Casper may be the smallest of the Top 10 job-growth metros, but it represents around 10 percent of Wyoming’s population, with around 75,000 inhabitants. Close to 25 percent of its residents have a bachelor’s degree, and 92 percent identify as white. The city has a low poverty rate – 7.4 percent, seven percentage points below the national average. Top workforce sectors include government, health care, retail, accommodations, and mining. It’s also a regional center in commerce and banking. The county seat of Natrona County, Casper has a history rooted in the cowboy and big oilman tradition. With residents spending only 17 percent of their income on housing costs, Forbes magazine ranked Casper as one of the nation’s most family friendly small cities.
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