Please tell me about Wyoming and your town (Cheyenne, Casper: renting, sex offenders)

[georgiainwyo]

I live in Gillette, and although things have slowed down a bit, the jobs are still here. If you want a job that pays well, this is the place. But rent is high, too. Not so bad if you just want to rent a room like you mentioned, or have a roommate. Gillette College, which is an extention of Sheridan College, has just built a big addition and is adding more and more programs. Nursing is the newest. They will soon be building college dorms so there are plans for this college to really grow. I was born & raised in Wyoming (Basin area first 23 yrs, then yucky Thermop for 13 yrs) then was in the Billings area for 14 yrs. before returning to Wyoming. We LOVE Gillette. If you want more info on it, just let us know as there are a few of us on here who live here and can give you info and/or opinions.

[georgiainwyo]

Originally Posted by goldilocks7

Thank you knut88....your question/others responses have been very helpful.
I am currently teaching 6th Grade @ a CA. middle school and appreciate the additional insights.
I am also in the decision-making process of which city to reside.
I am currently applying for my Teaching License in Wyoming, which seems as if it should be very comparable to CA's. I might have to take a state constitution exam. If there is anyone out there who has moved from CA. in the educational field, all "helps" are appreciated.

Thank you

Wyoming has some great schools, so I think you'd be making a wise choice moving here. If I may make a suggestion.....I'm a teacher who came here to Gillette from Montana (see my other post) and the school district here is the BEST I've ever worked in. One thing is that the money is here to give the teachers what they need to teach effectively and to pay us what we are worth (compared to a lot of other places....I doubled my income coming from Montana). Gillette is growing. We have 2 new elementary schools (K-6) being built right now. A principal at one of the schools I work at (I'm a special ed. case manager now so I work in a few schools) told me today that they are going to have to add classrooms to his building as well. The projected growth of students in the next 5 years is astounding. One nice thing is that it won't ever get HUGE like communities you may be used to in CA. We have between 25K-30K people here now. This year alone there were 85 of us certified staff new to the district! I recommend you come check us out! (Hey, maybe I should pursue a career in teacher recruitment???? ) Take care!
Georgia

[goldilocks7]

GEORGIAINMT when I compared the cost of living between Gillette and the area I currently reside in CA, the projector calculated a loss in living standards. What's up w/that? Part of the reason I am choosing to relocate is the rising cost of CA living.
What is the rent like there?
Closest airport?

[WyoNewk]

I have no idea what kind of projector you're using, what it includes in its calculations, what kind of housing you're wanting nor what income figures you're using, so it's hard to guess why it's projecting a loss in living standards. What's that mean?

I do know that California used to have some pretty renter friendly laws on the books; maybe it boils down to that. I considered buying some rental property there several years ago and couldn't see how it could work from an investment standpoint.

I can't tell you much about rentals, but I do have one (occupied) that I can tell you about. It's a two-story 3-bedroom townhome, 2.5 baths, single garage, fireplace, 1200 sq. ft. plus full unfinished basement. It has a fenced yard, lawn is toast. It's 30 years old and is scheduled for new windows and siding next summer; the interior was painted and flooring was all replaced last summer; kitchen and bathroom cabinets are original; appliances are fairly new. I rent it for $950 per month, but some like it rent for as much as $1300. It's unfinished and renter pays all utilities.

I've seen single family residences advertised to rent as high as $1800; apartments are much less, and some low-income apartments are available as well.

Rentals are pretty scarce is Gillette. The last I heard, vacancy rates city-wide were under 1%.

Gillette has a regional airport just outside the city limits. It has several flights each day to Denver and Salt Lake City -- jet prop commuter planes.

Casper and Rapid City airports, both about 150 miles from Gillette, and Billings Airport, 240 miles away, all have fairly good connections, but for a major airport you're looking at Denver 350 miles away.

[georgiainwyo]

Rent is quite high in Gillette, but it seems that rentals are easier to find than they were when we moved here. We found a nice 2 br 1 ba home with a double car garage and nice yard for $1000. It has an all brand new kitchen, new paint, new carpet, a fireplace. It is small, but cute. It was a good deal for a single family dwelling rental in Gillette. Buying a home here is much more cost effective than renting but there are a lot of renters in this town. Rent is high because the landlords can get it. People make high salaries so are willing to pay higher rent.

[Popoagie]

Originally Posted by lovetheword

I live in Jackson,Wy It's all here. you ask we have it. Good people, good food, ANd all the nature you can take in.... I came to Yellowstone to see the sites and never left...

I had two job offers there twenty years ago and could have bought a house. Because I left a lucrative career to unschool a brainy child, I don't have the resources to move to Jackson now. I could make it work, but I think it could be a struggle. I am also a little put off by the tourist crowds. I remember when Jackson was smaller and there weren't housing developments all around it. I do love it for the memories though.

What do you do there?

[Popoagie]

Originally Posted by goldilocks7

Thank you knut88....your question/others responses have been very helpful.
I am currently teaching 6th Grade @ a CA. middle school and appreciate the additional insights.
I am also in the decision-making process of which city to reside.
I am currently applying for my Teaching License in Wyoming, which seems as if it should be very comparable to CA's. I might have to take a state constitution exam. If there is anyone out there who has moved from CA. in the educational field, all "helps" are appreciated.

Thank you

Rock Springs needs teachers. It is in an energy boom and has a lot of blue collar workers who are there with their families. The school system is very much focused on meeting the needs of the more challenged students and has some higher level courses but no AP or IB programs. If you like working with mainstream populations, this could be good for you. Housing prices may be inflated but if you don't mind living basic for a while, it would get you to Wyoming and give you a launching pad for visits to other parts of the state.

[knut88]

Georgiainmt I was wondering if you have yahoo messenger? I sure would like to chit chat with you and any one else that lives there in Wyoming. Just let me know what is a good time. Sure appreciate it it everyone

[knut88]

Any one out there I may be comign to Wyoming sooner then later and I am wondering if any one can give me a few company names that may be hiring any where there sure would appreciate it. My company found out I was coming out that way to look and decided to just let me go now in stead of later. So that is were I am at and really looking forward to moving to Wyoming have been for some time. It really sounds like my kind of place.

[knut88]

Well Thank You Gerogia for all the info you have given I am moving to Gillete and I have to say I am pretty excited have been wanting to live in wyoming for a long time and now that dream is coming true again Thank You