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Cheyenne's cost-of-living is roughly 13%
below the national average, and the median home price is
$150,000. All kinds of homes are available, from
little box houses to custom homes to town homes and
condominiums. Apartments are in good
supply with rents averaging $650 per month.
Cheyenne has its upscale neighborhoods, but most areas are
middle class, with a few poorer sections. Warren Air
Force Base is located here, and that helps steady the
economy. When it comes to property taxes, a house is
assessed at 9.5% of its fair market value, and the mill rate
is 127. On a $150,000 home, the annual tax would be
$1,810. Veterans receive an exemption ($700 to $800),
as do those
age 65+ and those who are disabled. Overall, Wyoming
does not tax much (there is no personal income tax, and
retirement income is not taxed) and has one of the lowest
overall tax burdens in the country. |
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Retirees in search of a sophisticated locale with
lots of nightlife and hustle and bustle will probably not be happy
in Cheyenne. This quiet, low-stress city instead appeals to
those searching for a place where neighbors know each other and
where the simple pleasures of life are enjoyed at a leisurely
pace. 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. Nearly
everything is infused with an Old West flavor, but the city has a
botanic gardens, a library, several museums, a melodrama dinner
theater, a farmers' market, a community college, movie theaters,
golf courses, broadband internet service, a country club,
churches, malls and box stores and parks. Dining is not
world class, but there is a good selection of restaurants and some
upscale eateries. Of course, what Cheyenne is perhaps known
best for is its Frontier Days, a 10-day July celebration of all things
western. Dating from 1897, this extravaganza attracts people
from all over the West and features rodeos, top country and
western acts, carnivals, chuckwagon cookoffs, a USFA Thunderbirds
show and parades.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
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Wyoming is the least populated state in the
country, and it is
very easy to believe that when standing on the outskirts of
Cheyenne because prairie stretches as far as the
eye can see. The city sits at the intersection of I-25
and I-80,
so although it is a bit isolated, it is accessible (and there is
an airport). Going south, Fort Collins, Colorado is
roughly 45 minutes away, and Denver, Colorado is just a bit beyond
that. Going north, east or west will lead to long stretches
of lonesome country (and few gas stations, spotty cell phone
service and the occasional antelope).
This is a safe city, with a crime rate below the
national average, and it is a tidy city. Traffic is not a
problem, and the air is clean. Wyoming Senior Citizens
serves the needs of older Wyomingites, and although is based in
Riverton, offers programs in Cheyenne. The Cheyenne
Community Center (308-254-7000) also has activities for the mature
set, including fitness classes, trips, potlucks and
get-togethers. The Cheyenne Transit System provides public
transportation ($1 donation for those age 60+), and there is a
trolley system, too.
The primary health care facility is Cheyenne
Regional Medical Center. The staff has 175 physicians with
specialties in cardiovascular, neurology, internal medicine,
oncology, rheumatology and many others. The hospital also
offers home health care, and in 2007 was ranked in the top
25% of home health agencies in the United States.
Cheyenne, of course, has its drawbacks. As mentioned
earlier, it is a tidy city with clean air, and the reason for
that is the wind. Debris and air pollution do not stick
around for long because out in the open on the high plains at
6,065 feet, the wind is nearly constant. Some people
do not mind it, but in pioneer days, it was known to drive
settlers mad. Some call the wind "Maria." Others call
it things we cannot print here. When snow mingles with the
wind, and it does, winter weather can be a little rough, and it is
not a good idea to get caught outside of town in a blizzard.
Winter temperatures are in the 20s and 30s, and summer
temperatures are in the 80s. The humidity is very, very low.
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