Wyoming small town help? (Cheyenne, Casper: real estate market, rent, house)

[dan k]

Hi,
My wife and i currently live in phoenix arizona and i hate it.I moved here to go to school to be a harley tech, but met my wife here and told her i would stay until her oldest graduates in 2008.
I have asked alot of people that i know and on the forums where the best place for me is and the majority of the people said wyoming or colorado byt i have looked in colorado and the price of housing is outrageous.
Here is what i am looking for.
1) Good school system with programs like dance, theater and sports.
2) Town with no walmart
3)Town that isnt growing in huge chunks but also isnt going down in population
4)Town that you can drive 30 miles to a place to get a good job
5)place with outdoor activities
6) little to no crime
7) place where people treat you like a neighbor, not outsider
8) place where kids can ride bike or go for a walk without an escort
9) Town where you can buy a house for under $125,000 or rent a 2 bedroom for under $900

I know i ask alot but we are simple people and we just want to enjoy life in a community that wants to be neighborly.I am the type if you need help i will be there but i also look for the peace and relaxed atmosphere where the people are generally happy to be there and happy to be alive.
Dont want to live in a town where people want nothing to do with anyone else.I was a firefighter for 5 years in wisconsin and i am looking for a town where i can again be an asset to the community, i am the neighbor that will watch your back and i will put my life on the line if the need arises.
Any help on this town in wyoming will be appreciated and i look forward to maybe meeting up with you someday and buying you lunch or sitting down to a cup of coffee.

[sunsprit]

I think your best chance to meet your requirements will be to take a look at the little towns that are within a 30 mile radius of the bigger places in Wyoming.

For example, Burns, or Pine Bluffs are little towns East of Cheyenne. It's still possible to buy a house in your price range, have a job in Cheyenne, and have access to good schools and supporting infrastructure in a very closely knit community.

You might find a similar situation outside of Casper by looking at the little communities there.

What you're seeking will be found in the areas that are supported by farming or ranching. You won't find this combination in the Western tourist areas of Wyoming, nor in the "energy boom town" areas, nor the Black Hills.

[shadowwalker]

If your a motorcycle mechanic, you should learn other motors or body work. In winter in Wyoming, it lasts from around october until around may.And some times three months longer so not much riding. Only the die hards, and I mean die hards make the most of it. I remember when younger in Rocksprings. I rode my bike in december to the bar. I ran it like a Ski Bike. I don't think my feet left the ground for the 7 1/2 miles it took to get there. Just kinda slid to keep it upright. I did. Was worse going home, though. Roads got slippery and moved alot.

[jazzlover]

Truthfully, I don't think that you will find anyplace in Wyoming, or anywhere in the Rocky Mountain West, that would meet all 9 of your requirements. If there was such a place, it would be overrun in a heartbeat. So, you're going to have to decide which of your "factors" are most important and look for a place that might satisfy them. I agree with sunsprit--you won't find what you're looking for in the energy development areas or the resort areas.

Other than the towns that sunsprit mentioned around Cheyenne, you also might look at Torrington--nice small community not being so impacted with growth, etc. (though a new prison is being built there that is boosting the real estate market). There are some other nice communities that might meet some of your requirements, but a number of them are on the "fringe" of influence of the energy development areas and their real estate markets are going crazy.

[dan k]

I know we wont find all of these things where we go but my main concern is friendly people, good school system with things to do for the girls.Hell im from wisconsin originally and if i have to drive 45 or 50 miles to go to work i will.Right now it takes me 40 minutes to get to work and 1-2 hours to get home.As far as driving motorcycle i drove mine in wisconsin sometimes until january 1st and it was 0 degrees outside, as long as no ice i would ride.
Thank you both for input

[imbobbbb]

its often a lot farther then 40 or 50 miles between wyoming towns.you can find some reasonaly priced,older homes around newcastle,which is at the edge of the blackhills.for that matter there are still a fair number of affordable homes in the small towns in the south dakota side of the black hills,many within commuting distance to rapid city.if you are interested in montana there are some affordable small towns within a 50 mile commute to billings.in wyoming there is still some affordable stuff around riverton.i think wyoming has the best tax situation in the west and some of the best schools.you really need to take a couple weeks trip and see which areas most appeal to you.one area of the state can be very different then other areas.

[azwyo]

Hey Dan,

My husband and I moved from Laveen, Arizona for some of those very reasons. We wanted to get out of the traffic, pollution, and all the crazy people. We moved to Buffalo in March and we could not be happier. It is a small town (4,000 people). Everyone is very friendly here and have welcomed us with open arms. Although it is probably too small for you. Sheridan is a little larger and is about 30 mins away from Buffalo. My husband originially from WI and I from Colorado so we are familiar with the winters. If you love outdoors this is a great place to be. Buffalo is located at the base of the Big Horn mountains.
Here is a link to Buffalos town website.... Buffalo, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce

[blakeman59]

Some might not agree but I think you could try Moorcroft/Pine Haven. The Moorcroft/Pine Haven area is about 30 miles from Gillette. Gillette has a harley shop and Moorcroft/Pine Haven being on the fringe of the Black hills area, there is some Harley presence in general. Gillette might yield a different mechanic job and then the Harley work would be a profitable side passion for you. This solution is short on item 1 and might be possible on item 9

[imbobbbb]

prices in moorcroft and pinehaven have really gone up.while its better then gillette under $125,000. is hard to come by now around there and doesnt get you much for the money.upton is a little better price wise but another 30 miles from gillette.there are a lot of energy workers around gillette with harleys and money to spend though so it may be worth it.everbody it seems has motorcycles,snowmachines,and 4wheelers so there would be stuff to work on probaly.

[Wild Hare]

if you consider gillette the cheapest thing you can get for housing is curently $146,900 for a brand new 3 bed, 2.5 bath, 2 car 2 story twin home. i just moved here from cheyenne and love the small town atmosphere and the schools here are great. i am a homebuilder and the project i am currently running offers these twin homes and they are selling faster than i can build them. huge demand here for affordable housing.good luck with your search