Relocation to Laramie.. (Gillette: apartment, home, university)

[soundforlanguage81]

Ok, I live in Gering, Nebraska, So driving out to the Laramie area to check things out for myself (which i've done many times) is no big deal. My question(s) is/are concerning the little things that not many people think about before moving; I want a Laramie resident to dissect what it's like to live there. I know resident politics often come into play with the liberal mindset that accompanies a college town. I could care less, oftentimes I find myself outside of the American political spectrum. I'm inquiring here, because every other option i've explored I find myself getting conflicting answers to a lot of my questions, even from the chamber of commerce. So here we go:

-Is the area growing rapidly?
-Average 1/2br. apartment home rent?
-Does the university dominate everything in town?
-Outdoors: I know it's quite the haven for outdoor enthusiasts but if anyone could elaborate, please do.
-Establishments to frequent, establishments to avoid?
-Anything else you think could prove useful.

I'm probably moving to Laramie regardless, because i'm just that impulsive. And I know the questions i've asked are just the norm and merely scratch the surface when weighing your options. I don't want to write a novel of a post here, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Any help/answers you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Audie96]

I lived in Laramie for 7 years and loved it. The weather in the spring and summer in beautiful, in the winter, well lets just say, you better like wind and cold. I don't believe the area is growing rapidly. My apartment was 550 a month (2 people). There are all kinds of great things to do outdoors, biking, hiking, skiiing, a little bit of everything. The nightlife sort of revolves. There are some places that are popular one year and not so much the following. Lovejoys seems to remain pretty popular. If you are not into the bar scene, I think it is a pretty difficult place to be. The university primarily dominates everything, which I don't think is a bad thing, if you are in college. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions

[lovethewest]

I can't answer all your questions, but I'll do my best. Laramie is a great town, one of the best in Wyoming in my opinion. The area is growing, but it's not booming like Gillette. Nice slow growth, which is best in the long run anyway. I would guess that the university is pretty much the soul of the town and I think it's the #1 employer. I've heard the town becomes much less active during the summer because all the students have gone home, but that can be a bonus because of less crowds. The outdoor activities are plentiful. You can go skiing/snowboarding in the Snowy Range west of town, rock climbing at Vedauwoo east of town, hiking pretty much anywhere, plus you're not far from Colorado's Rockies. So the list really goes on and on. Best of luck!

[soundforlanguage81]

Thanks guys. I'm taking the weekend off to head to Laramie and see if I can't luck up on an apartment or house. With any luck I hope to move within a few weeks. Again, thank you and if anyone else can provide any more advice/help it would more than appreciated.