some good - - and not so good
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12/29/2011
I have lived here for the past16 years. Relatively small town with some big town amenities. State Capital. Most any kind of shopping and eateries that you would want. If you want a larger variety then Fort Collins, Co (40 min) or Denver, Co (90 min) aren't too far away. Near mountain recreation without the mountain snows in winter. Cost of living isn't too bad unless your from the souther states, where the housing is definitely cheaper. Fuel is cheap. Has a good community college and there are several 4 year colleges within a 1-2 hour drive. If your high school student has decent grades the state provides nice scholarships to in-state colleges. No state income tax and property taxes are decent. On $200,000 home it costs approx. $1,800/yr. Not so good - - WIND !!! It can ruin outdoor activities summer and winter. We get a lot of sunny days (300/yr) but the winter wind often ruins outdoor activity. Poor neighborhood zoning. You might have a $300,000 home right across from a run down shack. Military town causes a lot of rental properties. You may be close to the mountains but they're hard to see from town. Don't expect a nice mountain view. School systems aren't too bad but if you kid isn't motivated to learn they can coast to a mediocre education. School district isn't firendly to Charter or private school choices. Home schooling is an option thats not too hard to achieve with the district requirements. Lots of job openings are filled by friends of friends or family. The "good old-boy" system is used quite a bit here. However, there is an oil boom looming on our horizon and some other new business have moved here partly because of the intersection of 2 major interstates (I-25 / I-80) and a major rail road (Union Pacific). Our local economy has held out pretty well because of natural resources. The problems that plague much of the U.S. (high energy prices) actually help Wyoming's economy.
tim | Cheyenne, WY