Questions about Cheyenne (Warren AFB, Midwest, Burns: job, housing, low crime)

[veekasaurus]

I've been reading many of the posts, but am still left with some questions. We currently live in Seattle and are considering a move to the Front Range area of CO, which looks like a great area. Then we saw a job in Cheyenne which is perfect, so I've been researching the area.

My questions are:

* Weather. I had no idea about the wind! How limiting is the weather really? What % of days do people with kids just stay inside? In Seattle we get a lot of rain, but it's very mild so even on the rainy days we can go out and tromp around, not on the playgrounds, but in the yard. My husband is used to severe weather as he's from Wisconsin, but I suspect I'd have a big adjustment. I want to avoid somewhere where we are cooped up inside, as that's tough with 2 boys!

* Nature. We like to be in nature. WY looks absolutely beautiful. Since it's mild here, we can be outside year round. What do people with small kids do in winter?

* How family friendly is it? Quality of schools?

* Can anyone give a comparison with the Front Range area of CO? I've read a lot about that area and it sounds great and I'm interested in opinions about some of the big differences with Cheyene.

* Meth - how big of a problem is it? In Seattle, there is heroin (and lots of other stuff) since we are a port city. Some of the posts make it sound like meth is everywhere....

Thanks in advance!

[jazzlover]

Most of this has been answered before in other threads, but I'll briefly address it.

The wind is a factor. Frequent hard wind is a fact of life from about late October through April. Locals are used to it--those who come from other areas may have difficulty adjusting. A 15 mph constant wind is not unusual--but gusting wind to over 70 mph with sustained wind over 35-40 mph is not uncommon. Often wind in winter is the "Chinook," a warming wind--but the ambient temperature may still only be in the 30's or 40's. If it howls out of the north or northwest, the ambient temperature can be down to zero, with a wind chill down below 30 below. Yes, it is possible to have both on the same day.

A bigger downer for me when I lived around Cheyenne is just the length of winter. It's brown (usually--snowcover usually doesn't last that long) from about early October to early May. Summer is short, but delightful--basically June, July, and August.

The photos you see of the Wyoming mountains are beautiful--but that is not where most of the towns are (including Cheyenne). Wyoming's desert and plains areas have a beauty all their own, but for outsiders they can be very much an acquired taste. In winter in Wyoming, it's stay inside or do winter-type sports--snowmobiling, skiing, etc.

I don't have kids, but all my friends in Cheyenne rave about the schools. From what I've seen, they are good.

The Front Range in Colorado is different than Cheyenne, period. The Front Range is very urbanized and big-city in feel--southern California without an ocean is an apt description. It has all of the problems associated with that urbanization--especially sprawl, traffic, and crime. Most of the Front Range cities have a milder climate than Cheyenne, and probably better job opportunities. That's the tradeoff. If you're used to living in the sprawled urban/suburban ****holes that constitute many American cities, the Front Range might seem OK. If you've lived (as I have) in some decent places in small town America, the Front Range sucks.

Meth. Yes, it is a problem everywhere. There is meth in Cheyenne, though I don't think it is as pervasive there as it is in many other places. Overall, Cheyenne is pretty low crime, especially considering its proximity to the Colorado Front Range and its location at the intersection of two major Interstate highways.

I loved my years in Cheyenne. I miss the town and the people--no, I don't miss the wind . . .

[veekasaurus]

Thanks so much for your reply.

It's hard to imagine the winds. But, before moving to Seattle, I couldn't have imagined getting used to drizzle and grey skies from Oct-May. I'm used to it, but it's certainly hard not to see the sun for so many months. My husband liked being in Wisconsin where it was cold, but sunny. I lived in Salt Lake City for 2 years and although I was a kid and didn't have to worry about practical things like driving in the snow, the snow was nice.

Thanks for your thoughts about the Front Range. I've read it's hard to get a job in that area, so I'm not sure if that's even a possibility. I'm guessing it's less urban/suburban than the Seattle area. Seattle is now very congested. Traffic is so bad here that you have to choose whether to live close to work, or spend lots of time in your car. Housing is very expensive too. A 2 bedroom, 1500 sq ft house in this area can sell for as much as $500,000 which is nuts.

So, now that we have kids, it seems we could have a better quality of life in a smaller, less congested place. And the challenge is to decide where, and then find a job there!

Thanks again.

[Heit]

We are a USAF couple originally from PA. Cheyenne (FE Warren AFB) was our first assignment, 20+yrs. ago. We are now at the end of our AF career's. We could live anywhere. We are moving back to Cheyenne. I was ready to leave Cheyenne the first go-round and the wind was the reason. We have since come to realize, after living all over the country, that there in NO perfect place and there is always give & take. A few reasons we chose Cheyenne over Pittsburgh(and PA): 1. Over 300 sunny days/yr.
2. No humidity 3. The beauty of the area(big sky & awesome clouds) 4. Beautiful sunrise & sunset's 5. Close to hunting, fishing, hiking, Natl. Forest's, camping, etc. 6. Lots of elbow room 7. The town/area is growing, in a good way 8. The majority of people are wonderful.

I could list more. The bottom line is this, I can deal with the wind in order to live in Cheyenne. It's a small trade off in the overall picture.

[rd4freddy]

First of all the weather is not really that limiting, although the weather can change to sunny to snowy in a minute!It is very family friendly here and we also have the cleanest air and the lowest gas prices in the nation. The schools are REALLY GOOD! I hope you decide to live here it really is awesome!

[veekasaurus]

Thanks for the replies and information. I have no idea how easy or difficult it will be to get a job while we are out of state, but we are going to give it a shot. I think we'd have a much better quality of life, even trading the rain for the wind!

[SFG57]

Heit, couldn't agree more. My wife and I are also moving to the Cheyenne area from the Pittsburgh, PA area.

[Heit]

SFG57, Where exactly are you moving from in PA? We grew up in Lawrenceville.(inner-city) When and where are you going to live in Cheyenne?

Oops, I see Burns in your member info. My best friend lives in Burns! Small world.

[SFG57]

Heit, moving from Westmoreland County, North Huntingdon area. Hope to be in Burns / Cheyenne area in July.
Does your friend live right in the town of Burns? I have property just outside the town limits.

[Chris19]

I am planning to head to Cheyenne this weekend and have been through it four times. I have a general idea but am curious about the city. My brother moved there. He likes the fact that it is not cookie-cutter like as the Colorado Front Range cities and has more of a small town atmosphere, which sits well for Midwesterners.