Based on the following, where in Wyoming should I go? (Sheridan: low income, apartments)

[Brian_M]

You can not, in any way, compare Tampa/NJ or NYC to anywhere in Wyoming. You can't even compare anywhere along the east coast to WY (I've lived in DC and Atlanta, with long stints of work in Boston, NYC, Baltimore, and Daytona). It's a mountain state, and only other mountain states are similar. Just for a a quick reference, in all of Fremont County (which is larger than New Jersey), there are only 40,000 people. There's ONE Walmart, and ONE K-mart ~ they are across the street from each other in Riverton. If you happened to be in Dubois, WY, you'd be driving for about 70 minutes one way to get to the Walmart ~ and in that time, you'd only slow down for only one slightly populated area.

For people who have never been to the Rockies, this tends to be something that's hard to understand. Out here, you drive 60 minutes in any direction and you're passing through a dozen towns. Heck, do it on an interstate and you can go between cities in some places.

When it comes to living cheaply, it's hard to do in Wyoming. It gets more expensive as you move into the more desirable areas (pretty/scenic). In Lander, I think you can rent an unfurnished 1-bedroom apartment for about $800/month.. and that's if one is available (not a whole lot of rentals there). And Lander, while very scenic, is considered "remote" and thus a little less desirable by most people. I love it, but then again I grew up there.

For your photos, you can usually get one or the other. Either mountain views or plains views. Some places have both. Here's Lander:

[NDak15]

The terrain in Wyoming is variable. Some areas have mountains, some are on the plains, and some are in high desert.

[bawha]

Wow I'm from Wyoming and look be a bit to identify the communities in your pictures. The Irma Hotel was a give away for the first. Took me a little bit of time to figure out the second was of Jackson looking north from Snow King Resort, and a little more time than that to figure out the 3rd was shot from a hot air balloon looking east in Riverton. The picture Brian M posted was a nice picture of Lander. So as you can see, aside from surrounding topography, all the towns are going to be somewhat similar.

Having lived on the east coast all your life I don't know if you will truly be able to visualize what to expect. Everyone on this forum has given great descriptions, but having lived in the heavily wooded and populated east, I don't think you will be capable of visualizing Wyoming in your mind. Brian M gave a great description of driving from Dubois to Riverton 70 miles and having to slow down only once for a small population in between; and that's a relatively short such trip in Wyoming. And like a lot of such trips between towns in Wyoming "around each corner" is something different.

In the case of Dubois to Riverton, you start in the mountains and roll into arrid foothills, then find yourself in a pasture area for a stretch, then at the "next turn" drive through a stretch of sage brush, then finally bounce over a few hills and find yourself in a farming area. But the one thing it all has in common is that it is wide open space with nothing but the distant mountain ranges to the north and south blocking your view.

Some people I've known from the east really liked the wide open view and some said they felt "naked" and couldn't stand it.

Living in a small town and commuting to the "city" for work might not be possible because of the distances between larger communities in Wyoming. There are very few "larger" communties close together in Wyoming. The only exceptions would be Riverton (11K) and Lander (8K) 24 miles apart, Cody (10K) and Powell (7K) 23 miles apart, and Rock Springs (20K) and Green River (9K) 8 miles apart. Cheyenne and Laramie are 45 miles apart but it is a long 45 miles in the winter, if not closed.

Besides visiting, you may want to check out wyomingatwork.com before coming out to see what jobs are available around the state. Once you find an area you like, that web site will allow you to look for jobs in that area.

Good luck

[Froggie Legs]

Wow I'm from Wyoming and look be a bit to identify the communities in your pictures. The Irma Hotel was a give away for the first. Took me a little bit of time to figure out the second was of Jackson looking north from Snow King Resort, and a little more time than that to figure out the 3rd was shot from a hot air balloon looking east in Riverton. The picture Brian M posted was a nice picture of Lander. So as you can see, aside from surrounding topography, all the towns are going to be somewhat similar.

I'm just the opposite.. I didn't get the first pic but recognized Jackson and Riverton..and Brian's pic of Lander makes me wish I was living there still.. (and could wish the gasoline prices were still as low as they were when that photo was snapped!)

To the OP...good luck to you! Wish I was still young and carefree!

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by Froggie Legs

I'm just the opposite.. I didn't get the first pic but recognized Jackson and Riverton..and Brian's pic of Lander makes me wish I was living there still.. (and could wish the gasoline prices were still as low as they were when that photo was snapped!)

To the OP...good luck to you! Wish I was still young and carefree!

How long ago was that picture taken? I saw a postcard that had that same scene but with sheep on the street. It said "Wyoming Traffic Jam" or something to that effect. Lander is a pretty cool town.

[Brian_M]

The above photo of Lander has to be newer than 2007-ish as that's when the Mavirick was built (might have been a year to either side). I saw that same photo in person, but only right after the mill was built (early 1900's as I recall). Heck, we ran across a bunch of cool old Lander photos when we were renovating the library. Several, looking around from the roof of the library (tallest structure at that time, 1907) ~ I'm not sure if they have them on display now or not.

And the "Wyoming traffic jam" was cattle as I recall. More dumb facts, but the main street in Lander was designed as wide as it is (5 lanes) to accommodate a full team of horses + wagon turning around.

[jody_wy]

see tourist afarid the moutain will fall on them or they will fall off the moutain, kind of get the same feeling East of Cheyenne that one is going to fall off the east of the world. Dumped in Down Town Chicago was some deep canyons and rivers, knew the streets ran N-S-E-W but wasn't there long enough to get land marks downm dang fog and cloudes

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by jody_wy

see tourist afarid the moutain will fall on them or they will fall off the moutain, kind of get the same feeling East of Cheyenne that one is going to fall off the east of the world. Dumped in Down Town Chicago was some deep canyons and rivers, knew the streets ran N-S-E-W but wasn't there long enough to get land marks downm dang fog and cloudes

???

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by Brian_M

(snip)

And the "Wyoming traffic jam" was cattle as I recall. More dumb facts, but the main street in Lander was designed as wide as it is (5 lanes) to accommodate a full team of horses + wagon turning around.

the postcard I saw of the Wyoming traffic jam on that street was a band of sheep ...

but I suppose there's more than one postcard out there on the same theme; livestock taking over the roadway.

Even on our remote county dirt roads, it's not uncommon to have livestock being moved from pasture to pasture blocking the road and not gonna' get out of the way for awhile with the next crossroads at least a mile away, sometimes 3-4 miles ....

[Froggie Legs]

I lived just a few blocks off to the left of that grain elevator on Popo Agie street. If times weren't so economically horrid- and getting worse- I would pack up and move there again. Can't make a living on thin air though. Lander would be my ultimate choice though..if I could.