What it's like to live in Cheyenne
Cheyenne is a smaller city in Wyoming with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cheyenne deals with cold, harsh winters, heavy snowfall, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 66" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cheyenne compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cheyenne
Based on Cheyenne's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,236
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,720 a year
- 46% of Cheyenne renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$66,740
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,370
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,118/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,118 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $333,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $333,700 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 23% below US
3.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
299 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2700/100k · Cheyenne Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 38% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
34 public schools inside the boundary
There are 34 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Rocky Mountain National Park (71 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cheyenne's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and heavy snowfall. A year of median rent ($1,118/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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