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My 18-year-old son and I (along with our 2 dogs and his bearded dragon) are planning to move from the Seattle, WA area to Wyoming next year in late spring/early summer and are trying to decide where in the state we'd like to live. I've read lots of posts on here this morning about culture shock and "gone in 2 years" but here is why we think Wyoming is the right place for us: 1. The PNW is so expensive, I can barely afford the rent at our "low-income" apartment working full-time. 2. We are fairly conservative, Christian Republicans... a rarity in this part of the US! 3. The gray skies are really, really getting to us. The rain is pretty bad... but the lack of sunshine is the real soul-killer.
From everything we've read, Wyoming seems ideal. We realize that no place on earth is perfect, but the dry climate, natural beauty, low population density, and more conservative reputation of the state is quite appealing. We are nature lovers and don't need shopping malls or fancy restaurants. We will rent at first and hope to buy some land (5-10 acres) to build a home on eventually, with space for animals and a large garden.
We have a map of Wyoming tacked to our dining room wall and we are marking places that look promising. I am a Pharmacy Technician so will try to find employment in that area. My son will attend community college so we're looking at the towns located near the state's campuses.
I would welcome any feed-back or advice! Thank you in advance!
Powell and Riverton might be more affordable than some of the others. Rock Springs and Torrington might have less appeal as places. If you have a preferred size city / town, that might pretty much guide the selection. Powell has a good reputation. Riverton more mixed but seems decent enough to consider imo. If you eventually want land, maybe stay out of the bigger cities, unless you are willing to be 10 plus miles outside.
1) come visit Wyoming and see for yourself if the realities match the vision you have of what is here before making any relocation decision. Focus on visiting the towns where you meet your primary concerns ... CC for your son AND a viable job market for you. As always, I urge two visits ... one in the fair weather months and one in the winter months.
2) You may find that the wage scales here are significantly lower than what you now earn full-time. So you need to look at the housing options in the areas of prospective employment. It may develop that you'll run into the same "barely afford the rent" scenario here as where you are now for "low income" apartment. As well, Wyoming doesn't have the support systems for "low income" housing that you've found in the Seattle area ... to the point that "low income" housing simply doesn't exist in a lot of areas.
3) Keep in mind that transportation here will be significantly more expensive that the Seattle area due to the climate differences. You need reliable, dependable, affordable transportation here kept up in suitable condition to deal with the inclement weather driving conditions that will present. It's pretty difficult throughout most of Wyoming to rely upon public transportation. While you don't need to have a 4x4 vehicle, a good FWD car can suffice for most transportation needs ... but the proverbial cheap "beater with a heater" isn't a good choice when you have to be to work on a shift schedule and need reliable & capable transportation.
4) Even if you're solidly frugal in your expectations and purchasing, you may find that normal expenses here are more expensive than in Seattle. Why? simple market economics ... supply & demand and transportation distances. The Seattle market is catering to a huge population base. Wyoming's sparse, remote, and low population means higher per-unit costs which get passed on to the consumer for many items.
5) Rentals for "2 dogs" may be problematic in some areas/communities. There's a lot of landlords that will not rent to pets, or have a significant upcharge to do so. In all candor, you will severely restrict your possible rental housing options with the dogs.
Do your due diligence, come visit ... Wyoming may be the place for you ... or it may not. Only you can make the decision with the projected income/expenses on the table before you. Wishing you Best of luck with your possible relocation.
PS: a brief glance at Glassdoor and similar sites suggests an "average" Pharmacy Tech job in Cheyenne WY would earn $22,000/year without overtime. That appears to be a significantly lower income than similar work in the Seattle area. If this is consistent with what you'd find for income in Cheyenne, I'd suggest that you will not be able to maintain a reasonable standard of living ... and buying 10 acres where you could keep livestock would be virtually impossible as a primary residence. For the most part, municipalities in WY have zoning laws which prohibit "livestock" within city limits. (We had one heck of a fight in the Cheyenne area to even allow a small number of chickens to be kept at a residence within City Limits). As well, most small parcels for residents are in HOA/CC&R controlled subdivisions which might allow equine activity, but "livestock" is a whole 'nother matter ... and usually not allowed.
Generally speaking, to keep livestock you need a rural location to be legal. While some small parcels may be available, then you run into the issue of transportation/distances from your place of work ... or the Community College. Commuting isn't inexpensive. Taxes on a rural property that isn't qualified as "agriculture" will be in the same mil levy range as residential properties in town; ie, there are minimums for production and sales volume that must be met to receive an "ag" property designation. Owning a few head of livestock and producing a home garden worth of veggie's won't make the threshold. Don't forget that you need the water availability, site exposure, and appropriate soils for your productivity.
As a casual observation ... I think there's a huge misconception that "rural living" in Wyoming has the same lower costs of living that folk associate with higher population city centers trickling out through the 'burbs to lower cost rural housing/living expenses that they see as the paradigm where they are now. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Wyoming. Starting with the rural real estate land costs, development costs, utility costs, transportation costs, building costs ... are not less expensive than living in town across most of the state. In those places where it's truly "less expensive", there will be significant reasons why ... such as no services, no shopping, no jobs, and less access to the locations. Remoteness in Wyoming comes at a price and is highly valued for recreation and tourism, which help drive the price up.
My 18-year-old son and I (along with our 2 dogs and his bearded dragon) are planning to move from the Seattle, WA area to Wyoming next year in late spring/early summer and are trying to decide where in the state we'd like to live. I've read lots of posts on here this morning about culture shock and "gone in 2 years" but here is why we think Wyoming is the right place for us: 1. The PNW is so expensive, I can barely afford the rent at our "low-income" apartment working full-time. 2. We are fairly conservative, Christian Republicans... a rarity in this part of the US! 3. The gray skies are really, really getting to us. The rain is pretty bad... but the lack of sunshine is the real soul-killer.
From everything we've read, Wyoming seems ideal. We realize that no place on earth is perfect, but the dry climate, natural beauty, low population density, and more conservative reputation of the state is quite appealing. We are nature lovers and don't need shopping malls or fancy restaurants. We will rent at first and hope to buy some land (5-10 acres) to build a home on eventually, with space for animals and a large garden.
We have a map of Wyoming tacked to our dining room wall and we are marking places that look promising. I am a Pharmacy Technician so will try to find employment in that area. My son will attend community college so we're looking at the towns located near the state's campuses.
I would welcome any feed-back or advice! Thank you in advance!
Sunsprit summed up a lot of this but I'll add a bit more. I will give you a pros and cons list. This is my opinion as a transplant after eight years of living there.
Pros:
1. Wide open spaces. I love the open spaces there as I'm not a city person.
2. The nature. The wildlife, plant life, and natural features are all very interesting.
3. Two of the greatest national parks, to sort of piggyback off the first point. I felt fortunate to have those close by.
4. Cold winters. Yes, I like that.
5. No state income tax
Cons:
1. Little sense of community. I've also lived in Montana and North Dakota and people in Wyoming do not help each other out much. I had a flood in my apartment, virtually no help. When it came time to move, again, virtually no help. And forget trying to network. It was every man for himself.
2. Clannish mentality. If you're not from there you're not one of us. Most of my friends were transplants from other states.
3. Slow pace of life is taken very literally. Sometimes to the point of laziness.
4. EXTREMELY political. Many people can't go two sentences without whining about liberals ruining their way of life.
Im sure I'll catch grief for the cons but this was my experience. Wyoming does have a special place in my heart as I spent a significant period of time there, but I am happier here.
Come visit this summer and see the cities with junior colleges; check what they offer. You can check on housing as well. Since you have two dogs, allow plenty of time to find a place.
Walmart is undoubtedly the giant in pharmacy here. People who work in mine seem very happy. There will certainly be a Walmart anyplace there's a junior college. The pharmacy technicians in my local store are very young so being older should give you a boost. Besides, there's no age discrimination at Walmart. Additionally, they will pay university tuition for employees.
I moved to Wyoming almost fifteen years ago; my reasons were the same as yours. I left sad, broken Colorado, a wonderful place when I had moved there thirty-five years before. The sweet aroma of freedom fills the air here in the real America. You'll quickly know whether Wyoming is for you. I think that it will be.
We left California last year in search of something better and we found everything we were looking for and more in Star Valley Wyoming.
Everyone has offered up wonderful advice. Personally the Wyoming people have been helpful and kind to us from the start. The schools here are incredible, the people I've met have been very hardworking and genuine, coming from a state and town that was go, go, go we love the much slower pace, the return to simpler times.
It's not for everyone, there is definitely less shopping, less eating out, but what you gain is so much better. Meals at home with your family or friends, clean air, wildlife and wide open skies, if you like winter sports skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing etc. In the summer there is hiking, boating, kayaking, and so much more.
This is an amazing state to live in, yes the winter is long, and this year was harsh, but it's not so bad. You'll adapt. And you'll see the sun, which coming from California I needed to see every few days or so for my spirits to be lifted again.
Come and see for yourself. Get a feel for the areas your interested in, talk to the locals. We looked around Powell and Cody because my husband was offered a job at Northwest community college, and they were great towns with friendly people. Come back in the winter and see your top picks in the winter, and then see what place is going to work best for you and your son.
Pharmacy tech caught my eye. My sister is also a pharmacy tech. She has a unique situation in that she has been with her boss for about thirty years. She is in an independent pharmacy and makes almost 50K per yr. with retirement and paid health insurance. The owners are a WY couple that both graduated from UW and worked with my sister at a chain drug store before starting out on their own. wyomingatwork.com has several pharmacy tech jobs at 15 to 22.00 hr. range. It looks like mostly chains like Walmart-Kmart, etc. and hospitals,etc. One is a mail order pharmacy.
Junior colleges in WY have traditionally been well-funded although they may be currently affected by trimming in the state budget. Junior college towns are: Rock Spgs, Powell, Riverton, Casper, Sheridan, Gillette, Torrington, and Cheyenne. Torrington, Powell, and
Riverton will be the most affordable, and a commute if needed is possible in each, ie. Powell to Cody, Riverton to Lander, or Torrington to Scottsbluff NE. (If you worked in Scottsbluff, however, you would be subject to NE nonresident income tax) WY has no state income tax.
WY economy is in a downturn due to declining energy industry, but it usually comes around.
On the eastern side of the state, we had a short but intense winter this year and now the tulips are blooming!
Thanks! We have been looking at both Lander and Riverton, housing there seems really affordable. Rawlins is looking really good too. What specifically do you like about Lander, and what do you think of Riverton and Rawlins?
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