Lusk/torrington/lander Etc. (Cheyenne, Casper: real estate, apartments, rental market)

[CHERYLLB]

I was wondering just like others Ive seen posted, about the wonderful state of Wyoming. We are in our mid 50's and are considering relocating to Wyoming. We have done quite a bit of research on the smaller towns and cities. We have looked up basically everything from weather, crime rate, churches, housing etc. Neither of us has ever been there, but have heard wonderful things. Can you please advise us (update us) on the smaller towns such as Lusk/Lander/Torrington etc. We need more info on housing, jobs, utilites, road conditions (getting in and out) for shopping, job etc. I would appreciate any info you can provide. We are looking at January 2008 for the possible move. We are concerned about this part of the year traveling around to find a place to stay. Any help is much appreciated. Thanking you all in advance -- Cheryllb

[sixofone]

I live in Torrington (pop 5800) and think it's great. We're more of an agriculturally based economy, since we weren't blessed with the coal, gas and oil that is so abundant in the rest of the state.

Our weather is generally considered the best in Wyoming, but depending on where you're coming from, the winters may still be worse than you're used to. Our altitude is "only" 4100 feet above sea level, which makes us one of the lowest points in the state. It's windy here. but not as windy as you'll find elsewhere.

As to your specific questions--

Housing: Reasonably priced, but not as cheap as it was 3-4 years ago. The state is building a medium security prison outside of town, and this has increased demand a bit.

Jobs: What type of work are you looking for? In general, you'll find that wages here may be lower than you're used to, but the cost of living is lower as well.

Utilities: Reasonable, but certainly not free. I pay $95/month for gas and about $150 for electricity for a large home. Water can get steep in the summer if you water a lawn in the city, but it's free for those who live outside city limits and have their own wells.

Road Conditions: Generally OK, but there will be times when the roads in and out of town are closed for snow (and I do mean "closed". There are gates that swing across the road and no one passes). You've probably never lived in a state with as many "wide open spaces" as you're going to see in Wyoming, and the state will shut down the roads in the name of safety.

Shopping: We have 2 locally owned groceries, 2 pharmacies, a convenience store, plus downtown features an appliance store, a furniture store, a clothing store, several boutiques and a couple of gift shops. There's also a Pamida store, which is like a Wal-mart only much smaller. "Big" shopping is in Scottsbluff NE (35 miles east) and "real big" shopping is in Cheyenne (80 miles to the south). Heavy duty shoppers have to go to Denver (170 miles to the south).

Weather in January: Nothing is more unpredictable than Wyoming weather. Here in Torrington we have an average January daily high of 40 degrees, meaning we might have a week in the 70's followed by a week where it barely gets above 0. We get 2-3 big snows per year, and when they hit everything stops for 1-3 days. Just hope you arrive on a good week. I suggest you follow the 10 day forecasts on-line and be prepared to delay your trip for a week if necessary.

Place to Stay- Holiday Inn Express on Hwy 26 is probably the best, but the King's Inn on Hwy 85 was just remodeled and looks pretty nice from the outside.

Other: We have a good hospital, and Eastern Wyoming College is located here.

[CHERYLLB]

THANK YOU SIXOFONE - Your reply has been very helpful. Do you think the building of the prison will effect the locals???? Like I said, we have done quite a bit of research from crime rate, utilites, weather, housing, etc. But there is no better example to follow than that of one who lives there. Hope to keep in contact and thank you so much for the info.

[jazzlover]

I like Torrington and have friends there. It's a nice community, but it is at the far eastern end of the state on the plains. Not much mountain country nearby if you crave that. Lander is one of the prettiest towns in Wyoming, in my opinion--but real estate prices there are starting to reflect that. Lusk is a VERY small town, and is relatively isolated. If you think you will need any specialized medical facilities down the road, it's probably not the town for you. Sheridan has one of the prettiest settings in Wyoming and is a nice town, but--again--the real estate prices reflect that. Sheridan is also getting some spillover real estate demand from people working in the booming coal mining and coal bed methane industries over towards Gillette.

Cheyenne, though it is the biggest city in Wyoming, is also a very nice community. Aside from the wind, which nobody likes, the town has few negatives.

Outside of Casper or Cheyenne, most Wyoming towns have pretty limited shopping (read: they might have a Wal-Mart). I would strongly suggest that you visit the state before deciding to move here. I like Wyoming, but for most people from elsewhere, it is definitely an acquired taste. The sparse population and long distances, quite attractive to many of us Rocky Mountain natives, can be downright intimidating to those from more populated areas.

[CHERYLLB]

Thank you jazzlover - Any and all information is taken to heart and with deep consideration. We also just thought of other questions: Is it hard to maintain your auto such as: type of antifreeze; chains required etc. We are trying to think of everything before hand. Again, thank you both for your input - it is very helpful.

[sixofone]

The prison is currently slated to open in Nov 2009, but that has been delayed several times already. Naturally the Wyoming DOC is promising us that it will bring unbelievable prosperity, but I think they're basically blowing smoke. The place will supposedly hire about 400 people at a starting wage of about $28K per year. That doesn't sound like much, but this is a poor county so for some people, there is a chance to make some extra money. Some of our local ranchers are planning to work there part-time to make a few bucks and to get medical and retirement benefits. The state is also starting a program to entice retired baby boomers to re-enter the work force.

Already there is speculation as to where the 400 employees will come from. There are only about 12,000 people in all of Goshen County, and unemployment runs 2-3 %, so there's not much of an employee pool to draw from. WDOC is trying to recruit folks from Michigan, but very few of them last even one year, those who don't like Wyoming head back home, and those who do like it quickly learn that you can make 2-3 times more money in the booming energy jobs that are begging for employees. My best guess is that most prison employees will be from the Gering/Scottsbluff/Mitchell/Morrill area of Nebraska, since the prison is only about 5 miles from the Nebraska state line. They'll probably keep their Nebraska homes and commute.

WDOC also assures us that very few of the prisoners' families will move here, since "daddy" will usually make parole in 12-18 months. I don't want to sound elitist, but I hope the WDOC folks are right. I also hope that any family that wants to be near "daddy" will be enticed to move across the state line where the Nebraska social welfare system is more generous and there is more subsidized housing available.

Speaking of housing, when the prison was announced (I think they originally said they would open in 2007) speculators scooped up most of the affordable homes in town, since they thought they could make money from renting the homes out. As the construction of the prison continued to be delayed, these homes sat empty and it looks like the would-be slum lords are trying to sell the properties. As stated earlier, if the prison employees do, in fact, end up being Nebraskans, there won't be as much of a rental market as some speculators have hoped for. Currently you can rent a roomy 2 BR apartment in a nice area, with utilities paid, for $450.

Jazzlover is correct in pointing out that we are on the plains and don't have the beautiful mountain scenery you will find in Sheridan, Jackson, Buffalo, Laramie, etc. Our landscape is more akin to what you'd expect to find in Iowa or Nebraska. However, without mountains, there isn't much need for snow chains,-- I don't even own a set.

Jazzlover is also right about Lusk. It's a nice little town of 1400 people, but there is NOTHING within 60 miles. People from Lusk often drive 60 miles to Torrington to shop or see a movie.

Finally. Jazzlover is 100% correct that Wyoming is an acquired taste. You have to accept Wyoming the way you find it or you will be very unhappy here. People who move here and expect to find all the conveniences they were used to having in more populated areas generally don't last very long. People who come here and say "Back home we had a __________ ." often get told to go back where they came from.

[CHERYLLB]

Your information is so beneficial to us. The apartments you are speaking of can you give me a name and location. Yes, although we are from small towns in rural Louisiana, this will be a big step and change for me. We are looking forward to getting away from the hot, humid weather we have been enduring for the past 52 years. Thank you again for the information you have provided.

[sunsprit]

And all along I thought that Casper was a bigger town (population) than Cheyenne, jazzlover ....

[tallgirl]

I would recommend that you plan a trip to Wyoming in September. You will HOPEFULLY avoid any early winter storms and you'll also avoid the summer tourists. They're pretty well cleared out of the state by Labor Day. Also, you'll get better rates on your motel rooms if you come after Labor Day. Just a few tips.

I'm not a fan of Torrington. I've driven through it a few times and I don't like it, but that's just me. I live in Buffalo.