Interview for position in Casper next week - some questions! (Lander: real estate, apartments)

[no8fann]

Hey all! I have been reading through the forum, specifically searching posts about Casper, but with an interview coming up next week, I still have some questions. I lived in the Black Hills 20 years ago, and we travelled through Casper from time to time, but I remember little about it, and I am sure what little I know is vastly changed!

I am seeing conflicting info online about cost of living, and that's a big concern for me, as I may be headed out there on a single income with a little girl to raise. The Chamber of Commerce site seems to have some outdated info on rental properties - they say the avg rental price for a 3 BR/2 BA house is $575, but according to the classifieds from your newspaper site, that's about half of what they rent for! Whew! Is there hope of finding a decently priced rental home (not apartment) that is in a safe neighborhood for under $850?

Also, what are the schools in the area like? My dd is currently in a private school with a fairly challenging curriculum. Am I likely to find the schools up to par in the area? I understand there are a couple of private schools in the area, but I was hoping that I would be able to forgo forking over tuition once we had moved! My dd is in third grade here, and she reads at about a 6.5 grade level, is beginning algebra and complex fractions, and before the end of school must recite a speech of 2-3 minutes in length that she has written by herself about an historical character. Does this sound like the local school systems - do they have programs for advanced students, if not? Or am I better to find a private school for her?

What does the average cost of living look like in Casper? A gallon of milk? A gallon of gas? Average utility costs? Cost to register a vehicle (I have a 2003 Saturn)? Anything else you can think of would be helpful! What about the crime rate? Any gang activity?

I am interviewing with the Surface Minerals Reclamation program...I just want to be as prepared as possible to make sure that this is the right job and location should the position be offered to me!

Thanks much for your help!

[WyoNewk]

I'll bet that "$575" was supposed to read "$1575", but I'll let someone from Casper respond.

It sounds like you have quite the smart little lady there!

[no8fann]

Originally Posted by WyoNewk

It sounds like you have quite the smart little lady there!

Thanks! I think so!

[Brian_M]

I'm also not a Casper resident (120 miles up the road), but call a couple of the local Realtors and ask them about rentals. Here in Lander, those are the ONLY people who have any clue as to what's available, and they don't all know of all the rentals. The same people will be best armed to answer your questions about cost of living, utilities, schools (my public school in Lander had an "advanced" class, but we still didn't hit algebra until 8th grade), etc...

I can tell you without a doubt, that there are NO rentals for $600 in Lander. $800 might get you into an apartment, but you'll be in the $1200 for a small modular/mobile home and $1500 for a real house out here. It's WAY cheaper to buy if you have the means (mortgage/insurance/taxes/etc... on my house is $800-ish, and we're financed at a 6% rate instead of the current 4% rates).

Good luck!

Brian

[Salt & Light]

Rentals are few and far between. I would be surprised if you find an acceptable rental for less than $1000 mo.

Gas is 1.80 right now and I suspect it will be just over $2.00 by Memorial Day. I’m guessing that groceries and utilities are comparable to where you are at.

There are public school options for your daughter that will challenge her and our district is an open enrollment district meaning that you can enroll her in any school in the district you wish as long as there is space in the school you choose. I will be happy to discuss specific schools that your daughter would do well in but only by PM through the forum because of the political and emotional nature of education. You can also contact the district enrollment office to discuss your options.

[no8fann]

Originally Posted by Salt & Light

Rentals are few and far between. I would be surprised if you find an acceptable rental for less than $1000 mo.

Gas is 1.80 right now and I suspect it will be just over $2.00 by Memorial Day. I’m guessing that groceries and utilities are comparable to where you are at.

There are public school options for your daughter that will challenge her and our district is an open enrollment district meaning that you can enroll her in any school in the district you wish as long as there is space in the school you choose. I will be happy to discuss specific schools that your daughter would do well in but only by PM through the forum because of the political and emotional nature of education. You can also contact the district enrollment office to discuss your options.

Thanks for the information! I will have to see what the salary of the position is before committing...what about towns within commuting distance?

[Salt & Light]

Evansville & Mills are close neighbors to Casper. It is barely distinguishable when you leave Casper and enter their jurisdiction. Bar Nunn is within 5 miles of downtown Casper. The next closest neighbor is Glenrock, about 20 miles east of Casper. Midwest is about 40 miles north. I don’t imagine you would want to commute much further than that. However, rentals are few and far between regardless of the jurisdiction they reside in.

[no8fann]

Thanks for the info - that is something I would have to seriously consider. If I really had to, I guess I could manage an apartment. Are there ones I should avoid?

[Salt & Light]

I can’t comment on which apartments or areas to avoid. I believe that by observing the surrounding neighborhood and the dwelling you will get a good sense of whether it is a fit for you or not. This community bulletin board, City-Data.com, has a sex offender registry you might consider referring to prior to making a final decision. I’m not sure if it is current or not so you might consider checking with the state or the county to verify its accuracy.
Registered sex offenders in Casper, Wyoming

The Casper Star Tribune, our local paper, is available on-line. Below is a link to the Real Estate section. Click on “Rentals” to view what is currently listed.
Casper Star Tribune Real Estate.

[no8fann]

Hey again! I am still checking things out, and my interview is tomorrow...can you tell me, I am seeing a lot of posts about people NOT liking to live in Casper. Do YOU like living in Casper? Can you tell me why? What are some good points about the area?