Relocate to Wyoming (Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie: appointed, apartment, for rent)

[CammyJo]

I am in need of a big change in my life. Thinking of Wyoming. I will need a job and housing for myself and dog. Lots of admin experience, client and customer relations, travel arrangements, you name it, I can pretty much do it or learn it. Ready for new experiences and am sick of Iowa. Are there any opps for jobs that come with housing? I am low key, don't need or want the big city life, country would be ideal. Not bringing a lot of cash, so would need something within 2-3 weeks of arriving. Any help or advice would be great! I am not some 20 someting, I am not in a mid life crisis. I really need to know if this is even feasible or not. Just asking. I love the outdoors, horses, and quiet. If this is unrealistic, tell me, Ok?

[georgiainwyo]

Hello! Have you ever visited Wyoming? Is there a particular reason you choose Wyoming? I am sure there are some major differences from Iowa, although not like it would be for those moving from New York City, Florida, or California! Wyoming has various types of communities. Have you read through all the posts about different towns, etc.? I would suggest that you do some investigation before deciding where to move. As for jobs, that can be hit and miss. There are times that some jobs like those you are qualified for pop up and at other times there are dry streaks. Of course, as with anywhere, the bigger towns have more jobs, but there are more people applying for those jobs. With your experience you may look into jobs within school districts, the state of Wyoming, or individual counties or cities. The government jobs all have good benefits and decent pay. Have you looked at wyomingatwork.com? That is the job service website. Good luck in your endeavors!
Georgia

[ElkHunter]

Hi CammyJo, welcome to the Wyoming Forum.

You are correct when you are thinking that Wyoming would be a big change. In Iowa, you get winter, but it's a lot milder than Wyoming winters. Temps can drop to -40 and that's with no wind. It doesn't often do that, but it has, and can again.

A lot of Wyoming gets some major wind, however, there are "less windy" areas too. Sheridan, Buffalo, Cody, Powell, all come to mind with less wind then say, Laramie, Rock Springs, Evanston, Cheyenne.

Wyoming offers a wide variety of terrain. From Mountains and towns up at 8,000 ft, to high plains, and high desert. A lot of folks don't realize, Wyoming has one of the largest deserts in North America.

In Wyoming, you had better like the outdoors as there is not a lot of other things to offer. I say that, but Sheridan, for instance, has a theater (stage with actors, concerts, etc...), there's always something going on at the fair grounds. Casper and Cheyenne are the two largest towns with just over 50,000 people in each.

The first place you should start is www.wyomingatwork.com which is the state website that lists all the jobs in each of the employment offices in the state. I would look there and do a search of jobs that you would be interested in and then ask questions about the area. Getting a job is #1 priority in Wyoming. You cannot expect to move here and then start looking. You would be greatly disappointed. Try and find a job first.

Prices vary greatly for rent or for purchase. Anything in the Mountains, or near the mountains, is going to be costly. Rent in the Sheridan area runs around $500-$600 for a one bedroom apartment. $700 would get you a house with a yard, or a trailer house/modular home. I can't say about the other area's of the state, but somebody will chime in and let you know.

Most service type jobs will only pay about $8 an hour to start. Very difficult to make it on that kind of money, unless you hold more than one job and are willing to really put in the hours.

Energy in Wyoming is generally cheaper than most places in the US. I live in a 1 bedroom cabin that is all electric and I pay about $80-$85 a month and that includes my central air during the summer. Gas/electric in town run me about $150 a month (Combined) on a 3 bedroom house that was well insulated. It also had central air. Propane is the most expensive way to go. The cheapest being coal, and there are a lot of houses that are coal heat. Stoker coal is readily available, but lump coal is getting harder to get (decent stuff) and lump runs about $60-$70 a ton if you go get it. My neighbor has a lump coal stove and last year I helped haul coal. We went into town and hand picked lump coal and it took about 8 pickup loads to last the entire winter.

Start with the link on jobs and then ask away.

Again, welcome to the Wyoming Forum, there are a lot of good folks here and a lot of good advice.

[Happy in Wyoming]

Originally Posted by CammyJo

I am in need of a big change in my life. Thinking of Wyoming. I will need a job and housing for myself and dog. Lots of admin experience, client and customer relations, travel arrangements, you name it, I can pretty much do it or learn it. Ready for new experiences and am sick of Iowa. Are there any opps for jobs that come with housing? I am low key, don't need or want the big city life, country would be ideal. Not bringing a lot of cash, so would need something within 2-3 weeks of arriving. Any help or advice would be great! I am not some 20 someting, I am not in a mid life crisis. I really need to know if this is even feasible or not. Just asking. I love the outdoors, horses, and quiet. If this is unrealistic, tell me, Ok?

You seem to be someone who would be very happy in our hospitality industry. Jackson is the most likely place so I'd start looking at the different companies there who could offer you a job at your level. Cody does a good bit of meeting and convention business both summer and winter so that's another possibility. Some do come with housing. I met a woman in Evanston who worked in a hotel there and had a free room for her and her big dog. Take a look, then come and see for yourself. There are jobs here; plenty of people have them and get new ones every day.

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

You are correct when you are thinking that Wyoming would be a big change. In Iowa, you get winter, but it's a lot milder than Wyoming winters. Temps can drop to -40 and that's with no wind. It doesn't often do that, but it has, and can again.

That would be an all time record low in most places in Wyoming. We frequently get shirtsleeve weather in a normal winter. I assure you that winters are easier out here by a good bit. Check the weather in Cody, Jackson, and other cities right here on c-d, the check some Iowa cities and compare. I must mention that the coldest windchill I ever experienced in my life was just east of Des Moines, -98. Two people tried to walk about a quarter mile from a truck that broke down. I drove past the bodies which were no more than a hundred yards from the truck.

Summers are hot in parts of the state but very dry. People here don't walk around with sweat dripping off.

We love newcomers here; most of us were born somewhere else. Smile at the naysayers; then ignore them.

[branDcalf]

There are pluses and minuses to living here, as pointed out above.

I work more than one job. Always have, even though my main career is a well paying one. And still have time for outdoor activities. High energy is a common trait among those who live here happily.

My only caution is trying to find housing that will accept pets. My home is in one part of the state, while I work in another and rent. It was two years before the landlord gave me a shot at having a pet. I have also helped new hires find housing both in the Sheridan and Casper areas. Rents are higher than they expected and some gave up their pets to get the housing so they could work. A couple of them took very poor housing in order to keep their pets, but they aren't happy.

Wyoming might be for you. But I always recommend people look into it before committing to a huge change that they maybe can't undo.

[ElkHunter]

I have a friend that lives in Iowa and we talk at least weekly. When we do, we are always comparing weather. He must live in the hotspot of Iowa because he's always warmer and has less wind.

But here is a sebiste where you can look at any town and do comparisons and see for yourself on where you live and where you want to live. Rain, snow, wind, highs lows, etc. UNITED STATES CLIMATE NORMALS 1981-2010

[NDak15]

What size town are you looking for and what kind of terrain do you want, mountains, plains, or high desert?