What it's like to live in Sheridan
Sheridan 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. Sheridan deals with household incomes below the national average, cold, harsh 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
- Growing population
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Cold, harsh winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Sheridan compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Sheridan
Based on Sheridan's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,872
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,440 a year
- 46% of Sheridan renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$68,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $34,060
- Homes cost 5.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 34% below US
$936/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $936 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 $340,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $340,600 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Sheridan County is 3.3%, 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.
Sheridan County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 67% below US
110 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 936/100k · Sheridan Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 51% below US
13 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 12.8 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; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 13°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 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 19% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 2 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 Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument (57 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Sheridan's strongest points are rent below the national average and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($936/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Sheridan
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