A mountain state located in the central, northwestern region of the U.S., Wyoming is the 10th-largest state due to its 97,813 square miles (mi²) of total area. However, Wyoming's population of 580,817 is the lowest of any state in the U.S., making up just 0.17% of the national total.
As of 2023, eleven cities in Wyoming had more than 10,000 residents. Wyoming's capital and largest city is Cheyenne, with a population of 66,833. The city of Casper is close behind, with 60,154 people, while Gillette (34,699) and Laramie (31,584) are third and fourth.
The two most populous counties in Wyoming are Laramie County (103,143), where Cheyenne is located, and Natrona County (81,305), where Casper is.
With state nicknames including not only the "Cowboy State" but also the "Equality State", it is perhaps unsurprising that Wyoming was the first state to award women the right to vote. Although it is rarely considered a coal belt state, Wyoming is the leading coal producer in the United States. Yellowstone National Park, predominantly located in Wyoming (while stretching into Montana and Idaho), was created on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone was the first national park in the United States (and arguably the world).
Wyoming became a state in July 1890, just one week after neighboring Idaho. The two states share a similar history in presidential elections. In fact, since 1904, they both have voted identically, except in 1944 when the state's residents preferred Republican Thomas Dewey over FDR. Like most other states of the Mountain West, Wyoming is currently a Republican stronghold in presidential elections, having voted Democratic just once since 1952 – the 1964 landslide victory of Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater. In 2020, Donald Trump beat Joe Biden by 43%; it was Trump's widest margin of victory in any state. Wyoming has the smallest population of any state in the Union and is, therefore, the most over-represented state in the electoral college.
As of 2005, almost 51% of Wyomingites lived in one of the state's 13 largest municipalities. The largest city, Cheyenne, has a population of just 63,335, followed by Casper (60,285) and Laramie (32,158).
The most populated counties in Wyoming are Laramie County and Natrona County, with populations of 98,327 and 79,547.
According to a 2022 study from the U.S. Census Bureau, this state's local governments consist of 23 counties, 99 cities, towns, and villages, and 643 special districts.
The median age of the population residing in Wyoming is approximately 36.8 years of age. The ratio of females to males is currently at 48.9% females and 51.1% males.
Regarding favored religions among the Wyoming population, 71% have Christian-based faith affiliations, 3% have non-Christian faith affiliations, and 26% have no particular religious affiliations.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wyoming was:
White: 88.65%
Two or more races: 4.93%
Other race: 2.31%
Native American: 2.25%
Black or African American: 0.91%
Asian: 0.88%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.08%
Muslims make up less than 500 percent of the population.
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