Retirement in Wy. (Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie: fit in, real estate, home)

[barrettjj]

I am looking for a place to retire in Wyoming. My plan is to travel the U.S. four months out of the year (winter) and live in my retirement home the other eight months. I have two yrs before I retire and I thought I would visit as many places as I can between now and then so that I can make and informed decision. I would like some space and a small to medium size home 3 bdrms. My retirement income will be approx. 65,000 yr.
I do not plan on working and I would like to be driving distance to a town that has restaurants,shopping,and a library. I would also like to be driving distance to medical services just in case they are needed.
I know this is still vague but I hope to refine it as I get nearer to my retirement date. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[GEORGIAINMT]

Originally Posted by barrettjj

I am looking for a place to retire in Wyoming. My plan is to travel the U.S. four months out of the year (winter) and live in my retirement home the other eight months. I have two yrs before I retire and I thought I would visit as many places as I can between now and then so that I can make and informed decision. I would like some space and a small to medium size home 3 bdrms. My retirement income will be approx. 65,000 yr.
I do not plan on working and I would like to be driving distance to a town that has restaurants,shopping,and a library. I would also like to be driving distance to medical services just in case they are needed.
I know this is still vague but I hope to refine it as I get nearer to my retirement date. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

I lived in Thermopolis for 13 years. Although it wasn't my cup of tea as a young married person, it is certainly desireable for retirees. A good number of people who live there are retired. One thing that really draws people there are the hot springs. That's the one thing I really do miss about Thermop! There are 2 public pool facilities that have large swimming pools as well as hot tubs, saunas, etc., all fed by the natural hot springs. There is also the "state bath house" that is owned by the state. It is free. There is no swimming there, just soaking tubs, both public and private small tubs. All of the hot springs pools are within Hot Springs State Park, which is a nice, lush park for a walk, a picnic, etc. The retirement community there is close knit. I don't know your age (a lot of people retire at an early age!) but the senior citizen's center has a lot to offer. The area around Thermop is beautiful with the red hills and the Wind River Canyon to the south. If you like to fish, the Big Horn River is great for that and Boysen Reservoir is just on the other side of the Canyon, about 20 miles away. Thermop sits down in a "hole" and weather isn't too bad in the winter (although I know you'll be gone during that time). Weather during the fall, spring and summer is nice. The climate is rather dry. There is a good community hospital and rehab center there. Doctors usually send folks to either Casper or Billings if specialists are needed. There is a very nice county library there. Although there aren't many restaurtants, there are more in Riverton, Worland, Cody....all relatively short drives. Thermop has a nice little museum, too. Thermop seems to be very welcoming to retirees. Although I wouldn't retire there due to past undesireable relationships I experienced while there, I would certainly recommend it for others. I think you should check it out!

[barrettjj]

Thank you for your input Georgiainmt, Thermopolis sounds interesting. I will be passing through Wyoming in mid May and will probably stop in Thermopolis. I have some friends that are trying to lure me to Billings, another place I know little about. I hope to explore several places before I make my decision.

[sunsprit]

A lot will depend upon what you want to spend on your housing here.

From your general description of requirements, I'd be looking at the areas SouthWest of Laramie. Good access to shopping, medical facilities, and major highways ... and still in the mountain area for your summertime enjoyment. Reasonably priced.

Certainly, all of the central and northern mountain area towns will have a lot of the amenities you seek, but at a higher price point. Consider Story as a benchmark ....

[sixofone]

Originally Posted by barrettjj

I am looking for a place to retire in Wyoming. My plan is to travel the U.S. four months out of the year (winter) and live in my retirement home the other eight months. I have two yrs before I retire and I thought I would visit as many places as I can between now and then so that I can make and informed decision. I would like some space and a small to medium size home 3 bdrms. My retirement income will be approx. 65,000 yr.
I do not plan on working and I would like to be driving distance to a town that has restaurants,shopping,and a library. I would also like to be driving distance to medical services just in case they are needed.
I know this is still vague but I hope to refine it as I get nearer to my retirement date. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

You're exactly where I was aobut 5 years ago, and I ended up in Torrington, about 80 miles NE of Cheyenne. Most info (including links to a video of the city and the local paper) is available on the town's web site:

Torrington, Wyoming

The reasons I ended up in Torrington were:

1. Weather is usually the mildest in the state, and coming from CA, that was a consideration. It still gets cold here, but the coldest month (Jan) has an average daily high of 40F. We also get less snow.

2. Low real estate costs, even compared to the rest of the state. I spent a lot of time over at realtor.com.

3. Facilities were above average, including Eastern Wyoming college (EWC), where tuition is free after age 60. There's a 28 bed hospital, a brand new Alzheimer's unit, a fine library that is planning to expand if they can raise the money, 2 small grocery stores, a decent downtown, a Pamida store (think of a small Wal-mart with limited selection), several pharmacies. I'd rate the local restaurants fair (at best) however.

4. Proximity to Scottsbluff NE, (30 miles to our east) where there is a Super Wal-mart, much better restaurants and a larger hospital.

5. Life is quiet and laid-back here.

6. There's a surprisingly good theater group here that presents plays and musicals at the EWC auditorium.

7. All Wyo towns can be a bit clannish, but we've felt well accepted here, and the town's mayor is a native Californian who moved here just 7 years ago, so "foreigners" can fit in. You'll never be the same as a "native", however.

Now for the down-side:

1. We don't have the beautiful mountain scenery that most of the state is blessed with. Our topography is flatter, more like Nebraska's.

2. There's no mineral wealth here. Farming and ranching is the major driver of the economy.

3. Since the town is small, you won't always have the housing selection you can find in the larger towns, and you probably won't find a "perfect" home. I'd recommend meeting with a local realtor who you could call if you saw a home on-line that you liked.

[Froggie Legs]

My aunt and uncle say that Lander is becoming somewhat of a retirement community. It's a lovely area, impo.