Wyoming's Most Livable Communities Revealed in 2023 AARP Livability Index
CHEYENNE - AARP recently released its Livability Index, a list of the most livable communities in the country recently, with Jackson ranking in the top-10 in the nation for communities with a population between 5,000 and 24,999.
The AARP Livability Index evaluates and ranks communities based on various factors that contribute to residents' quality of life. It looks at everything from homes and transportation to health and community engagement.
Jackson was ranked ninth in the Livability Index’ Small Communities category. Aspen, Colo.; Orange City, Iowa; LaCrescent, Minn.; and Salida, Colo. made up the top five in the small community category.
Jackson scored the highest in the category of civic engagement as the city ranked far ahead of the national average in the areas of voting rate; social involvement (the extent to which residents belong to groups, organizations, or associations, etc.); high rates of cultural, arts, and entertainment institutions; as well as broadband cost and speed. Other communities in Teton County also scored high in the livability index were Teton Village (64); Moose (64); and Wilson (62).
Jackson was not the only community in the Cowboy State to be found in the rankings. Sheridan, Powell, and Cody both posted scores of 63 thanks to high numbers in the engagement and environment categories. Low vacancy rates, and diversity of destinations available to those who like to walk kept the communities from ranking higher.
Among the Wyoming communities and developments rated by the livability index and their overall scores are:
- Jackson (68)
- Teton Village (64)
- Moose-Wilson Road (64)
- Sheridan (63)
- Powell (63)
- Cody (63)
- Wilson (62)
- South Park (62)
- Rafter J Ranch (62)
- Greybull (62)
- Thermopolis (62)
- Newcastle (61)
- Hoback (61)
- Worland (60)
- Casper (60)
- Douglas (60)
- Mountain View (59)
- Torrington (58)
- Evanston (58)
- Mills (58)
- Kelly (58)
- Laramie (58)
- Wheatland (57)
- Kemmerer (57)
- Buffalo (57)
- Cheyenne (55)
- Big Horn (55)
- Gillette (55)
State Ratings for Wyoming
As a state, Wyoming posted a score of 53 (on a scale of 0-100), which put it in the top half of states in the Union. The state’s highest marks came in civic engagement, where it scored a 67.
The state scored poorly in a number of other categories, including health, transportation, and opportunity. In the health space, Wyoming struggles with a high smoking rate (18.6% of Cowboy Staters smoke regularly); obesity rates that are at the national average, and the state’s low percentage of healthcare professionals.
Under the heading of opportunity, Wyoming scored below the national average in the indicator areas of jobs per worker, age diversity, and income inequality.
About the Livability Index
Great Neighborhoods for All Ages scores every neighborhood and community in the United States for services and amenities that affect people's lives the most. The Index was first developed in 2015 by the AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) as a standard to help evaluate community policies, compare communities and measure livability. In June 2018 and April 2022, the Index was relaunched with updated data and new site features.
“Older adults overwhelmingly want to stay in their current homes and communities as they age, but most of society isn’t prepared to address the needs of a rapidly aging population,” said Rodney Harrell, PhD, AARP Vice President of Family, Home and Community. “The AARP Livability Index shows that all communities have room to improve to ensure that residents of all ages are active, engaged, and supported, particularly when it comes to affordable housing options. Everyone has a role to play – from community members to researchers, to local advocates and policymakers – to help fill the gaps between what people want and need and what their communities provide, so more older adults can live independently.”
Users can search the website 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. New search tools include the “Community Finder Quiz” and the “Explore All Communities” feature, which match users to communities according to their preferred location characteristics that meet their unique needs. The updated Index also includes climate data for every community, so users can pinpoint desired locations based on their weather preferences.
The AARP Livability IndexTM platform is 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 affect people’s lives the most as they age. The platform scores livability by using more than 50 national data sources to measure each community against 61 indicators of livability.
To view the AARP Livability Index platform or see your community’s score, visit www.aarp.org/livabilityindex.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.
