Check out Fort Collins/Loveland CO while in WY.
You will probably find it much prettier and much less windy than WY.
That said, you really need to visit there. The biggest cities would seem like small towns to most Californians. And you really need to visit in winter, which is way different than in most states, including most of CO.
A few things to know --- when people say it is windy here -- BELIEVE THEM. It is windy and the summers can be hot, but not humid --- not like MN and no mosquitos (huge plus for me). Anyway 100 in the summer here is about the same as 80 + humid from where I came from.
The people are fantastic, so friendly and helpful. Depending on where you are looking, many are also transplants from other states, so they know/understand what you may be going through.
We found housing about the same $$ or a little less -- but we lived in the lakes area of MN, so not sure if you should go by just my opinion. Our real estate taxes here are less than half what they were in MN.
Internet is a HUGE issue for me. If you live in a city, you shouldn't have a problem --- however, if you go rural, understand that you may not have options.
And be prepared to drive !! Long stretches of beautiful, breathtaking scenery between the cities.
Buy a cowboy hat & boots -- bring a truck and your conservative, freedom & America loving ideals and you will fit right in.
I was born/raised in MN, lived there over 50 years and it is a beautiful state, but the socialist policies finally forced us to leave and just in time from what I see from the election back there.
Wyoming may not be perfect (cold but ok -- but I come from MN), and windy. Lonely a little too, but I love it !!
Take a look at rural upstate South Carolina.
My son reported a conversation he had this summer with a 24 year old young lady from Wyoming. As I recall, the gist of it seemed to be the state of Wyoming is flush enough to provide education beyound high school to all of its young people. This YL had two degrees in technical fields and was working for an oil company in North Dakota. Three months at work, three months off or something like that.
The state government seems to be fiscally conservative.
I moved to Salt Lake City from Los Angeles in 1982. I was born in LA in 1948 and raised there. The over population and wacko antigunhuntingselfdefense lliberonszis finally became too much. I have never been sorry. I can throw some camping gear and some guns in my truck and be isolated within 3 hours. Wyoming and Idaho are a hop skip and a jump away. I love the intermountain west. I even like the mormons. I don’t agree with their relig ious beliefs, but most of them understand the importance of freedom, unlike all liberals and most republicans. I will never return to that shythole, LA, not ever.