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Home        Vol  VI    Issue 54           July 26, 2011         Previous Issues

 

 

Peaceful Cheyenne, Wyoming Attracts Retirees in Search of the Authentic American West, Wide Open Spaces, Dry Air, Traditional Values and an Affordable Lifestyle

Cost of Living:  Below the National Average

 

 

Cheyenne (population 60,000), so named for the Native American tribe that once called this part of the country home, is located on the high plains of southeastern Wyoming, known as the Cowboy State, and got its start as a hub for the Union Pacific railroad in the 1860s.   Now the state capital, Cheyenne is a respectable and unassuming place with traditional values and sensible people.  In its early days, though, scallywags, gamblers, scavengers and prostitutes were prevalent, trying to scratch out a living in the only bit of civilization for miles around.  Even today, Cheyenne is fairly isolated, the first stop on long, lonely roads that head west to Laramie (50 miles) and north to Casper (185 miles), although fun Fort Collins, Colorado is just 40 miles south.   Cheyenne appeals to people looking for a safe, friendly Western city where the living is clean, affordable and low key.   Of the population, 38% is age 45 or better.

The cost-of-living is 13% below the national average, and the median home price is $165,000.  All kinds of homes are available, from little box houses to custom built residences (as well as town homes and condominiums).     The city has its upscale neighborhoods, but most areas are quietly middle class with tidy houses and well-tended yards.   The economic underpinnings are government, the railroad and the military (F.E. Warren Air Force Base is located here, and its presence is felt throughout the city).    Wyoming is among the least affected states when it comes to the foreclosure crisis, and Cheyenne has weathered the crisis well (currently, just 27 homes are in foreclosure).

Wyoming, awash in oil and rich in minerals, is also one of the most tax-friendly states when it comes to retirement.  It does not tax any income, including retirement income.  There is no inheritance or estate tax.  Real estate is assessed at just 9.5% of fair market value.   The annual taxes on a $165,000 home are roughly $1,075.    There is a property tax relief program for low income residents, and veterans and people age 65+ receive extra tax assistance if they meet certain guidelines. 

Cheyenne's pace is a mellow one.   Stores are not crowded.  Traffic is not congested.  Dress is casual.   The skies are often blue.  The air is always clean.  Values are conservative.  People say hello on the street and are down to earth (this is not a fancy place).   There is a sense of pride, individualism and no-nonsense practicality.  The population is a bit older than the national average, and men (and women) in cowboy hats and cowboy boots are not uncommon.   This is, after all, the authentic American West, and Cheyenne is the real deal.  There is nothing phony or manufactured about this city, and the independence that is characteristic of the West is deeply ingrained here.

Although it is not the most cosmopolitan spot, Cheyenne has just about all a resident needs.  The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens has nine acres of beautiful vegetation, not to mention 80 flower beds around town, and it has one of the highest ratios of volunteers to staff of any botanic garden in the nation.  The Cheyenne branch of the Laramie County Library System is in a beautiful building and has a computer center, an interlibrary loan program, homebound services, free wifi and a charming cafe.     Laramie County Community College has non-degree, "life enrichment" classes available.  

There are two golf courses, and the parks and recreation department has a good selection of activities, although not many geared just to the 55+ set.  The YMCA, however, has a varied menu of programs for people age 50+.    The majority of restaurants are chain operations (Red Lobster, Applebees, etc.), but most tastes (except gourmet) can be satisfied.  Shopping is adequate, with numerous national retailers (Target, Safeway, Dilliard's, Petco, Sears, Wal-Mart, etc.) and many local merchants, often touting a Western theme (high end retailers, though, are sparse).  The Farmers' Market is a 10-week long event that starts in early August.  

The Cheyenne Little Theatre presents a full season of melodrama productions as well as traditional theater offerings (and an annual masked ball).  It also has a robust volunteer program and audition schedule.  The Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra performs at the Civic Center. 

Cheyenne, Wyoming


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Of course, what Cheyenne is perhaps best know for is its Frontier Days, a 10-day July extravaganza of all things Western.  Dating from 1897, this event attracts people from all over the West, and its rodeo, billed as "The Daddy of 'Em All," brings in cowboys, bronc busters and ropers from around the country.  Top country and western acts, carnivals, chuckwagon cookoffs, a thundering United States Air Force Thunderbirds show and parades add to the fun.

Wyoming is the least populated state in the country, and beyond the edges of Cheyenne, empty, high-altitude prairie stretches as far as the eye can see.    Some people see an abyss; others see a world of possibility.   It is a place where one can feel an amazing sense of wonder or an intense sense of loneliness.   Two major interstates, I-25 and I-80, connect Cheyenne to the rest of the nation (and there is a regional airport), but it is a remote spot, despite development creeping up from the south, and driving north, east or west leads to long stretches of wide open country with few gas stations, spotty cell phone service and the occasional antelope (but no jackalopes).

Laramie County Senior Services serve the needs of Cheyenne's seniors with escort services (not that kind), movies, classes, card games, wellness programs, referrals and congregate meals in five different locations.  A private, non-profit group, Wyoming Senior Citizens is based in Riverton, 270 miles away, but also offers programs in Cheyenne.  

 

The Cheyenne Transit System provides public transportation.  The standard fare is $1, and people age 60+ ride for half fare (but are asked for a $1 donation).  All buses are lift-equipped so they are easy to board.    No loud music devices are allowed, and all passengers must be fully clothed to ride.  Curb to curb paratransit transportation is also available for people age 60+ and for those whom have disabilities.  The nearest international airport is in Denver, Colorado, 75 miles to the south (there is a shuttle service).

The primary health care facility is Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.  It has 170 beds, 175 physicians and is accredited by the Joint Commission.   The hospital also offers home health care, and in 2007, it was ranked in the top 25% of home health care agencies in the United States.  It meets or exceeds national averages in most areas, and Medicare and Medicaid patients are both accepted.

Cheyenne sits in a semi-arid climate, and out on the open plain at 6,065 feet above sea level, it is one of the windiest cities in the U.S.  This is why it is so clean and has such good air quality.  Debris and air pollution stand no chance against a Cheyenne wind.  Some people do not mind the wind, but in pioneer days, it was known to drive settlers mad.  Some call the wind "Mariah."  Others call it things that cannot be printed here. 

Summer temperatures are in the 70s, 80s and low-90s.  Humidity is very, very low (on the comfort index, Cheyenne comes in at twice the national average).  Winters temperatures are typically in the teens, 20s and 30s.  Snow often starts falling in October and may not taper off until April, dumping 6 to 12 inches per month.   When snow mingles with the wind, and it does, winter weather can be rough, and it is not a good idea to get caught outside of town in a blizzard (the interstate highways occasionally shut down for short periods in the winter).     On the plus side, there may be wind and occasional blizzard, but there are no tornados, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, tropical storms or earthquakes.  The sun shines 245 days of the year.

 

Cheyenne, of course, has its drawbacks.  It is remote and windy, and winters can be long.  Water in the from of lakes and rivers is scarce.  Trees are few.  Cultural amenities are limited, and there are no professional sports.  The low humidity causes a lot of dry skin.

Yet this unpretentious Western metropolis appeals with its friendly residents, safe neighborhoods, blue skies, dry air and peaceful way of life.   Retirement here is quiet and simple, and to many people, that is exactly what retirement is supposed to be.

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