Casper, WY
Census place 5613150 · pop 58,839
An oil-boom city on the North Platte River that grew up beside major Oregon Trail crossings.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
6 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
15.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
26.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$70,218 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
30.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
10.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$260,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
69.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,410/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.63% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
41/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Casper: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Casper, WY a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Casper scores 57/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is natural disaster risk and its weakest is income inequality. Wyoming overall ranks #8 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Casper, WY expensive to live in?
- Casper has a median home value of $260,400 and typical rent around $1,410/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Casper, WY?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.46) — 27/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Casper, WY best at?
- Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (41/100) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: An oil-boom city on the North Platte River that grew up beside major Oregon Trail crossings.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.