When the Rite Aid warehouse in Sacramento closed early, Susan Griffis decided 38 years on the job was enough. She was retiring. But where?
Fortunately, her friends had done the research. They said the place to retire was Wyoming.
So, Griffis packed up her life and followed them to Gillette.
One year later, she says it’s the best decision she could have made.
“I haven’t regretted moving one bit,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “This state’s been wonderful so far. It could have used a little more snow, but I just love it. The sales tax and gas are cheap. And everyone’s just so doggone friendly.”
Griffis has already day-tripped to Devils Tower and can’t wait for warmer weather to have more adventures. She has camping trips across Wyoming dancing in her spring-fever brain.
Griffis isn’t alone in choosing Wyoming for her golden years.
Wyoming’s wide-open skies and wilderness and small-town charms have long attracted tourists. Now those same features are attracting retirees who long for small-town friendliness and affordable living.
According to a 2023 BizInsure study based on U.S. Census data, Wyoming now leads the nation in retiree growth.
It has 76% more retirees moving to the Cowboy State than No. 2 South Carolina and 105% more than No. 3 Idaho. That’s even as more traditional retiree magnets like Florida and Arizona have fallen from the Top 10 fastest-growing retirement states.
Wyoming Cities Have High Livability
Wyoming AARP spokesman Tom Lacock isn’t surprised. The Cowboy State has a lot of great things going for it when it comes to retirement, and its cities consistently score above national averages on AARP’s livability index, which rated housing, health, environment, opportunity and more using 50 different national data sources.
Topping the livability list for Wyoming is Jackson, with a livability score of 65, followed by Sheridan and Greybull, which tied for second at 63.
Powell at 61, and Cody and Worland, tied at 60, round out the Top 5. But Evanston, Thermopolis and Casper are all nipping at their heels, with scores of 59.
Gillette, where Griffis landed, scored a 53 on the livability scale.
The entire state, meanwhile, posted an average livability score of 52, as compared to the national average, which was 48.
“There’s a lot of conversation around what it looks like to be a livable community,” Lacock told Cowboy State Daily. “So, there’s everything from walkability in a community to the ability to drive in a safe way and not feel like you’re in traffic.”
Wyoming also scores high in number of community engagement opportunities, Lacock added.
“So a lot of clubs, a lot of organizations,” he said. “A lot of chances to really engage, whether it be civic engagement or whether it be political engagements. You can come here, you can come to Wyoming, and you can take part. You can quickly be a part of that conversation.”
For Walter and Sharon Merschat of Casper, they not only are retired, they're investing in their community.
They've salvaged a former drug house targeted for demolition, moving and rennoivating it into an attractive Airbnb that's become a way to supplement their retirement income.
Preparing For A Silver Tsunami
The trend does raise questions, however, about how ready the state is for the wave of Baby Boomer retirees bearing down upon it.
Especially as the silver tsunami, which has been building since 2011, seems to be picking up steam.
From July 2023 to July 2024, Wyoming’s 65+ population grew 3.2%. The year before that growth rates were similar at 3.5%.
Wyoming’s chief economist, Wenlin Liu, with the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division, projects growth rates of 13% from 2023 to 2030, while the state’s overall population is expected to increase by just 2.6%.
AARP Wyoming is paying attention to what that will mean for housing, services and health care, starting with helping seniors stay in their homes longer.
“If you’re going to go into a nursing home in Wyoming, that’s about $7,000 per person per month,” he said. “But if you can be served through home services, that’s about $1,800. So that’s a huge cost-savings. And the good news is, people want to be at home. All of our surveys nationwide have shown between 75% to 80% of people want to age in home as long as they possibly can.”
Part of ensuring home care services are available is ensuring that wages remain competitive.
“If you’re competing with Burger King on the wage scale, you’re going to struggle,” Lacock said. “So, we’ll have a full report on what we’re paying, where we should be paying, and all that will go as a bill or budget recommendation to the legislature as a whole.”
Medical Care Is A Big Question
Transportation is another service that can help older residents stay in their homes longer. Seniors who struggle to get to doctor appointments on their own or to places like the grocery store are more likely to be forced from their homes.
“That becomes a big, big deal,” Lacock said. “And Wyoming does a pretty reasonable job, but there are areas of improvement, especially around senior transportation.”
This year’s state budget did add some funding for senior transportation and other aging services, Lacock said. But more help may be needed as new retirees arrive and existing residents age in place.
One structural crack that already exists and could widen as more retirees arrive is medical care.
“Obviously, most of our medical care, with the exception of Casper, when you get into specialty care, goes into neighboring states,” he said. “So (medical care) is certainly something retirees are looking for.”
Right now, the problem isn’t acute because many of the seniors who have moved to Wyoming are what Lacock referred to as “young” olds.
“By and large they can take care of themselves,” he said. “So, there’s less of a drain on senior services. But most likely, those folks are going to stay in the state, so yeah, we do have to figure out what that means.”
Everywhere All At Once
So far, retirees don’t appear to be clustering in any one particular community. Gillette, Evanston, Jackson, Cheyenne and all points in between report new arrivals.
David Morgan, who retired to Evanston seven years ago, said Wyoming checked every box for him when it comes to affordability and outdoor adventure.
“We bought this house for a ridiculous price,” he said. “It was so cheap, I couldn’t believe it. And we got a 2.5% interest rate.”
Low taxes, inexpensive gas, and friendly neighbors sealed the deal. He doesn’t regret it.
“There’s no traffic, there’s no crime problem. You can walk your neighborhood at any time of day or night and not worry about getting mugged,” he said. “We’re two hours from Star Valley, three hours to Jackson, and three and a half hours to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. I mean, what more could you ask for?”
Renée Jean can be reached at renee@cowboystatedaily.com.
