7 Best Towns In Wyoming For Retirees

With wide-open spaces and majestic natural beauty, Wyoming represents the best of the American West. It is also a great state for those planning to retire now or soon, given its winning mix of affordable housing, care facilities, and overall quality of life. Outside of Wyoming's larger towns, like its capital, Cheyenne, or its high-income areas like Jackson, where costs of living are too much for most retirees, the state offers the right blend of affordable homes and affordable care. To start thinking about Wyoming as a retirement sweet spot, the seven best towns for retirees typify all that the state has to recommend it for a relocation in one's silver years.

Douglas

The town of Douglas, in the east-central part of the state, has drawn retirees for years. Its location east of Casper and along Interstate 25 make getting here easy, whether for children, grandchildren, or other visiting relatives and friends. Douglas' median home price is about $318,000, according to the real estate website Zillow, which comes in comfortably below the state median home price of $364,000. In fact, the town is ranked in the top 10 of Wyoming towns to buy a home in, says the lifestyle website, Niche. The same site puts Douglas in the top 20 for retirement destinations.

Visiting loved ones will want to come to Douglas for the annual Wyoming state fair, held right here since 1905. Outdoors fans of all ages will enjoy a walk through Ayres Natural Bridge Park, or fishing along the North Platte River, which runs through the heart of town. Douglas' Converse County Senior Housing offers affordable retirement housing in a downtown, riverside setting.

Evanston

Tucked into Wyoming's southwest corner, the small town of Evanston provides a relaxed feel and a drive under two hours to the big-city attractions of Salt Lake City, in neighboring Utah. Evanston's homes have a median price of $304,000, while the town's trio of senior care facilities — Rocky Mountain Care, Uinta Senior Citizens Center, and Pioneer Counseling — give the town a rich slate of healthcare options for mom or dad. Evanston's residents and visitors can get out for fresh air at popular local spots like Bear River State Park, or for golf fans, the Purple Sage Golf Course, just east of town.

Kemmerer

Not far northwest of Evanston, the town of Kemmerer offers a similar balance of facilities and outdoor recreation options for more active seniors. The median home price here is a modest $250,000, according to Zillow. Northwest of town, the Fossil Butte National Monument is a favorite among hikers, as well as fans of paleontology. The site is so rich in ancient fish fossils, the National Park Service calls it "an aquarium in stone." Nearby, Fossil Lake Safari welcomes visiting and local families.

Kemmerer's Emerald Housing complex offers manageable apartments and a community space for seniors at various levels of self-sufficiency. The site manages group services, like a shopping shuttle to and from downtown stores, to cater to Emerald's diverse tenants. The site is classed as low-income/affordable, according to the Senior Housing website.

Newcastle

With median homes prices also at $250,000, the town of Newcastle, at Wyoming's northeastern edge near South Dakota, makes for another affordable retirement destination. Newcastle enjoys three senior facilities, including the New Castle Apartments, an affordable, downtown care site with various services available.

Most of Newcastle's points of interest lie across the state border in South Dakota. Yet these draws count among the most interesting in America, assuring that visiting families will be excited to pay a visit. Mount Rushmore awaits a little more than an hour's drive east of here, while the Black Hills National Forest sits northeast of town. For a time out without leaving Newcastle, all-American meal options, like the restaurant Isabella's, or Donna's Main Street Diner, are great places to grab a bite.

Thermopolis

Along the Bighorn River in north-central Wyoming, the town of Thermopolis has much to recommend it. Its median home price is just $210,000. In fact, Thermopolis enjoys the No. 1 ranking for places in Wyoming to retire according to Niche; it's measured on considerations like retiree newcomers, access to doctors, and overall safety. Nearby, Wind River, as well as the Boysen Reservoir and adjoining state park, attract outdoors fans year-round.

Retirees not choosing to buy a new home tend to look at Wyoming Pioneer Home, an assisted living center, or Hot Springs Senior Apartments, with all ground-level units, for more active types. The Hot Springs Health Center, in the eastern part of town, is a general hospital supporting the diverse needs of local seniors and retirees choosing to make Thermopolis home.

Torrington

In southeastern Torrington, just over the state line from Nebraska, local facilities have earned the ranking of 15th-best town for retirement in Wyoming. The Goshen Healthcare Community, a senior center, sits next to a large hospital complex, featuring an emergency room, clinic, and even a helicopter landing area for emergencies. The town sustains a half-dozen senior living and care centers in total. The town's median home price comes in at $238,000, well under the Wyoming median.

For active seniors and their visiting friends, Torrington's Goshen County Fairgrounds host a diverse calendar of horse shows and other western-style fun. A true taste of the west awaits at Broncho Grill House and Bar, found in downtown Torrington.

Worland

The north-central town of Worland is a rural place that nonetheless managed to earn the third spot among Wyoming's best places to retire, according to Niche. With a median home price of $245,000, buying a silver-years home here is affordable. Most retirees seeking other options will consider the World Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, with its comprehensive suite of services, from physical therapy to memory care. Other facilities, like the Worland Clinic and the Washakie Medical Center, further support the retiree community here. Able-bodied seniors will enjoy Worland's Kiwanis Park, not to mention the Green Hills Golf facility south of town.

Wyoming's Smaller Towns Are Ideal for Retirement

These towns show that, at least in Wyoming, the best places to retire are not always in large cities with diverse care options. Often, these smaller towns present the right mix of affordable homes and living centers, top-notch healthcare infrastructure, and a high, Western-style quality of life. Douglas, and Kemmerer all sit near national or state park areas, meaning that retirees and their visiting families can enjoy them at any time. Major nearby attractions, like Mount Rushmore, also sweeten the idea of relocating here. Golf fans can play their hearts out on greens like those at Evanston's Purple Sage course, or Worland's Green Hills. For a retirement that is affordable, healthy, and appealing, Wyoming's options promise a pleasant array of things to see and do after one's working days have come to an end.