Urblytica 30 days free banner
Urblytica - Free Event Listing
List Business List Event

Rock Springs, Wyoming

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

61
Overall Score

Rock Springs, Wyoming, established in 1868 to support the Union Pacific Railroad, has a rich history deeply intertwined with coal mining and immigration, earning it the nickname "City of 56 Nationalities" by the 1920s. Today, its economy is significantly influenced by the energy sector, particularly oil, gas, and trona mining, fostering a self-sufficient and grounded community character. Situated in southwestern Wyoming, the city offers access to the rugged beauty of the American West and outdoor recreational opportunities, making it an appealing location for those seeking a blend of career stability and an active lifestyle.

About Wyoming

Wyoming, known as "The Equality State," is characterized by its vast, open landscapes, including the Rocky Mountains and high-elevation prairies, fostering a lifestyle deeply connected to nature and a strong sense of community. The state's economy is primarily driven by mineral extraction, particularly coal, natural gas, oil, and trona, alongside a significant tourism industry centered around national parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton, and agriculture, mainly livestock and hay. Living in Wyoming generally offers a lower cost of living compared to the national average, with no state income tax. The climate is typically semi-arid and continental, featuring dry, windy conditions with significant temperature extremes, long winters, and short growing seasons, while the lifestyle embraces a slower pace, self-reliance, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities.

23,051
Population
95
Cost Index
60.7
Quality Score
How this 61/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 55 / 100 55.0 30% 16.5
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 95.0 50.0 25% 12.5
Economy & jobs Median household income: $69,168 Income needed to live here: $33,840 Unemployment rate: 4.2% 86.3 20% 17.3
Growth No usable reading — dataset average used 56.4 15% 8.5
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 60 / 100 60.0 10% 6.0
Overall score 60.7

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (Tier 2 (reasoned), q=78), last refreshed 29 August 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

Featured local business · Cheyenne, WY Cheyenne Water Damage Fast 24/7 flood cleanup and water removal Home Services ☎ (307) 624-9563 View business → Sponsored · free 30-day spotlight

Businesses in Rock Springs

Featured local businesses in Rock Springs.

Put your business in front of people moving to Rock Springs Featured businesses appear here for everyone researching Rock Springs. Add a featured spot to your banner package, or start with a free listing.

Quality Scores

Business
60
Livability
65
Affordability
75
Growth
40

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Rock Springs is generally considered to be around the national average, with some sources indicating it is slightly less expensive. Housing costs, while varying, are often cited as more affordable than the national average, contributing to the city's overall affordability. Food and transportation expenses are also noted as being more affordable compared to the U.S. average, making daily living costs manageable for residents.

Average Rent
$846/mo
Restaurant meal (inexpensive)
$18.00
1BR Apartment (avg rent)
$846.00

Climate

🌡️
Avg Temp
☀️
Summer High
❄️
Winter Low
🌧️
"
Annual Rain
💧
83.00%
Humidity
🌤️
Sunny Days

Transport

Rock Springs is characterized by a high degree of car dependency, with an average Walk Score of 26, indicating that most errands require a car. The average commute time is around 22.5 minutes, which is shorter than the national average. Public transit options are limited, with no specific transit score readily available, reinforcing the need for personal vehicles for most residents.

23 min
Avg Commute
/10
Transit Score
26.00/10
Walkability
High
Car Dependency

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Affordable housing market with a median home value around $256,200.
Lower average rent for apartments compared to the national average, with 1-bedroom apartments averaging $846/month.
Shorter average commute times of 22.5 minutes compared to the national average.
Access to outdoor recreation, including Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
A strong sense of community rooted in a diverse historical immigrant population.
Drawbacks
High car dependency with low walkability and transit scores (Walk Score of 26).
Conflicting reports on crime rates, with some indicating rates higher than the national average.
Limited amenities and potentially lower quality of life scores in certain categories.
Population is projected to decline slightly annually.
No reliable data found for average individual salary or unemployment rate for the city.

Questions about Rock Springs

What people ask about living in and moving to Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Gathering the most common questions about Rock Springs…

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

Get quotes from local pros in Rock Springs

Tell us what you need and we’ll pass it to companies that serve your area. It’s free, and there’s no obligation.

Compare Rock Springs with any city

See how it stacks up on cost, income, and quality of life.

Start Comparing

Sponsored