Moose/Jackson Wyoming (Midwest: sales, for rent, vacation home)

[tracilynn72]

Hello, my husband is up for a job with the National Park Service in Moose, Wyoming. He'll be making around $37.00 an hour, are there homes to rent in Moose for a family of 6 or do we have to commute from a different area? How expensive is it to live in either Moose or Jackson or something close by and are the schools there good? I'll have kids both in the middle school and high school. I also have a son in college and am in college myself, so another question is, is there a community college close by? Are there a lot of things to do as a family in Wyoming in general all year round? We're coming from Las Vegas, but lived 30+ years in Ohio so we know what the cold is like, we lived right off Lake Erie so the bitter colds coming down from Canada are what we're used to. Any other pertinent information would be greatly appreciated by all. Thank you!!!

[paintersspouse]

There is some employee housing in Moose. Start by asking them. That will be your most cost effective choice. The kids will be bused to Jackson for school.

[Wardendresden]

I'm an almost perennial visitor to the Tetons and Moose is almost always the first place we stop to send out a postcard, go to the visitor center, etc. I wouldn't even call it a town. I believe the only people that live there are employees. Barring finding employee housing you will probably have to look around Jackson and it will not be inexpensive. Lots of big money folks have purchased into the area for vacation homes and have driven costs up. And, of course, there are resorts upon resorts that have also somehow managed to boost the cost of local housing.

You may need to look south of Jackson (which is about six(?) miles south of Moose)--still not cheap--and it will make a much longer commute for that ranger of yours as he will need to drive through Jackson each day.

As far as activities go, in Moose it's going to be strictly outdoors activities because I doubt your kids will be that enamored of going very often to the visitor center and looking at books and geologic displays.
And because elk frequent the area around Moose you need to keep a watchful eye on your kids, especially during the fall rutting season. Bull elk have been known to charge vehicles moving by on the roadways. I saw a video of one slamming into the side of a pickup truck that was moving. The elk was knocked down, the pickup stopped, the elk got up undaunted and made another charge at the truck.

Jackson is a gorgeous little town and we wish we could move there when we retire (15 months) but far too costly. We are looking at S.E. Idaho like Pocatello, Idaho Falls, or the closest of which is Rexburg, still probably an hour and half away from Jackson on a good day. You can live in Driggs, Idaho in the Idaho Teton Valley about 30 miles west of Jackson. You still have to go over the pass to get to Jackson and that can be tough on some winter days. I've seen property listed for rent over there that is very inexpensive compared to Jackson. Driggs is a nice little community, too, and we've been through it a number of times driving up the west side of the Tetons.

The downside of Idaho is that it has a pretty heavy state income tax burden, as high as 7.8% of taxable income. However, with all those children it may not be an issue for you under present tax code.
Idaho's sales tax is 6% compared to a base of 4% in Wyoming, but some counties in WY assess an additional 1%, so sales tax is a marginal issue.

We've found people to be very friendly in all of Wyoming and in SE Idaho, too. I have read some questions by parents because of the strong LDS presence in the area and their concerns about acceptance in schools for their children. I'm not sure that would be my concern as I grew up living in an Air Force family that moved at least every couple of years and I had to live amongst all sorts of other people and I turned out more or less okay (depending on who you talk to! ).

But I for one am envious of your opportunity to go to what is arguably one of the most beautiful areas in the nation--and I have lived and traveled from the South to the Northeast, the Midwest to the West and Northwest, and of course, the Southwest. I've attended elementary and/or high schools in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, California, Ohio, and Washington--as well as in Japan and England.
As an adult throw in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Colorado, and now Texas as additional states my family lived in for some time. And with the beauty contained in all those areas, I still pick the Tetons as my favorite.

Concentrate on the excitement of living in a new spot rather than the worry most people engage in as they venture out to unexplored territory.

Wishing you the very best in finding a new home.

[Goin'toasquarestate]

Above......this is good posting bud.

[jody_wy]

Moose is 15 miles north of Jackson

[jody_wy]

Now a few G&F and Forest Service workes drive the canyon from Star Valley every day.... along with Hospital , constuction and othewr workers...

[NDak15]

Jackson is one of the most expensive places in the nation to live. If you can get employee housing in Moose I would do that. Otherwise, go with Jody's idea.