fishing.
 
I'll be moving in about 5 years to Wyoming or Colorado. My wife an I have been exploring different towns during the summer. I really like some things about Laramie. I'm used to plains Blizzards and winter I live in the Sandhills of Ne.. Any thoughts on Laramie my experience is the housing is a little cheaper than the farther you go west.
 
I like most of the towns suggested above in Wyoming.
The one thing I like to find out is how does the local water taste and smell. I have had some sulphury tasting smelling water, Gillete was one of em. Good luck on finding your retirement dream place.
 
I think it depends on the size of town you want. If it were me, I would seriously be looking at these three, but I am sure there are a bunch of other choices.

Cody for a little bigger town.
Lander is slightly smaller town than Cody.
Pinedale is definitely on the smaller side from the others.

I think I would go for Lander if it were me, wish it was me! Cody would be a close second (more touristy than Lander)...I guess that could be a good or a bad thing.
 
I like Afton BUT...the winters can and are COLD/SNOWY. Then there is Big Piney, been there quiet a number of times for hunting, but again that sign on the outskirts of town is there for a reason.
BIG PINEY ICE BOX OF THE NATION.

Liked Casper BUT don't like them cold north WINDS and it is windy there at lot.

Lander and Riverton are both nice mid size towns. This fall I plan on checking out Worland to see what that place is like.

Buffalo was building a lot when we were there in Oct. 2010 lots of construction going on there.

A little of something for everyone I would guess in WYO...good luck on your retirement......it is great.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]
 
I don't know why I ddin't mention Worland because I have friends there and visit every year during the Fall. It's a perfect spot to go any direction to get to a lot of great places in very little time. They also get very little snow being right in the middle of the Basin. Thermopolis is another very nice town right south of there and it's a great drive on south from there down through the Wind River Canyon heading for Shoshoni and Riverton.
Buffalo was a mess for several years when they were rebuilding the entire road system from the interstate all the way to main street that goes N/S. The same time that was going on there were several motels and fast food places being built or redone, so it was a pain getting through there. However, it turned out real nice and is one very small town I've even thought about moving to some day.
 
Lot's of people fall in love with an area but end up winterkilling, I see it all the time here in eastern Oregon and our winters aren't near as bad as much of Wyoming.

I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than Cody, Dubois or Jackson but I'm not sure they're going to be as appealing when I'm old as they are today. getting old sucks, what matters on a hunting trip isn't what's all that important when you're a bluehair.

If you're not set on WY check out Bend Oregon, it's always voted one of the top places to live. housing is stupid cheap after the crash, plenty of services including world class medical, fair sized airport nearby and you're only 3 hours from Portland if you need a big town.

Just something to think about in your search.













Stay thirsty my friends
 
Idaho Falls and surrounding towns are pretty good, The real estate is the best bang for your buck out of all that are mentioned. The fishing can be as good as any other. Steelhead and salmon ...Yellowstone, Jackson hole, Alpine, Sun valley , Grand Tetons all with in a couple hours drive. The big game hunting can be good as well..Montana and Wyoming are less than a hour away. Good luck
 
>I'll be moving in about 5
>years to Wyoming or Colorado.
> My wife an I
>have been exploring different towns
>during the summer. I
>really like some things about
>Laramie. I'm used to
>plains Blizzards and winter I
>live in the Sandhills of
>Ne.. Any thoughts on
>Laramie my experience is the
>housing is a little cheaper
>than the farther you go
>west.


i also have a place down in laramie. if you like snow that is the place to be. that town just gets hammered with snow when rest of the state gets nothing. itravel in and out of laramie a lot so i really dont know much about the mountain range in the area. but there is a lot things to do in that town being mostly a college town.
 
I can't believe no one has suggested Rock Springs. Rock Springs has it all. Beautiful scenery, beautiful women, nicest people you will find, great hunting and fishing all around you. It can get a little windy but as long as you lean into it you will be fine. Anywhere else in Wyoming might as well be Califonia.
 
That's one of those "it depends" questions. Do you need a town with Walmart and social amenities? Is a town of 200 people and a 100 mile round trip for gorceries OK? Can you stand the wind? (And I mean serious wind where the semis are blowing over by the dozens every week.) Is fishing #1? Or mule deer? Elk? Antelope?

My favorite town is Saratoga. Has everything I need. Great public lands, deer standing around town, great steaks, good hardware and groceries and even a good hot spring. And world-class gofing if you like that. But towns like Baggs, Centennial and Elk Mountain really are where I would like to be. Smaller and closer to public lands for good hunting and fishing. Places like Eden-Farson, LaBarge, Hulett, Aladdin, etc are where I would go. I'm just not a big town guy.

But there are lots of good choices.
 
I hear what you're saying the smaller the better, but as I watch the older folks move in from the back country closer to the towns with hospitals and sevices it shows me where I'll probably be someday.

The golden years are more like make your plans around doctor appointments for most . where you want to live and where you can live aren't the same thing when you're old. it sucks but that's just the way it is, best to think about it before you sink a fortune into a place you can't stay.


I may be talking in extremes, we only have one high school in my county.






Stay thirsty my friends
 
>I can't believe no one has
>suggested Rock Springs. Rock
>Springs has it all.
>Beautiful scenery, beautiful women, nicest
>people you will find, great
>hunting and fishing all around
>you. It can get
>a little windy but as
>long as you lean into
>it you will be fine.
> Anywhere else in Wyoming
>might as well be Califonia.
>

Yer the mannn... I'd say it's a tie between Rock Springs and Rawlins. What old fart wouldn't want to live in towns with such fine amenities and a little wind.
 
If I'm lucky enough to retire, I hope to spend my winters roaming the deserts of the Southwest. Wyoming from May through the end of October is about as good as it gets, but I really don't want to endure the Wyoming winters in my senior years.

I did see that buckrvr1's home state of Illinois was in a tie as the worst place to retire in the US.
 
Elk hunting would be my first priority followed by mule deer hunting, antelope, fishing.....
 
>Yer the mannn... I'd say
>it's a tie between Rock
>Springs and Rawlins. What
>old fart wouldn't want to
>live in towns with such
>fine amenities and a little
>wind.


It's a very close tie. I would say Rock Springs wins since we have an outdoor roping arena that is in the process of getting lighting.

In all seriousness, I had the opportunity to transfer with work to either Salt Lake, Sheridan or Rock Springs and I picked Rock Springs. I had lived here for about 10 years a few years ago and just fell in love with the place. It grows on a person. There is much more to do in the desert than people think.
 
I'd have to suggest almost anywhere in the Big Horn Basin. With the exception of Cody real estate is pretty good as compared to the rest of the state. I would argue that parts of the "basin" could be considered the banana belt of WY. Most all of Wy has lots of hardcore wind and the wind river basin and big horn basin are the few areas that have very little wind. As well you can't beat the diversity of terrain and wild life that is in and around the big horn basin. Lander is also a good option though real estate is a little high and they get quite a bit of snow. The Absaroka's, Wind River's and Big Horn mountain ranges are the best in the state in my opinion and as long as I live near them I'd be a happy camper. Good luck in your quest!
 
I know Rock Springs and Rawlins get a bad reputation and they might not be as scenic and the win blows hard. All that but they have some really friendly people that I've met through the years of hunting in those areas. I guess that's another thing to consider. Yes I've seen some of the Meth heads but that's world today.
 
I like the Star Valley area.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
 
rvr1, good luck on your search. And i appreciate all of the input too.

I've only looked on-line at property. I started with SW Colorado, the Durango/Cortez area. Durango is too touristy but outside town a ways. Anyways, the prices ain't much less then here in kali.

Then i searched Wyoming. Prices weren't too bad but I never really saw many places that got me excited.

Then i looked at Tennesse. Like Wyoming, no state taxes on pensions. And I found places that i fell in love with, with prices I fell in love with.

i live in a climate where we expect snow from late October thru early june but i know you add a couple of months to that in Montana and Wyoming, plus i'm not a big wind fan.

Anyways, with the money I think I can save in Tennesse, I can spend winters in Arizona/New Mexico and falls in the West. But i haven't ruled out North Central Nevada yet either.

I guess the "perfect" retirement place is based on your personal wants and needs. I want year round pasture for my horses. I'll save thousands a year and eliminate the headache of having someone feed them when i'm gone.

And December, 2014 is when I have to make a decision cause this place sucks!!!!!!!!!!
 
If you move somewhere purely for hunting, the Jackson Hole area (where I live) is the best in the state, hands down, with Cody a close 2nd. Jackson is also crazy expensive and full of liberals. Cody is also somewhat expensive and it gets pretty windy. Sheridan/Buffalo, Thermopolis and Lander are all nice places near the mountains and affordable as well. Anywhere in eastern WY is all leased up by outfitters, so you'll have to pay to play. Rawlins has some great hunting but it's too breezy for me.
 
I've not read the replies but I really like the town and the people of Dubois .


Pat C.
 
Used to live in Riverton, I guess if I had the choice it would be.
Lander
Dubois
Thermopolis
or Meeteetse.
 
dont kid yourself people. idaho is the place to be. thats why their residents are so tight lipped about it. if u dont at least research it, you'll be selling yourself short
 
don't kid yourself people. idaho is the place to be. why do you think their residents are so tight lipped about it. if you don't at least research it, you are selling your self short buckfvr1
 
I would love to retire in Wyoming,,, but I don't know if I want to se all of you guys! LOL!

Seriously, this is one of my favorite places on earth. I have done trails runs in the Bighorns and hunted western Wyo. Tough to go wrong if you like hunting, fishing, camping, and backpacking. When it comes to weather,I live in eastern ND. I have no place to go but up!

My biggest fear is that if I lived there, I might take it for granted one day.
 
How about Alfton...there is a teaching job I am qualified for and I could keep teaching in Wyoming for awhile....
 
It is probably one of the best school districts in the country. Great teachers, great kids, great community, beautiful area. I live 3 miles south of town. Which position are you looking at? Getting a job in this district is a competitive proposition, but if you've some experience and shining references it may pan out for you. If you've any extra certifications, coaching endorsements, etc., it may be a plus. In addition to academics, they take their extra curricular pretty seriously and the kids compete well against much larger schools. I say that with some bias of course, with three kids in the school at this time...
 
AFTON is a nice small town and hunting real close as well as fishing. BUT the winters can and do get really cold when that north wind comes down thru the valley there.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]
 
Brian makes a good point. Spring (when it gets here), summer and fall are paradise here. Winter is long and we tend to get a lot of snow. It is not as windy as most of the rest of Wyoming, and there are places where it gets colder (but it does get cold), but you will have real winter generally from mid November well into April and will see some snow from anywhere in mid September well through May. It did snow here once on the 4th of July. Hard frosts start late August and go well into June, so if you like to garden--it can be done, but takes some effort.

A lot of people come here and love it until about mid January and by the end of March believe paradise has turned to perdition and that hell has indeed frozen over. Many are here a year or two and move on. If you enjoy winter activities: snow boarding, skiing (Nordic or alpine), snowshoeing, snow machining (or sledding, snowmobiling, or what ever they call it in your neck of the woods), etc., you won't find the long winters unpleasant.

It is a friendly community and if you and your family are friendly in return, will find it is easy to fit in. Every community has its naysayers who say it is cliquish, that outsiders never fit in, and where the advantage only come if you have the right last name; but my observation as an outsider who has is has been involved with A LOT of people in this valley is that it is no worse here than anywhere else I've been and not as bad as the vocal minority would have one believe.

If you ever do get serious about checking the place out and come out for a look-see, if I've enough notice and our schedules work out, I'll take you about to see some of the most fantastic country you've ever seen.
 

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