Moving to Wyoming from Washington

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Washington to Wyoming? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Washington to Wyoming, you would find that Wyoming is 7.7% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $68,424 in Wyoming to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and Wyoming.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $68,424

To maintain the same standard of living in Wyoming

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 7.8% less

Groceries

pay 13.6% less

Transportation

pay 7.2% less

Housing

pay 4.2% less

Childcare

pay 15.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Wyoming compared to Washington.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WA
349
WY
190
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WA
2819
WY
1458

Wyoming performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

WA
6.1%
WY
11.2%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WA
31.1%
WY
34.6%

Washington performs better than Wyoming across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

WA
$519,800
WY
$285,100
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WA
$1,682
WY
$968

Wyoming performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WA
93.1%
WY
89.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WA
27 min
WY
18 min

Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Wyoming leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WA
5.3%
WY
3.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WA
$87,768
WY
$67,568

Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Wyoming leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

WA
79.2 yrs
WY
76.3 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

WA
26%
WY
20%

Washington performs better than Wyoming across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Olympia Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Cheyenne Rain: 15.9 in/yr (405 mm)
58° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Olympia Cheyenne
Jan–Mar 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) 42°/20°F (6°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) 65°/40°F (18°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) 79°/52°F (26°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) 48°/25°F (9°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Olympia Cheyenne
Jan 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) 40°/18°F (4.2°/-7.8°C)
Feb 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) 40°/19°F (4.7°/-7.4°C)
Mar 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) 47°/24°F (8.6°/-4.2°C)
Apr 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) 55°/31°F (12.7°/-0.7°C)
May 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) 65°/40°F (18.2°/4.6°C)
Jun 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) 75°/49°F (24.1°/9.4°C)
Jul 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) 83°/56°F (28.6°/13.1°C)
Aug 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) 81°/54°F (27.3°/12.3°C)
Sep 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) 72°/45°F (22.1°/7.1°C)
Oct 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) 59°/34°F (14.9°/1.1°C)
Nov 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) 47°/24°F (8.1°/-4.3°C)
Dec 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) 38°/17°F (3.4°/-8.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Wyoming than Washington?

On average Wyoming is about 9% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Wyoming?

Budget about $17,106 for 3 months in Wyoming (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Wyoming safe?

Wyoming performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Wyoming compared to Washington?

Washington performs better than Wyoming across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Wyoming compared to Washington?

The average high temperature in Cheyenne is 58°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Cheyenne receives around 15.9 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.

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