Laramie, Wyoming

I would jump at the chance. Nothing is forever. Wyoming is absolutely gorgeous! Go visit before you decide. Sight unseen I would not recommend.

I love Wyoming!!

You know, Cheyenne is 50 miles away and does have an airport....Denver is 2 hours - maybe 2.5 hours...

The winters won't be different for you - Chicago gets some deep a$$ cold...and Wyoming has cold winters as well...

Casper is about 2 hours away - they have an AWESOME 4th of July parade...I'm sure Laramie does as well...I just haven't been to one...

In regards to your politics? Since the Matthew Shepard case in 1998, they have tried to change and be more PC....so you might not be the lone liberal duck.

There are Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians in Laramie...it's NOT the W. west...

If I had the chance? Yes. I would move. I might choose Cheyenne over Laramie or go further north to Sundance - near the Devil's Tower and Rapid City, SD....

When my sister was newly divorced, she wanted a "new start". So she opened up a US map, closed her eyes, pointed her finger at the map, and put her finger down. That was where she was moving to. It happened to be Laramie, Wyoming. And she really did it. She attended the University of Wyoming there, and lived there for quite a few years. She loved it. I, on the other hand, couldn't wait to leave when I went to visit. But, in my defense, I hate cold weather, and having nothing to do. She loved to go hiking and mountain biking and outdoorsy things like that, which I'm not a huge fan of. So I'd say if you like to be outdoors and all that, it would be perfect for you. It really is a beautiful place, and really not that far from Denver if you need something from the city.

I grew up in northern Wyoming and lived there until I went to college. I would love to live there again!

Be prepared for major culture shock! Not only the culture shock of moving from a big city to a small, rural city, but Wyoming really does have its own culture. A mixture of old west, farm/ranch, conservative, environmentalist, small town. It is probably one of the only states in the nation where it would not be unlikely that the governor would stop to help you change a flat tire. (True story!)

Wyoming is a very friendly state, but a lot of people look on "outsiders" with suspicion. Especially big city people who come in and buy up the land and build huge houses. This last year a state legislator answered a woman's letter by telling her that if she didn't like the ways things were in Wyoming that she should just go back to where she came from. It is rare to see that happen, but it does. With Laramie being a college town it is probably one of the more welcoming and accepting cities in the state.

Not every property in Wyoming is a mountain view with room for horses. And some of those properties can be multi-million dollar properties. At one time, back in the 80s, the hospital administrator in Jackson resigned because his salary wasn't enough to buy a house in town. Because Laramie is a college town it is probably more affordable, but an acreage could be expensive at least by Wyoming standards. In comparison to realty prices in Chicago it might be comparable.

You will be more isolated and won't have all the conveniences that you are used to. But Laramie is just a couple of hours from Denver, Greely, and Ft. Collins which are more urban. Laramie can also get shut off from Cheyenne if there is a bad snowstorm. You will have to learn to adjust to not having some of the things that you are used to having easy access to. You can fly from Laramie and Cheyenne to Denver. It will be more expensive, but it is possible.

Yes, Wyoming is a Republican state, but there are Democrats there. Some of them are "closet" Democrats. Many Democrats are registered as Republicans because they can't vote in the primaries if there aren't multiple Democratic candidates on the ballot. That's what I did when I was first registering to vote. There are atheists in the state. And yes, the majority of people who live there are white, but you will be surprised by the number of ethnic groups that do live in the state. With the university being in Laramie there is more diversity there.

There is a home school network in Laramie, but I suspect that it is probably Christian based. With the university you would probably have some great resources for home schooling.

Go visit and spend a week there. Talk with the locals, visit different areas of the city, talk to realtors, look for groups that you could get involved with. To be honest, if you are home schooling, not working outside of the home, and not involved in a church it might be difficult to get to know people. It will be a huge adjustment and you will probably have to make a mind shift in a lot of areas.

I would move back to Wyoming in a heartbeat! But for someone who has never lived in a rural area it can be a huge adjustment. It is isolated and a very different culture even from other rural states that I have lived in. Wyomingites are friendly, helpful people. But they also can have a fierce independence that can come off as standoffish. It isn't a move to take lightly. There is much more to Wyoming than the mountains and being able to own a horse.

You had me at two ponies!!!!!!!

I think it sounds lovely and gorgeous!
My only hesitation would be the isolation.
Home schooling is isolating enough, but at least in the city and suburbs you have other home schoolers to connect with.
Would you have that in Laramie?
Personally I would feel way too cut off, and I am a person who likes to spend a fair amount of time alone, so having my kids around me 24/7 would REALLY wear me out. I know myself well enough to know I'd become a cranky, impatient mom & wife pretty quick.
But that's me.
I wouldn't worry about the politics so much, I think when you live out in the country people tend to accept you for what you are as long as you don't try to cram your agenda and beliefs down their throats, you know? There's a sense of community simply because the community is so small, you depend on each other.
So yes, I think if you can see yourself spending most of your days and nights with just your husband, kids and animals I think you'd love it.

I detest the cold (I live in southern FL) and even I would consider it. What an amazing adventure! I went to Jackson, WY when my oldest was two and it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

I don't think much of anything could be colder or more harsh than Chicago winters. :P

I also think it might be neat for your kids to live in a place where people are a little different from them, politically speaking (or religiously speaking). Also I would not be so quick to assume that everyone is of a certain persuasion. I know several people who live out west who are extremely liberal.

I live in the Democrat hub of Florida (the southeastern corridor) and we're conservative/independent/libertarian very religious homeschoolers. My kids have friends of many different POVs and it hasn't been a problem. I actually think it's good for them.

Wow I am so envious. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Wyoming!

Also, Sally mentioned Fort Collins in CO - we have a good friend who lives there and they love it (moved there from FL). It's supposed to be one of the best places in the country to raise a family.

Good luck with your decision and I hope you will keep us posted!

I am a city girl to the bone. I think being between towns on the highway as out in the boonies. Right now I live out in the country. It's 15 miles to Walmart!

I have been to Wyoming a couple of times. It is very beautiful. And pretty urban in it's cities.

Here's my question to you...

Laramie is only 45 minutes from Cheyenne WY, 2 hours from Casper, 2 hours to Denver CO, and about 3 hours from Pikes Peak/Colorado Springs.

So where is it you'll have to drive 3 hours to get to an airport?

The population of Laramie is about the same as where I live. I know a few atheists. It's not like they have a meeting place downtown and advertise "Hey, we're atheists, come join us".

We also have culture and it isn't all cowboy and indians. I know moving from OKC to po-dunk Oklahoma...lol...wasn't easy for me. I hate being away from a huge city where everything I could possibly need is within minutes by getting on a highway and driving a few miles. It's been hard but I did it.

I think your family should plan a vacation, at least 4 days in Laramie by itself.

You can drive from Chicago to Omaha in about 7 1/2 hours then spend the night or even a day there. Then it's about 7 more hours to Laramie then next day. All along that route are wonderful things to see. You can go to the SAC museum, visit Freedom Park, see wagon train ruts, see all sorts of things that are from our american history.

Then when you get to Laramie stay in a hotel for a few days and pick up all those brochures they have up front. Go see some of the sights they have in that area. Be a tourist. If there is anything at all about this town you like then by all means, call a real estate person and have them show you a bunch of houses.

I looked online at the houses they have for sale in this area.

IF any town around here had a house for sale for 6 million dollars I'd think they had something to offer. Seriously, they have someone in that town who afforded to build this home and then live in it so there must be some pull that town has for people who have money.

This house is for sale for 6 million. 9 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms....GEESH! You could buy it and turn it into a bed and breakfast!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1325-Whi...
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This house is for sale for $399,900 and has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and has a couple of acres with it. I'd love to see the view from the walls of windows it has.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/71-Gypsu...
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If you look for a 3 bedroom instead of a 4 bedroom then the prices go down a lot for just a basic home or a condo style apartment the prices go down much closer to $100K. I think that alone would be a great incentive to move to a lower cost of living area.

I think going and having a vacation there will give you a chance to see just how you fit in and how you can adapt to smaller town living.

You know, before you even mentioned your concerns about the political differences, I was already thinking, "How's she going to survive in the land of Dick Cheney?" I couldn't live in an area where I had to scour to find people whose political philosophies were tolerable--heck, that's why I told my husband I wouldn't live in ultra-liberal Madison, WI.

Does his job have any options in Colorado? That is a more balanced state.

ETA: Maybe check out www.MeetUp.com to see what kind of groups might be active there, or to start one and see if you get anyone whose interests match your own?

It is nice, but for me, it might be a little too barren. You can drive down to Colorado pretty easy (Ft. Collins is a big college town in northern Colorado).
I like to shop, etc and Wyoming is somewhat limited.

Since you homeschool, you don't have to worry about education, etc. and with the internet, face time, skype, etc, it's easy to stay in touch. You may have a bit of a culture clash with your beliefs, and I would probably not share that with most people there.

oh my gads, do it! especially as a homeschooler!
i've only driven through a corner of wyoming, but it was breathtaking. and my entire mental image of laramie and that part of the world is formed from 'my friend flicka', which is unspeakably gorgeous.
i myself would never survive the winters, mind you. but you will!
and even in an admittedly conservative area like that, you'll find kindred spirits. fewer than in other places, mind you, but they're there, and just hoping for someone like you to come along and give them a conversational venue<G>.
i can't wait to hear about your adventures there!
AND PONIES!!!!!!
:) khairete
S.

God, I would give anything to live near like minded Conservatives.

Really hard with kids...when you have so much at your fingertips where you are.

Never. OK, perhaps a vacation home. Or simply vacation there. But live somewhere that is only 45 minutes from Cheyenne. Um, no - not for me, a liberal atheist living an hour's flight from NYC.

I grew up in Casper and had my two kids in Rock Springs. I LOVE WYOMING!!! If I had a choice, I would happily finish raising my kids there. I never had a problem with my lack of religion or political affiliation. I live in China right now and let me tell you, people are overrated! Blue skies (even in the dead of winter) and open spaces are what do it for me. International travelling can be a bit of a pain but I do love riding in the turbo props to get to a "real" airport.