Census estimates show Cheyenne added the most residents

CHEYENNE (WNE) — According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly half of the 30 largest cities and towns in Wyoming added residents between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, with the city of Cheyenne adding the most residents.

These new estimates provide a look at how the population has changed in each of Wyoming’s incorporated communities since the 2020 Census.

For cities and towns with population of more than 2,000, Star Valley Ranch demonstrated the fastest annual growth (1.6%), followed by Mills (1.4%) and Evansville (1.2%), while Cheyenne (734) and Sheridan (221) showed the largest numerical addition from 2024 to 2025.

This growth brought Cheyenne’s population to 66,507. The state’s second-largest city, Casper, has 58,771.

It’s the first time that the city of Sheridan surpassed the population milestone of 20,000. Three cities or towns — Afton (-23), Kemmerer (-24) and Rawlins (-68) — experienced annual population declines of around 1%. 

Rock Springs and Rawlins are the only places that lost more than 60 residents during the year.

As of July 1, 2025, there were 403,626 people, or 68.6%, in Wyoming living in incorporated places. Nearly half (49.2%) of the state’s residents lived in 11 cities and towns with a population of more than 10,000. 

Wyoming’s total population increased by 11,881, or 2.1%, since the April 1, 2020 Census. This growth rate was significantly higher than the 1% growth observed in both the 11 largest and the 30 largest cities and towns combined.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, less-populated and more affordable areas have gained attractiveness,” noted Wenlin Liu, administrator of the Economic Analysis Division in the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information. “Some professional and business workers with telework capabilities opted to move to rural areas.”

This story was published on May 15, 2026.