Thinking of moving to WY...

[Polarbear]

*Not sure if this is allowed in the forum so Mods please move if incorrect...

After recently coming back from my 5th trip(1st in the summer/ non snowmobile related) in 11 yrs to the Teton area, I'm strongly considering a move to the W. WYO/ E. Idaho (about 1hr either side of the border) or perhaps W. Yellowstone/S. Montana area. I'd like to narrow down some areas in each state for the Gf and I to look around at. Im just getting my feet wet on this idea, this is probably 1-2yrs down the rd.
Schools/education are of no concern, no kids and dont want kids. Not particularity religious.

Im a local cdl A driver, though a move out there I would likely change careers. Probably something in the heavy equipment sector(pay loader/excavator at a gravel pit/ private construction or something) I do have some experience, no interest in the oil fields or on a rd crew however.
She would be looking for something with wildlife. Whether it be at a zoo or working with animals in some capacity (not an officer/game warden/ ranger though)

Im curious on the tax situation in these areas? I know there's no income tax in Wy, but killing time looking at real estate I see 2 million dollar 4500sq ft homes paying less in taxes (5200) than i do for my 160,000 home 1950 sqft (6400ish) Am I missing something here with property taxes? Taxes for houses in our range appear to only be in the 1500-2000/yr. Our housing budget would likely be in the 200-350K range.

Ive been told there is some hefty vehicle tax fees in wy??

What other pro/cons should we be aware of? Coming from NY we are familar to cold/snow though I suspect these areas see more extended periods of extreme cold than we might be use to. We usually get 2-3 days below zero/ single digit highs and 1-2 nights -10/-15 lows per yr.

I appreciate any and all info.

[nrgjeff]

You are reading the property tax info correctly. Much lower in the West. IDK about vehicles, but it can be a little higher because fewer people still have to maintain a whole state's worth of highways. Property tax reduction will far outweigh the vehicle situation. Also, look at all the house you can buy!

Finally, being near Tornado Alley. Enough said!

[mayjawintastawm]

Well... it's Wyoming. Beautiful, very isolated outside of the few big towns (some would say very isolated, period), and one of the coldest places in the lower 48 in the winter. Much drier than you've experienced. The dilemma is that you want to find the "sweet spot" where there are just enough people to have jobs and other resources, but affordable (i.e. not Jackson Hole). These places do exist, you just have to look around some. Same issues with rural poverty that you'd find back East, tempered somewhat by the oil and gas situation.

[beavis1729]

Although it’s technically in MT instead of WY, the West Yellowstone area is beautiful.  I was there in early June. Mild to warm days, with cool nights. Nearly every night drops into the 40s or lower, even during the heart of summer. 

If you like winter, it’s a paradise. Nearly 150” of annual snowfall, with 5-6 months of snow cover in most years. I think the normal high/low in January is around 20/-5, with temps easily hitting the -20s or lower during the colder periods. And the scenery is amazing, especially compared to the suburbs of Chicago. 

Agree about low property taxes; I noticed that when looking at homes out there too. Not sure about other economic opportunities, as my focus is on retirement considerations in the next 5-10 years. 

[Sydney Claridge]

On 9/23/2019 at 2:49 PM, beavis1729 said:

Although it’s technically in MT instead of WY, the West Yellowstone area is beautiful.  I was there in early June. Mild to warm days, with cool nights. Nearly every night drops into the 40s or lower, even during the heart of summer. 

If you like winter, it’s a paradise. Nearly 150” of annual snowfall, with 5-6 months of snow cover in most years. I think the normal high/low in January is around 20/-5, with temps easily hitting the -20s or lower during the colder periods. And the scenery is amazing, especially compared to the suburbs of Chicago. 

Agree about low property taxes; I noticed that when looking at homes out there too. Not sure about other economic opportunities, as my focus is on retirement considerations in the next 5-10 years.  

 

On 9/22/2019 at 2:43 PM, Polarbear said:

What other pro/cons should we be aware of? Coming from NY we are familar to cold/snow though I suspect these areas see more extended periods of extreme cold than we might be use to. We usually get 2-3 days below zero/ single digit highs and 1-2 nights -10/-15 lows per yr.

Just keep in mind that West Yellowstone's climate is subarctic (by virtue of its elevation), so it will get colder than you are used to in the winter.  At your longitude, you would have to get into far northern Ontario or Quebec before you found a subarctic climate, although West Yellowstone would still be (on average) warmer in the winter than those locations are.  Though in terms of climatic extremes, West Yellowstone has recorded the coldest temperature of any populated community in the lower 48 states.

The climate in somewhere like Rexburg, ID or Idaho Falls would probably be more manageable, though the surroundings are less scenic.

[smokeybandit]

I recently moved from MD to CO and nearly cut my property taxes in half for a similarly sized house and a much larger lot