Fremont County, WY
Property Data

Where the Wind River Meets the Housing Market

Fremont County sits at one of Wyoming's most dramatic intersections — geographically, culturally, and economically. Home to the Wind River Range, the state's only Native American reservation, and the faded legacy of oil and uranium booms, this high-desert county of fewer than 40,000 people tells a story that raw price data alone can't capture.

At first glance, Fremont's housing market looks remarkably affordable. A median home value of $252,700 sits well below the national benchmark of $320,000, and the price-to-income ratio of roughly 3.9x actually beats the national standard of 4x. In an era of housing crisis coverage, that number seems almost quaint. But affordability is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, masking deeper structural tensions beneath the surface.

Key Statistics

A Labor Market Under Strain

The county's 7.9% unemployment rate — nearly double the national figure during most recent reporting periods — is the real headline. Riverton and Lander, the two largest towns, have struggled since the contraction of mining and energy extraction industries that once anchored the local economy. Labor force participation at just 61.3% suggests many working-age residents have stopped looking entirely. A high school completion rate combined with only 15.1% holding bachelor's degrees reflects an economy historically built on trades and extraction, not credentialed knowledge work.

The 15.2% disability rate is notably elevated and likely connected to the physical toll of that extractive labor history — and to the county's aging population, with nearly one in five residents over 65.

The Rent Burden Paradox

Here's the surprising part: despite rents averaging just $858 per month — genuinely low by any national comparison — 35.2% of renters are still cost-burdened, exceeding the 30% threshold, and 12.3% face severe rent burden. When rents are this low and people are still struggling, it points directly at income inadequacy rather than housing costs. The county's poverty rate of 12.4% and child poverty rate of 15.5% confirm this. Cheap housing isn't the same thing as affordable housing when wages haven't kept pace.

The 15.2% vacancy rate is worth watching. In boom-bust resource economies, high vacancy often signals population bleed — young people leaving for Casper, Denver, or Salt Lake City in search of the economic mobility that Fremont County increasingly can't provide.

What Makes Fremont County Unique?

What makes Fremont County unique? Fremont is Wyoming's largest county by area and one of its most economically complex, anchored by the Wind River Indian Reservation, a legacy of uranium and trona mining, and outdoor tourism around Shoshone National Forest — economic pillars that rarely pull in the same direction.

Is Fremont County Wyoming affordable to live in? Housing prices are genuinely low relative to national norms, but high unemployment, limited insurance coverage, and stagnant wages mean many residents still feel financially squeezed. Affordability depends heavily on whether you have stable employment.

Why is the uninsured rate so high in Fremont County? At 18.6%, the uninsured rate reflects both the county's high self-employment and informal labor, and Wyoming's status as one of the few states that never expanded Medicaid — leaving a significant gap for working residents who earn too much for existing programs but can't afford private coverage.