Several Wyoming Communities Rank High In Livable Communities Index

Jackson once again finds itself atop the list of livable communities in Wyoming in 2025. That is according to the AARP Livability Index™ platform ─ the most comprehensive, web-based tool of its kind that scores every neighborhood and community in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the services and amenities that improve people’s quality of life.

Also scoring above average (48) were Wyoming communities of:

• Sheridan (63), 
• Greybull (63),
• Powell (61),
• Cody (60),
• Worland (60), 
• Evanston (59),  
• Thermopolis (59),
• Casper (59), 
• Laramie (57)
• Afton (57),
• Torrington (57),
• Douglas (56), 
• Green River (55), 
• Wheatland (55), 
• Buffalo (55),
• Cheyenne (54),  
• Gillette (53)
• Sundance (53)
• Glenrock (53), 
• Rock Springs (52)
• Rawlins (51),
• Lander (51),
• Lovell (52), 
• Riverton (49).

Jackson managed a livability score of 65, far above the national average score of 48 and just 10 points below the 2025 highest city score awarded by the index. This was the second year Jackson was named Wyoming’s most livable community. Civic engagement indicators powered Jackson to a score of 93 in the civic and social involvement category. Points were awarded for everything from civic involvement, voting rate, and the presence of a human rights commission, as well as involvement in AARP’s Age-Friendly Communities program. Not surprisingly, Jackson scored lower in the areas of income equality and housing vacancy rates

Sheridan’s livability score of 63 was paced by very high scores in the areas of opportunities for civic engagement, with 198 organizations per 10,000 people. Sheridan also ranked above average in the areas of cultural and entertainment institutions, the percentage of citizens who voted (66%) and access to high-speed internet.

Greybull also scored a 63 thanks to high scores in the areas of transportation safety and convenience, engagement, and access to housing.

“Wyoming communities that score high tend to offer more opportunities to engage,” said AARP Wyoming State Director Sam Shumway. “These are communities that vote, that see their residents belong to organizations or associations and really take part in making their communities the places we all want to live.

“The index also makes it clear that there are opportunities to improve in the areas of transportation, housing affordability and accessibility.”

As a state, Wyoming posted a livability score of 52. The state’s higher scores were noted in the areas of opportunities for civic involvement and access to affordable housing, although neither of these marks was particularly high. Wyoming’s lowest scores were in the areas of neighborhood proximity and security, transportation security and access, and health.

About the Index
While the top-performing communities have various policies in place to promote livability, the data shows that many of the highest scoring communities lack affordable housing and accessibility options, highlighting the need for local leaders to address rising housing costs, insufficient supply of housing options, and growing income inequality.

“People overwhelmingly want to stay in their homes and communities as they age, which requires walkable neighborhoods, affordable and adaptable housing, public transportation options, and opportunities for community engagement,” said Rodney Harrell, PhD, AARP Vice President of Family, Home, and Community. “We encourage communities to use the AARP Livability Index to identify areas for improvement and help create vibrant and welcoming environments for people of all ages.”

The 10 top-scoring communities by population size, in ranking order, are:

• Very large communities (population 500,000+): San Francisco, CA; Montgomery County, MD; Seattle, WA; Ramsey County, MN; Fairfax, VA; New York City, NY; Boston, MA; Nassau County, NY; Portland, OR; and Bergen County, NJ 
• Large communities (population 100,000-499,999): Arlington, VA; Alexandria, VA; Cambridge, MA; Salt Lake City, UT; St. Paul, MN; Boulder, CO; Minneapolis, MN; North Hempstead, NY; Madison, WI and Chittenden, VT 
• Mid-size communities (population 25,000-99,999): Cliffside Park, NJ; Fort Lee, NJ; Portland, ME; Burlington, VT; Rockville, MD; Chapel Hill, NC; Somerville, MA; Brookline, MA Harrisburg, PA; and Belmont, MA 
• Small towns (population 5,000 to 24,999): Great Neck Plaza, NY; Falls Church, VA; Pella, IA; Aspen, CO; Knoxville, TN; Los Alamos County, NM; Takoma Park, MD; Orange City, IA; Salida, CO; Williston Park, NY

Users can search the interactive online tool by address, ZIP code, or community to find an overall or category score, identify challenges in their community and compare their neighborhood to others across performance benchmarks. The updated platform now includes neighborhood-level employment data ─ hiring rates by age, typical earnings, and unemployment levels. It also includes natural hazard risk by displaying each community's FEMA natural hazard risk rating, which shows its relative exposure to 18 types of hazards from floods to earthquakes. While this new data doesn’t contribute to a community’s livability score, it provides a fuller picture to help people understand how their community is doing today.

Launched in 2015, the AARP Livability Index platform scores livability by using more than 50 national data sources, such as the U.S. Census Bureau American Communities Survey, across seven categories: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity. The tool measures every city, county, and town against 61 indicators of livability, ranging from monthly housing costs to environmental pollution, opportunities for social connections to the presence of age-friendly community plans.