What it's like to live in Green River
Green River is a small city in Wyoming with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, 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. Green River deals with a population that has been shrinking, cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Shrinking population
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Green River compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Green River
Based on Green River's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,842
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $36,840 a year
- 35% of Green River renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$52,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $26,340
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 35% below US
$921/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $921 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $263,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $263,400 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Sweetwater County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Sweetwater County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 63% below US
123 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 694/100k · Green River Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% take public transit; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 10°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 36% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Oregon National Historic Trail (34 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Green River's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are a population that has been shrinking and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($921/mo) equals 13% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Green River
All Wyoming guides →Moving to Rock Springs →
14 mi away · pop. 23,127
Rent $928/mo · Income $69,168
Compare with Green River →Moving to Riverton →
119 mi away · pop. 10,856
Rent $921/mo · Income $55,208
Compare with Green River →Moving to Jackson →
151 mi away · pop. 10,756
Rent $2,100/mo · Income $118,991
Compare with Green River →Not sure Green River is the one?
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