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Quality of Life in Lincoln County
A livable area that tracks near national norms for affordability, walkability, and neighborhood health.
What does Quality of Life tell us?
Quality of Life measures an area by evaluating factors like cost of living, nearby amenities, country club access, airport proximity, socioeconomic signals and neighborhood character. For large states, this is a general average — quality of life can vary dramatically between metro areas, suburbs, and rural communities within the same state.
What does this tell us?
Quality of Life measures an area by evaluating factors like cost of living, nearby amenities, country club access, airport proximity, socioeconomic signals and neighborhood character. For large states, this is a general average — quality of life can vary dramatically between metro areas, suburbs, and rural communities within the same state.
Cost of Living
8% below national average
90%
The Real Cost of Living in Lincoln County for 2026
| Tier | Individual | Family (4) |
|---|---|---|
| Survival | $14k | $26k |
| Comfortable | $65k | $96k |
| Luxury | $119k+ | $184k+ |
| Elite (Top 5%) | $140k+ | $217k+ |
Quality-of-Life Analysis
Lincoln County, Wyoming offers a spectrum of quality-of-life options that range from the amenity-rich, tourist-oriented town of Kemmerer to the quiet, unincorporated ranching communities of Cokeville and Alpine Northeast. The county’s character is shaped by its position along the Wyoming-Idaho border, where the high desert meets the Salt River Range and the Bear River Divide. People drawn here typically fall into two camps: those seeking the services and social fabric of a small county seat, and those prioritizing solitude, land access, and lower costs in the county’s more remote pockets.
Largest town(s) & population centers
Kemmerer, the county seat and largest town (pop. ~2,600), is the commercial and governmental hub of Lincoln County. Daily life here revolves around the historic downtown along Pine Avenue, the J.C. Penney Mother Store (a major tourist draw), and the nearby Fossil Butte National Monument. The town supports a full-service grocery, a hospital (South Lincoln Medical Center), and a K-12 school system. Commuting patterns are mixed: many residents work in local government, retail, or the nearby Kemmerer coal mine, while others commute roughly 45 minutes east to Rock Springs or Green River for employment. The town’s walkable core and relatively flat terrain make it one of the more pedestrian-friendly options in the county. Afton (pop. ~2,000), in the Star Valley region, is the second-largest population center and serves as the commercial anchor for the valley’s dairy and tourism economy. Its daily life is more recreation-oriented, with easy access to the Salt River and Bridger-Teton National Forest, and a strong Latter-day Saint cultural influence. Both towns offer basic amenities but lack the retail variety of larger regional cities.
Smaller towns & rural pockets
Beyond the county seat, Lincoln County’s smaller communities offer distinctly different lifestyles. Cokeville (pop. ~500), near the Idaho border, is a tight-knit ranching community centered on the Bear River. Life here is slow-paced, with a single gas station, a small grocery, and a K-12 school that serves as the social anchor. Alpine (pop. ~1,200) and Alpine Northeast (unincorporated) sit at the northern edge of the county, closer to Jackson Hole. These areas attract a mix of second-home owners, remote workers, and seasonal recreationists drawn to the Snake River and Palisades Reservoir. Thayne (pop. ~400) and Bedford (unincorporated) are smaller Star Valley hamlets where agricultural roots remain strong, though new subdivisions are slowly appearing. The unincorporated Fairview area, south of Afton, is almost entirely ranchland with scattered homes on 5- to 40-acre parcels. These rural pockets lack municipal services like sewer and street lighting, but offer lower land prices and greater privacy.
Cost & lifestyle range
The cost of living across Lincoln County varies significantly by location and housing type. The countywide cost-of-living index of 92 (below the U.S. average of 100) masks a wide spread: Kemmerer and Cokeville sit at the low end, where a median home value of $334,500 buys a 3-bedroom house on a half-acre lot, and median rent of $868 is attainable for a two-bedroom apartment. At the high end, Alpine and Alpine Northeast see home values often exceeding $600,000, driven by proximity to Jackson Hole and recreational demand. The average commute of 24.7 minutes is manageable countywide, but residents in the northern towns (Alpine, Thayne) face longer drives to reach full-service grocery stores or medical care, often crossing into Idaho for shopping. Amenities follow a similar gradient: Kemmerer and Afton offer the most services (hardware stores, clinics, sit-down restaurants), while Cokeville and rural Fairview have little more than a post office and a convenience store. Internet access is generally reliable in towns but can be spotty in the unincorporated areas, particularly in the Salt River Range foothills.
The people who thrive in Lincoln County are those who value self-sufficiency and a slower pace over urban convenience. Retirees on fixed incomes often choose Kemmerer or Cokeville for the low cost of living and quiet streets. Remote workers and outdoor enthusiasts gravitate toward Alpine and Star Valley for the recreation access, accepting higher housing costs and longer drives for supplies. Ranching families and those seeking land for hobby farms find the best value in the unincorporated areas around Fairview and Bedford. The county’s spectrum of options means that a single person can live affordably in a small town, while a family with children can find a larger property in a rural pocket—but neither will find the nightlife, shopping malls, or diverse employment base of a metropolitan area. For those who prioritize space, low taxes, and proximity to public lands, Lincoln County delivers a distinct, if quiet, quality of life.
Crime in Lincoln County
Generally safer than 72% of comparable U.S. locations.
Violent CrimeViolent Crime Analysis
Property CrimeProperty Crime Analysis
Crime Analysis
Lincoln County, Wyoming, presents a notably safe environment compared to national averages, with violent crime rates well below the U.S. median. The county's overall crime profile is shaped by its rural character and small-town communities, though property crime rates warrant attention from prospective residents. The county's criminal justice system, operating under a conservative judicial philosophy in the Third Judicial District, emphasizes public safety and victim rights, contributing to a lower recidivism rate than in more progressive jurisdictions.
Crime in context
Lincoln County's violent crime rate of 170 incidents per 100,000 residents is significantly lower than the national average of roughly 380 per 100,000, placing it among the safer rural counties in the Mountain West. Property crime, however, stands at 1,006.2 per 100,000, which is slightly above the national average of approximately 1,950 per 100,000 but still well below the Wyoming state average of about 1,800 per 100,000. The county's property crime rate is driven largely by theft and burglary in unincorporated areas and smaller towns like Cokeville and La Barge, where seasonal population fluctuations and limited law enforcement coverage create opportunities for property offenses. By contrast, the county seat of Kemmerer and the larger community of Afton report lower property crime rates due to more concentrated policing and community watch programs.
What residents experience
Residents of Lincoln County generally report feeling safe in their daily lives, with violent crime being rare and typically confined to domestic disputes or isolated incidents. The county's District Attorney's office, part of the Third Judicial District, operates with a focus on prosecutorial accountability and victim advocacy, avoiding the lenient sentencing patterns seen in more progressive urban jurisdictions. This approach has kept recidivism rates low and maintained public confidence in the justice system. Property crime, while more common, is often opportunistic—theft from vehicles, burglary of seasonal cabins, and minor vandalism. Towns like Thayne and Bedford experience lower property crime rates due to tight-knit communities where neighbors watch out for one another. In contrast, areas near the Star Valley region, which sees seasonal tourism, can experience spikes in property crime during summer months. The county's sheriff's office and local police departments in Kemmerer and Afton maintain visible patrols, and community-oriented policing is the norm.
Neighborhood-level variation in Lincoln County is largely a function of population density and proximity to major highways. The U.S. Highway 30 corridor through Kemmerer and Diamondville sees slightly higher property crime due to transient traffic. Rural subdivisions and isolated ranch properties face higher burglary risks, while incorporated towns with active neighborhood watch programs, such as Afton and Thayne, report the lowest crime rates in the county. Prospective residents should note that the county's conservative judicial philosophy—reflected in the Third Judicial District's sentencing practices—means that offenders are more likely to face incarceration rather than diversion programs, which directly reduces the number of criminals on the street. This stands in stark contrast to progressive jurisdictions in states like Colorado or California, where soft-on-crime policies have led to increased property crime and public disorder. For those prioritizing safety, Lincoln County's combination of low violent crime, proactive law enforcement, and a justice system that prioritizes victim rights makes it a strong choice within Wyoming.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-05-12T14:18:43.000Z
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