Looking for info from Wyoming residents about Wyoming...

[sunsprit]

Froggie Legs wrote: "I would seriously try finding jobs first...check out WyomingatWork.com"

Again, I will point out that this is only 1/2 of the equation in a move to Wyoming at this time.

Finding "a job" with enough income to be able to afford to live here is this other half. Prudence suggests that you also investigate what it will cost for housing/utilities/transport/living essentials/medical costs, etc. ... so that you have a target income level for the living standard you'd like to enjoy here.

FWIW, the job and housing market two decades ago was an entirely different scenario than it is today in Wyoming. When I moved here in that time frame, "help wanted" ads were running multiple pages and many columns in the Star Tribune and the Cheyenne newspapers. Essentially, if you showed up for a job application, were still warm and breathing, had some verifiable job skills/experience ... you could be hired on the spot and working almost immediately ... at jobs that were commensurate with the costs of living here, especially housing costs. In comparison, now you see a half page of help wanted ads in Cheyenne. With the downturn in state and local tax revenues, there's hiring freezes on for some of the better paying jobs in the area, too.

But as a RE investor in this area, I've watched the housing prices rise over the last decade and change. The market for multi-unit residential properties was great in 2000 and only a few years later, the prices rose dramatically. To the point where those properties could not cash flow until the rental market rates rose quite a bit. I stayed with commercial/business properties through that time frame rather than residential properties. Of course, 20-20 hindsight says that now that the rental rates have risen so dramatically, I'd have done well to have bought residential properties back in the 2009-2012 time frame. But who knew?

The bottom line remains that Wyomingorbust79 would be well advised to come visit and check out the opportunities and costs for themselves prior to making any decision about moving here. What presents could be quite different than what they think is here ... and if they're on a tight budget, you wouldn't want to set yourself up for failure.

This is a tough state to survive in the long winter season if you're not prepared financially to do so. I see this scenario all the time with temp labor workers here struggling to survive ... had a couple working for me today and they've realized that all they're doing is marking time until they get enough extra gas money so that they can head to better climes for their meager finances. They know they've got only a month or so before the weather starts to turn and the manual day labor jobs they do will have far fewer hours of work available to them.

[rotwein]

We are considering a move to Cheyenne from Michigan next summer. Just how bad is the winter snow and cold? Retired and don't need a job or assistance from the state. Are there any 55+ apartments or rental condos in town. Also is it hard to get a new doctor?

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by rotwein

We are considering a move to Cheyenne from Michigan next summer. Just how bad is the winter snow and cold? Retired and don't need a job or assistance from the state. Are there any 55+ apartments or rental condos in town. Also is it hard to get a new doctor?

On Cheyenne winters:

1) due to altitude, "winter" season can be much longer than the region you're from. Winter temps can present from late September through 'till May, with snowfall (sometimes significant early/late season storms) anytime through those months. The snow here is primarily a drier, powder snow without the moisture content you're acclimated to seeing. Winds here will push that snow around into localized drifts, and you'll notice the snow fences/barriers along the roads here to channel the locations of those drifts to minimize the impact of adjacent roads. As well, folks will erect "snow fence" barriers to capture or divert those drifts. Our "snowiest" months generally happen when it's springtime in MI. Snow accumulations don't build up like they do with heavier wet snow and less sunshine at low elevations; the sun can clear many snowfall events in a day or two after the snow. And sometimes the winds will blow the snow to KS or NE while it's falling here in WY. Otherwise, the snow can disappear by being blown back and forth until it wears out ... or sublimates rather than melts.

2) expect much lower temps here at altitude. It's not an uncommon winter to have several days or a week where the temp does not reach 0F during a 24 hour period with much lower sub-zero temps overnight.

3) on the local paved/maintained roads, "deep snow" is not what you'll generally find in winter driving, but black ice formation can be frequent with the sunshine here melting the snow and then the low temps of the road refreeze it. The ice layer can be very thin and barely visible, yet it has the potential to be very slick to drive on. You'll see folk (or their tracks) driving straight down the road and the winds will blow their vehicle sideways across and off the road. In a typical winter, if you're out and about you'll see where folk have had off-road excursions; generally at slow speeds and non-injury situations requiring a tow to get back onto the road. Unfortunately, sometimes there will be vehicle collisions/injuries. Best to heed the driving alerts/closures for the area if you don't have to get around.

Elder housing:

Yes, there are apartments, condos, and townhouses targeted to the senior community here in Cheyenne. From the ads/signage I see when passing by their locations, it appears there's vacancies.

Medical:

There's a reasonably sized medical community here with GP's and specialists at your service and accepting new patients. The CRMS hospital is the Cheyenne center for the medical biz here, located a few blocks away from the downtown area ... readily accessible with a free parking structure adjacent.

While my GP is located in Cheyenne, I've had better specialty medical service and outcomes by using Dr's from the Fort Collins area. Many folk in this area rely upon that medical community rather than the local Dr's. Your decision here may be based upon the nature of medical services/specialties that you require.


As always, I urge you to visit Cheyenne for an extended pre-decision discovery trip to check out the place for yourself. While a warm season visit is nice, it's advisable to visit during the dead of winter (Jan or Feb) to see if the features/charms of this area appeal to you then. The inclement/windy climate here can be a huge factor in your living here. And do consider that living at altitude (6,000') presents it's own health factors especially affecting Cardio-Vascular conditions. Other facets which I see impacting folk here is seasonal allergies and dry humidity which may aggravate or trigger other medical conditions or discomforts.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

On Cheyenne winters:

1) due to altitude, "winter" season can be much longer than the region you're from...

The elevation of Cheyenne is 6,063 feet. In most places around the world, that's getting pretty close to being an alpine climate, (brutal winters, short summers).

(Side note: My dad had to give up his dream retirement on the west slope of Colorado due to the elevation and complications from smoking most of his life, even though he had quit fifteen years before retirement.)


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[jody_wy]

Have been to meeting Jan-Feb , usually lined up with Legislature. One year we went two day early to beat a storm and then spent a extra day waiting for the interstate to open the hotel was great, if people can make it in then people can't make it out. the other years seen it high 50 sunny and nice. kind of like a dice game