Biggest Cities in Wyoming

Wyoming is the least populous US state. No Wyoming city reaches 100,000 residents; the entire state has fewer people than metropolitan Reno, Nevada. Yet each of Wyoming's cities has a distinct character shaped by its economic base and geography.

Cheyenne — 65,000
Wyoming's largest city and capital. Cheyenne sits at 6,062 feet on the high plains at the extreme southeastern corner of the state, near the Colorado border. The Union Pacific Railroad mainline passes through Cheyenne — historically the most important rail junction in the Mountain West. Warren Air Force Base (Cheyenne's largest employer) houses a Minuteman III ICBM wing. Frontier Days (July) is the city's defining annual event.

Casper — 58,000
The "Oil City" of Wyoming — Casper sits in the center of the state on the North Platte River and has been the hub of Wyoming's oil and gas industry since the Salt Creek oil field was discovered in 1908. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (covering the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express Trails) is excellent. Casper Mountain provides immediate skiing, hiking, and mountain biking access from the city.

Laramie — 32,000
A university town at 7,165 feet in the Laramie Valley between the Laramie Range and the Medicine Bow Mountains. The University of Wyoming anchors the economy; the Territorial Prison (where Butch Cassidy was once incarcerated) is a major historic site.

Gillette — 32,000
The coal capital of the United States — Campbell County around Gillette produces more coal than most countries in the world. The energy economy fluctuates dramatically with coal prices; the city has experienced boom-and-bust cycles. The Rockpile Museum covers the Powder River Basin's ranching and energy history.

Rock Springs — 23,000
A Union Pacific railroad town and natural gas hub in southwest Wyoming. Rock Springs has a remarkable multicultural heritage — 56 nationalities settled here to work the coal mines in the late 19th century. The community college and the Sweetwater County arts scene give it more cultural amenities than its size suggests.