What it's like to live in Cody
Cody is a small city in Wyoming with rent below the national average, county unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cody deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, 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 in the county
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 45" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cody compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cody
Based on Cody's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,102
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,040 a year
- 41% of Cody renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$75,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $37,850
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 26% below US
$1,051/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,051 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices run above average, with a median around $378,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $378,500 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Park County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Park County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 62% below US
124 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 650/100k · Cody Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 63% below US
10 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 9.5 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
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 14% above US
41% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 41% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (61 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cody's strongest points are rent below the national average and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,051/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Cody
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