Cost of Living (Casper, Laramie, Gillette: real estate, apartment, rentals)

[jewelsfaith87]

My fiance and I are looking to move to the Gillette area. He has a job offer there and we are wondering about the cost of living. We are from Michigan and there are no jobs here right now, and it is getting to be kind of pricey to live here. What is the wages like? Housing, whether it is a house or an apartment? What are the surrounding towns and cities? Are there very many colleges near Gillette?? I know alot of questions but I'm still in college and would like to continue to go to school after we move.
Thanks a bunch!!! TOOTLES!!!

[jdavid93225]

There is a ton of info regarding Gillette on this forum. If you do a search of this forum, you will find many answers to your questions (click on the "Search" tab at the top of this page). The quick answers to your questions from what I've read on this forum are:
1. Wages are good to excellent if you work in the energy sector (coal, oil, and gas extraction), due to the energy boom.

2. Housing is scarce, especially for rentals, due to the energy boom.

3. Surrounding towns and cities are pretty far away, in most cases. Here are a few examples:
Moorcroft - about 25 miles
Wright - about 40 miles
Sundance - about 60 miles
Buffalo - about 60 miles
Sheridan - about 90 miles
Casper - about 140 miles
With the exception of Casper, Buffalo, and Sheridan, all of these towns are pretty small. Casper is the largest city in the area, with a population just over 50,000. Sheridan is close to half that (give or take several thousand). Buffalo is even smaller. There are a few other small towns within 30 miles of Gillette, but most are very small (<2,000 population).

4. From what I've read, there are no colleges in Gillette. I believe there is a Junior College in Sheridan. The University of Wyoming is way down on the South edge of the state in Laramie. There may be something in Rapid City, South Dakota, which is also somewhere around 90 miles away.

As you may have gathered, Gillette is fairly isolated. It doesn't have any other cities nearby. This is generally true for all of Wyoming. You can read all about this and other facts of life in Wyoming by searching this forum. There is a lot of information to be had by reading the previous posts here.

[ElkHunter]

jdavid, your GPS system needs new batteries.

From Gillette to Buffalo is 97 miles. Gillette to Sheridan is 127.

Sheridan does have a college and until this year, was a 2 year college. As of this year, they do offer some 4 year degrees. Not sure what fields they are in.

[ruggedindividual]

Gillette to Buffalo is 97 miles? I make that drive every day and I'm pretty sure the sign say's 66 miles to Gillette. It takes me just over an hour to get from I-90 in Buffalo to the Port of Entry exit in Gillette, on the east side of town. Also, Gillette has a two year college, Gillette College. It's a satellite school for Sheridan College.

[ElkHunter]

Now you got me to thinking. The company I drove for, paid us 127 to Gillette from Sheridan. Course, -30 to Buffalo. I gotta get out my map and look at it. haha

If I'm wrong, I stand corrected. Sorry.

I stand corrected. Now I'm wondering why they paid us 127 from Sheridan. hmmmmm

Thanks for setting that straight.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Now you got me to thinking. The company I drove for, paid us 127 to Gillette from Sheridan. Course, -30 to Buffalo. I gotta get out my map and look at it. haha

If I'm wrong, I stand corrected. Sorry.

I stand corrected. Now I'm wondering why they paid us 127 from Sheridan. hmmmmm

Thanks for setting that straight.

I was using a map for reference, but was only estimating the mileage very roughly. I used the scale on the map, and just figured it to what looked like the closest 10 miles or so, so my figures may be off, but I didn't think they'd be too far off. My population estimates for Sheridan and Buffalo may have been off, though, since I was only going by memory.

I didn't know that there was a college in Gillette, even a two-year one. I'm glad to hear that there is.

[jewelsfaith87]

Thanks too all of you that have helped out...we aren't looking to move till Jan. If you have anymore info. on this subject please don't hesitate to let me know!!!
TOOTLES!!!

[Kristynwy]

If you are moving in January I would suggest calling every apartment in town and calling real estate offices because you will have a hard time finding a rental. You may have to live in a motel for a month or two till you can find a place. The housing is very tight here. Of course I live in Sheridan, which is smaller than Gillette, but Gillette I have heard has similar problems, because it has most of the methane work. Houses are 200,000 to 300,000 to buy.

When we moved last Feb. I started packing beginning of November, and I called every week an apartment place, check the paper or called a realtor. We found a place to rent just a week before we left. And I had called for months prior to our move.

As far as the area, I don't know much else, I have been there a few times, I personally like Sheridan and Buffalo the best cause it is close to the mountains.

I wish you the best of luck on your move

[jewelsfaith87]

Does anyone have any idea on what newspapers too look at while looking for listings for rentals???

[ElkHunter]

For Sheridan, it's the Sheridan Press. It's a 6 day a week paper and the only one we have.

The Sheridan Front Page

You can look at classifieds right on line.