Is Wyoming Becoming The NEW Texas? 

Wyoming is never going to be the new Texas based off of geography and climate alone. Not to mention no big cities and one 4 year school. Keep Wyoming, Wyoming

Only one major issue with Wyoming - the intolerable winters.

Over 90% of the people that move to Wyoming leave once they experience a Wyoming winter. Last January it got down to -40 F at the ranch house, and that was WITHOUT the wind.

Asking a real estate agent whether you should buy a home right now is like to asking an alcoholic whether they think you should have a drink lol. Homes in my neighborhood that cost around $450k in sales in 2019 are now going for $800 to $950k. Every seller in my neighborhood is currently making a $350k profit. Simply unreal. In all honesty, deflation is what we require. The only other option is for many people to go bankrupt, which would also be bad for the economy. That is the only way to return to normal.

God, I hope not. Don’t ruin a perfect environment with overpopulation

I'm Canadian, currently living in Calgary. I've been to Wyoming, it was great! The people were fantastic. Also a shout out to the amazing people of Montana. As a Canadian I'm always thankful that we have such wonderful neighbors. God bless.

I think you're way off base on this one Briggs. 90% of folks who might consider Wyoming as a relocation destination will be turned off by two major concerns - weather and good paying, stable jobs. And the majority of people, such as retirees, who don't have to worry about a decent paying job, will NOT want to endure the long, harsh winters. No way Wyoming is ever coming close to becoming a Texas type destination - and I'm sure the majority of Wyoming residents love that.

The desirable part of Wyoming is Yellowstone and the Jackson Hole area which makes up about 3 million acres. The other 60 million acres is not all that desirable. I personally don’t mind desolate and relatively flat land, but many people don’t understand that the majority of Wyoming is NOT Yellowstone!

It's harsh climate and extremely cold temps in Winter will put a check on the growth. It will grow some in it's small towns. It's pretty ridiculous to compare Wyoming to Texas.

I moved to Wyoming a couple years before COVID and I love it. I’ve learned that if you appreciate what the state has to offer, listen well, don’t try to change things, and are generally friendly, neighbors and strangers will bend over backwards to help you out. But if you complain constantly, say you miss “xyz” from home, and blare your horn in traffic, you’ll be outcast quickly. Where I grew up down south, a lot of folks moved in from out of state for a better life then demanded the locals change. It created a lot of social strain, so I knew what would be important moving to the Cowboy State. Come on, move in! But leave your past where came from, and assimilate as quickly as possibly to your new surroundings. You’re moving away from California anyway, not to take it with you right? Don’t be a jerk. Learn to pitch in. And for goodness sakes drive the speed limit.

Thanks Briggs for the kind words about our state but most people can't handle our weather, no big cities and isolation.

The other reason you get more stars in Wyoming is that you are at high elevation and so there is less atmosphere above you to scatter light and less water vapor to reflect it. Plus the atmosphere is usually cold which further decreases the water vapor.

I’ve lived in Wyoming over 50 years now. I believe it would take a MAJOR influx from out of state people to change our attitudes. But not Jackson Hole… the joke here is “the best thing about Jackson is it is really close to Wyoming”. We don’t claim Jackson Hole. It’s not at all like Wyoming is. Everybody know that, and we call Jackson “Jackafornia”.

Yeah that's not what most of the state looks like. I dread driving through Wyoming in a semi. That wind is brutal.

I have a fun fact regarding wyoming gun culture.... I lived in Casper a couple years about a decade ago. When December came, the most common door wreath was made with horns with shotgun shells for tassles. I asked people where they got them, and they all said they made them. Wyoming is a great place, but I doubt Wyoming will ever allow itself to be the next Texas or Florida. I knew construction workers. They told me it is hard to get approval to build houses and inside or on the edges of towns. And Apartments were even harder to get approved. That would cap the population growth. That and the fact men vastly outnumber women.

This is a giant swing and a miss for Briggs. It gets too cold and too windy in Wyoming for most people, and if that doesn't deter them, the reduced oxygen because of altitude will.

The wind and the weather in Wyoming is horrible.

I'm a native Texan looking to move, and Wyoming is one of the places I am looking. After 65 years, I've had it with the summers around here! If I could afford it, I'd summer in the mountain west, and winter in Texas. Unfortunately, I'm poor. 😢

That was the most romanticized view of Wyoming I've ever heard! A bit over the top and I love the state Ive called home for 57 years of life. Truth is very few people that move here from warmer climates (just about everywhere) end up leaving. It's usually the wife hating the weather and no place to shop. Amazon kind of revolutionized Wyoming. There is not really any next day delivery though. People are buying up land fast though my property taxes have tripled in the last 5 years and houses have doubled plus some but I understand that is still cheap in comparison. The only way to really endure it here is you have to have a winter activity like snowmobiles or ice fishing. Just remember getting stuck or breaking down after a 5 minute ride on a snowmobile is a 3 hour walk minimum. A flat tire in the winter will change your life and remember every travelers most horrifying story involves crossing Wyoming in Jan or Dec or any time oct to may. I have ice covered streets at least 4 months and sometimes more. Not kidding. People here are tough, don't complain much and don't really understand all the crap we see in the news. It's nothing like this video though!

For many people it's just too cold, and aside from Cheyenne being a few hours away from Denver , it's a long way to a real city. No real airports hurts them as well and quite of a bit of the east part of the state is fairly bleak looking..

I grew up there, and would never consider returning. Most of my friends that stayed committed suicide or died of alcohol induced liver disease. When I left 50 years ago, Cheyenne had 50,000 people. It still does.

I moved to WY in my late twenties and loved the “free-range” Cowboy lifestyle, but I had to leave to find decently paid work after finishing grad school. While in WY I brought an older sister out from Virginia but she, despite the same educational & skill level as I, spent a full year unsuccessfully looking for professional work in her field; she eventually moved to Arizona. While In WY, she found the winter nearly unbearable… The constant hurricane-like winds made lighter people walk tilted into the wind and blew the abundant powdery snow east, into Nebraska! 😂

I drove through Wyoming a couple years back, down from Yellowstone to Colorado. I would be willing to retire there. One thing I can tell you is that make sure you stop for gas when it's available. There's a lot of unpopulated land, found that out the hard way and almost ran out of gas. Lol

I live in Minnesota and people from places like California moved here and to find out they couldn't handle the long winters and cold. I heard one person say, I didn't know it got that cold here.

As a Texan, I do not wish the burden of all those fleeing the cesspools they created on anyone. Godspeed Wyoming.

Wyoming is dotted with a number of towns in the 5-10k people range. Self-employed contractors, plumbers, electricians, etc., may find themselves with little or no competition and can make a VERY healthy living. Most others moving here need to bring fat cash with them.

In 2009 I had been hired to work in Jamestown Wyoming. Oddly the deal to sell my house fell through several times. Leaving me with my house in Jamestown New York. Everything for a reason. I accepted a temporary job in a ground beef processing plant where I met and eventually married my husband. That loner mentality and my love of nature are a reason I thought of just picking up and going. Good video. Thank you!

Wyoming born and raised. I’ve gotta say, you’ll probably get some pushback from Wyoming natives. They love their isolation and, though friendly, also protective of their turf.

I'm a native Texan and i absolutely love Wyoming! Beautiful land!

I have been considering moving to Wyoming for over 20 years, the main reason I haven't moved there is it's tendency to be WINDY, not to mention COLD, I hate excessive wind (and cold) and love to ride my motorcycle year-round. It used to be "cheap" to live in Florida too, before "everyone" decided to move here, now the cost to live here is "nuts".

I don't think Wyoming is going to be the new Texas. I've never heard of Wyoming shutting down the whole state because of a small snow storm.

Texas is mostly open land. People don't move to "Texas", they move to Houston, Dallas-Ft Worth, Austin, San Antonio. Any of those cities eclipse Wyoming as a whole in all factors except natural beauty.

I've visited Wyoming several times and love the friendly people and beautiful scenery.

I am a Texan from Wyoming and no it’s not. Wyoming just lost it’s tax revenue when the Climate elite declared war on coal and oil. Wyomings vast federal lands mean property is expensive. Low murder rate? Wyoming is open carry. During past economic booms the murder rate rises.

Wyoming has been calling my name for 4-5 years. There have been 2 things holding me back: 1) I have not been there to check it out yet 2) Real estate seems to be 3x higher than my current location. Maybe when my business takes off and I’m making more money, I can justify the move a little easier.

As a Texan, ALL my guns were lost in a TRAGIC boating accident , really ATF, all at bottom of a lake, forgot which one....

Funny how he didn’t mention it is one of the windiest states there is. Also COLD WINTERS with Lots of snow!!

My Tax savings in WY disappeared by having to go to Colorado for every basic need.

Absolutely BRUTAL winters. Indescribable if you haven’t experienced it.

This is pretty cool, back in 2019 I went on a road trip around the western half of the states and passing through Wyoming is absolutely top 3 for the places I drove through and got to experience on the way

I live in Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and I’m hoping this happens. We need to spread these people around split them up amongst the different states. They don’t all need to be in Texas.

If nothing else, I'd like this channel enough that I can always give it a thumbs up right when the video starts. Thank you.

For many years so many people clowned me for liking Wyoming Montana and Idaho instead of Florida or all these other night club states. Looks like now my opinion is the hot talk of the town now.

The data on number of homes with a firearm is substantially under reported in all cases. The numbers some from phone surveys which are totally inaccurate because many of us do not trust anyone who is asking if we have firearms in the house. It’s either hang up or say no. My doctor asked “do you have firearms at home” I asked “is your wife good in bed” Just as inappropriate a question as he asked me.

My goodness, Briggs, you forgot to mention Thermopolis, WY which has a natural hot springs that is open 365 days a year and is free! Great report by the way! Appreciate your videos and often check into your channel. Cheers!

I assume all of the smaller populated states aside the northeast, Louisiana, and Kansas will see their populations increase as hot spots as things like remote work get more popular and face lesser backlash from the type of bosses who want their employees in the office.

Great video Briggs, life long Texan here, I spent a good portion of vacation time in Wyoming this summer and I think it is a beautiful place. I am also pretty sure that if I was there in the winter I’d change my mind. I hate extreme cold weather worse than extreme heat.

I hope not, I`m from Texas, and plan of retiring in Wyoming, one of the main draws is the natural beauty, as well as small population. I am also looking at Idaho, as another option. A lot of times for some reason, when people move from a Blue state to a Red state, they tend to vote for the same policies, that made them want to leave their old state. instead of embracing their new state.

Yes and no are two words or ways to describe that Wyoming is becoming the new Texas. I can attest to this being born and raised in Texas and living close to and having been to Wyoming multiple times. Yes, Wyoming has multiple things in common with the Lonestar state that many people don’t understand, both states have no state income tax, have high numbers of gun owners, conservative, and not as densely populated. However, their populations are nowhere close to each other. Wyoming doesn’t have really any midsize or major metros, Wyoming seems to be growing fast because it’s doesn’t have as many people as Texas so it increases the percentage faster in that case, Texas is slowly becoming blue politically, and as of last year Hispanics are the largest racial group in Texas, Wyoming is far less diverse statistically which is not necessarily a bad thing at all, it may make it feel not belonged in any way as typically people mostly tend to associate with those of the same ethnicity as them. Otherwise, they are good and bad things about Wyoming and Texas.

It's actually the exact theory I had a couple years back (maybe influenced from you). If remote work and house availability keeps up then yes I see Wyoming being in demand for a destination to live in.

Thanks for the tip about the Where Might I Live website.

Just moved to Wyoming on August 1st from Knoxville, TN and couldn’t be happier. The east coast was too crowded for me.

The problem with Wyoming is that housing is almost as expensive as Denver, but without the jobs and amenities. Nebraska has a lot cheaper housing.

Finally made it out to Wyoming in August. Absolutely stunning place

Great video Briggs nice job!!

Another good one! Thanks for the share!!

I've been looking for other reasons, I like solitude and the great outdoors.

I'm going with No for some of the basic of reasons. Accessibility, tract prices, job availability, supply access, and a few more things. Wyoming has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country but unless I'm selling postcards of it I cant eat scenery. Granted both have no state income tax (I live in SE Texas) and TX has pretty high property tax and all but we have the option to be in a large metropolis (which I refuse to do!), or in the middle of nowhere or somewhere in between. I've never lived in Wyoming but I've been there twice (business) but it's on my short list if I ever had to leave Texas like it's falling off into the Gulf of Mexico or something.

Dang! Loved this video! Thanks,Jim! You Rock,as always!👍🤗✌️

Great video. Lots of good laughs. But you forgot to mention the blizzards.

Is it because people are fleeing the overflow of millions of unvetted individuals who are flooding Texas and would like their value system and lifestyle to remain intact?

Just had a friend move out there from WA State. Politics, gun laws and cost of living were big things for him to make the move. Also a lot closer to family in Colorado without the Politics, guns laws and cost of living of Colorado.

I think you are the only RU-vidr to have ever mention my alma mater UTA. Go Mavs!

It’s only a matter of time. The last time we had a major Spring storm was back in 1984. Back then it was a week long blizzard with five feet of snow on the level and snow drifts as high as fifteen feet. If you can’t handle these kinds of storms ( we used to get them ever four or five years) you might want to rethink moving to Wyoming. If you want to know how bad it can get look up The Blizzard of 1949.

I lived in Alaska for almost 20 years ... I have hunted Elk, Deer, and Antelope in Wyoming, and South Dakota for decades. I have many family and friends in Wyoming and it is tough. Its Winter, while slightly shorter than Alaska's is harsh ... Wyoming's beauty is incredible and the people are beyond nice to a fault, but any comparison to Texas is a conclusion that is far-reaching. Lack of Health Care, Infrastructure, and jobs will take away many of Wyoming's "cheechakos" in the first year, and if that does not ... their first Winter will have them re-thinking their decision. I do appreciate the shout-out to a fabulous State.

You’ve done a real good job with predicting Wyomings future based on the data available. One thing you forgot unique Wyoming that puts a Hugh wrinkle into reality. There is NO water in Wyoming. That’s why it hasn’t grown.

Love Wyoming. My Grandfather used to live in Cheyenne before moving to Nevada. Visited a lot, went fishing in the Medicine Bow Mountains. But what was always fun was Frontier Days

GREETINGS FROM THE PPRC GREAT VIDEO THANKS. Nice place to visit in the summer, winter not so much.🥶🇺🇸🍺🍺

I moved to WY 3.5 years ago. Most of Wyoming is NOT like the images you show. The nice areas with trees, mountains, and streams cost millions of dollars for homes. Most of of WY is very desert-like and WINDY. And in the winter it's very cold.

I have to admit... I am wholly responsible for all of those Wyoming google searches.

Big congratulations on ONE MILLION🎉🎉!!!

I saw a vehicle from California just north of Cheyenne. It was so windy I thought to myself watch this. They got out of there car to take a picture of the cattle. The look on there faces was priceless! The wind is crazy and add winter will make you think twice! No place to plug in your Tesla, better plan ahead! No internet or phone service for miles. You will drive miles seeing nothing but barren grass lands and pronghorns! If you like remote wilderness and simple living it is nice.

I grew up in Wyoming and moved to California 30 years ago. I’d be back in a heartbeat.

Most people can't handle the long winters. Snow and wind generally starts middle of October and ends middle of May. Most of the winter gets 30mph winds with many days getting 75mph gusts. The higher gusts usually comes with the cooler temps making teens feel like -20 and -20 feel like -50. When snow comes 2 inches can shut down the roads. Higher amounts can shut down the roads for 4 to 5 days. They have gates on the roads to ensure no one travels. So if you go off the road you can be trapped for a very long time! Winter makes medical emergencies impossible during the storms. Another thing people don't realize is the high altitude makes thin air. All the old people walk around with air tanks because the air is so thin. I bet its the #1 state to use the most oxygen tanks. So if you are a smoker, you will have breathing difficulties. After we got covid, we had a very hard time breathing and we are not smokers! As far as the 2nd ammendment, the people are very proud! If you don't like guns stay away because you will be offended. Thats all they talk about and everyone is armed! It is very old school! Women are still treated like back in the day. Men talk to men and negotiate with men only. Men will get jobs over women. It's still a very prejudice state. I have heard of smaller towns running out people of color as well as gays all around the state. They are extremely blunt and to the point. People in Wyoming do not mince words. They mean what they say and they say what they mean. With that said, they are some of the most friendly, polite, and helpful people you will ever meet. However, do not cross them and never try to change their ways. They like it how it is and the most popular saying here is "if you don’t like it, leave" They are one of the only states left with real men! When I say real men, I mean they look and act like a man. There is nothing feminine about them! So many people feel intimidated by men like this so be prepared for a while state of them. If you are going to move to Wyoming, be sure to figure out how to survive when the roads are closed for days as well as always have a backpack with survival gear every time you go out because its so desolate that if your vehicle breaks down you can be out there for days and no one will find you!!! Every year people from Colorado come up and die in the lakes and hiking trails, its no joke! There are millions of acres of public lands most of which the access is 2 ruts for your tires. No one is going to go out there looking for you! Jobs are difficult to find and the state works harder at keeping large companies out than allowing them in because they do not want the population growth. The number 1 industry is likely medical and oil. Oil rigging is beyond tough. People regularly loose limbs on the rigs! Medical requires a big education. Other than that not many jobs and many jobs are still as low as $12/hr. Not a living wage for today. So it's a good retirement or work from home state if you can even get internet. Over all people either love Wyoming or they hate it, not many in the middle. The benefits are amazing but the cons are there as well and much different than other states. This is the last frontier and they will fight to keep it that way! Wish you all the best on your journeys!

In the last 3 years- Got our first blizzard as early as Sept 1st, and last blizzard on May 31st. Winters are long, boring and a reminder of just how remote we live. Hope you like sitting inside for 2/3 of the year watching television and worrying if your car will start in the morning.

Forgot about the Brutal Winters... I've lived in the Beautiful Wyoming... Love the place but damn that -30 and 60 mph wind will kill you.

Man ive been wanting to move to Wyoming for years and they land prices over there have been going up I considered Wyoming a hidden gem away from mass crime citys quietness andI guess everyone knows about it

I just drove all the way across Wyoming on my way to Nebraska. Plenty of available land 😂

Wyoming is just a small town with really long streets. And people think us in Wyoming are friendly, but with just over a half a million people, we are just LONELY!

Thanks Briggs for the Great education on Wyoming I find the State fascinating. My Wife and I have been planning our retirement and moving from south east Alabama to the suburbs of Laramie Wyoming .

Perfect timing! I'm close to retiring and have narrowed it down to three states - Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah. Love your channel. Got one of your shirts and wear it often.

The weather will keep most people out. Constant wind in most areas. Cold.

I'm a Montanan and even I am hesitant about a Wyoming winter.

No mention of winters that can go from October until May. Weeks of 20 below zero are nothing.

Maybe Wyoming is the new Alaska, its cold there, unlike Texas most of the time.

These videos will be attributing factors to its growth.

Yes a lot of people move here from Texas. That and Oklahoma. Because that is the energy triangle. People will move here when the jobs in the oil fields are spiking, and then they move on to the next leg of the triangle when the jobs move there. With the recent bust in the energy industry, many of the boom and bust towns started to clear out. Wyoming hasn't been good at diversifying their economy and there isn't a large amount of jobs that pay well outside of the energy industry. There are some people talking about remote work in the comments, but something they have to understand is there are large areas in Wyoming where you will get little to no internet. In fact, depending on where you live, there might not be utilities to your property and you have to pay quite a bit to bring them there. A lot of rural residences have well water and septic tanks. For people that want to live off grid, they can certainly go for it easily here, but they have to survive the winter. when you know off the top of your head that -40 is the point Fahrenheit and Celsius meet and pass each other because you've watched it on a thermometer, it can be miserable. not all winters are like that of course.

Its so strange Wyoming is so small populated compared to Colorado; despite the two being basically twins in many aspects.

I'm from Texas. I moved to Wyoming. The people speak in different accents. You can come on up. Stay a winter, Texans (or anyone else for that matter). Your wife will want out after 1 or two years tops. And you will have to make a choice about staying married or not. There is a reason the population has remained constant for 50 years. Consider how you want to live. Try to stay here for a few winters. You won't like it. The town here doesn't plow the roads.

Wyoming... a saying from growing up here is... “ Ya gotta be tough when you’re movin out West!... That is a very true statement. Know how to do some horse tradin.. be multi skilled or willing to be. Navigating life here is like Poker.. ya win some ya lose some but hard work always pays off! Some of the Best Genuine Real Folks live and work here. It’s what you make it.. so that means It’s freedom real freedom! You can be what ever you want. Lots of hard work wit and determination. If I can do it you can too! Welcome to all who want to live here remember Ya gotta be Tough when you’re movin out West!🤠👍

Visited Cheyenne a couple months ago during Frontier Days. Train Museum was very interesting. Fun place for kids. Clean too. Went to a few Western Shops thought their prices were off the charts. Got my cowboy boots and hat in another state for much much less. Better service too

Wyoming is a good idea if 1. You're in the 1% and can afford to live in the Jackson area. 2. You love desert and hate trees. 3. You love continuous wind that drives you to madness. 4. You don't mind hiking with grizzlies. Wyoming can be beautiful but personally I'd rather just visit.

If it wasn't for the fact that Wyoming has worse winters than we do here in Ohio, it would be top of my relocation list.

Everyone LOVES Wyoming…..in the summer!

One word that says WY will not be a popular state = WIND! Yikes, it never stops howling in WY and drives newcomers crazy!

Thanks for mentioning the University of Wyoming. I graduated from there with an MS in Accounting. Great school. Go Cowboys!

Moved to Wyoming in 2018 from Arizona. Absolutely love it. I'm used to cold weather climates also having lived in places that reach -30°.

Wyoming is great. I've taken a few vacations there. Also hotshotted supllies to the oilfields around Rock Springs and Worland. I think the wind and harsh winters keep the State from having a huge influx of new residents.

I lived in Fort Collins, Colorado for a long time. About 40 miles south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It always felt like the weather in Cheyenne on any given day was like Fort Collins, only worse. If it was hot in Fort Collins, it was hotter in Cheyenne. If it was cold in Fort Collins, it was colder in Cheyenne. Always windier in Cheyenne. Driving on I-80 west out of Cheyenne to Utah feels like you're heading out into the barren Steppes of sparsely populated Kazakhstan. Jackson Hole is great skiing, however, even if it's really cold.

I’m disappointed you never mentioned how any high school graduate from a Wyoming high school qualifies for free tuition at UW.