The North Platte River, which runs around and through Casper, is perhaps the most iconic fly-fishing destination in the world. An amazing abundance of the right kind of bugs, a stunning ecosystem, and consistent year-round water temperatures combine to make this the perfect waterway for the beloved trout that anglers seek. For those who don’t love fishing, the river is not only a beautiful site but also a place to kayak and hike and relax on the daily. 

Casper is rated one of the hardest cities in the country to start a career. Limited local businesses and a very low population in Wyoming can make it an ideal place to visit but a hard place to get a job and build a career. If you’re considering moving here, then it's best to do so with a job you can do remotely.


A River Runs Through It

LookyLOO Review of Casper

Casper feels most like a mountain town built for an outdoor lifestyle. Everyone here is into fishing, mountain biking, running, climbing, or snow sports. The area has 53 parks, 90 miles of trails, 30 playgrounds, four dog parks, and most amazing: Fremont Canyon and the North Platte River when you ache for the greatest of the outdoors. Beyond getting outside, Casper is thought of as a conservative city by out-of-state measurements with a focus on family and community-building. It is at times rated the #1 city in the country for charitable giving, and for a small city, it has wonderful history and general museums and a wide range of restaurant and nightlife options. Casper, in particular, and Wyoming, in general, rank #1 in the country for gun ownership, so if knowing that there are 200 registered guns per 1,000 people bothers you, then steer clear. 

To get a sense of your daily options for activities, check out the Casper [calendar of events](https://www.visitcasper.com/events/).

We highly recommend visiting Casper and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


Casper

We don’t mean New York literally, but if you’re in any big city looking to find a different pace and lifestyle and are game for the more conservative populace then put Casper on your shortlist. It’s hard to imagine a better cost to outdoor beauty/lifestyle ratio than here.


Escape From New York

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Chairs_Are_People**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I moved to Casper eight years ago, and I love it now. It’s not a college town, so it’s missing some of the amenities and fun of Laramie and Cheyenne. But the mountain is nice, the Platte river is cool, Alcova lake is only like 45 minutes away. There is tons of wild life. And if you like beer, we have six different breweries now.

It takes people a few years to warm up to you and it can be tough to make friends. It’s not that they aren’t friendly (well, some aren’t), but they appreciate being left alone and ironically will only open up to you when they know you share that appreciation.

I think the crime rate is about the same as any other 50-60k population city. You do hear about a shooting now and then, but then again, you HEAR about it. It’s rare enough that it makes the news. In general, I don’t think there are any parts of Casper that I would feel uncomfortable walking in, even the ‘bad’ parts like North Casper.

The snow can be difficult, especially because the city only plows like two main streets. But if you have an AWD, it’s not terrible. But for my money, no road in Wyoming is as sketchy as I-80, and that doesn’t go through Casper.

For more reviews of what living in Casper is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/casper/reviews).

Reviews of Casper from Locals

Downtown Casper is working hard to build up to be a place that young professionals as well as families can have some fun. David Street Station, a newly built outdoor space for concerts and performances, is the centerpiece of this effort. It even has a splash pad for the summer that converts to an ice rink in the winter. Downtown also plays host to summer street parties called Casper Art Walk every first Thursday of the month. You will also find plenty of boutique shopping, excellent restaurants and plenty of microbreweries and craft distilleries all available a short walk from the downtown condos/apartments.  https://www.visitcasper.com/things-to-do/downtown/
- Downtown


Young Professionals

Downtown

Most neighborhoods in Casper are pleasant for families. The most notable cautionary tale you hear is to avoid “North Casper” although there certainly are locals in that area who defend certain sections. East Casper in particular is a more affluent part of town with bigger homes, bigger yards and better safety ratings. Casper College, Natrona High School and many of the excellent elementary schools are in this area of town and they serve as anchors for families looking to raise their children in a neighborhood with good schools. 
One particular street and area within East Casper is South Chestnut St. that was named the Nicest Place in Wyoming in recent years and a finalist for being the national winner. Tight communities and supportive families are hallmarks of both this particular set of blocks but much of Casper in general.
- East Casper
- South Chestnut St. 

Families

East Casper

**Chairs_Are_People**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I moved to Casper eight years ago, and I love it now. It’s not a college town, so it’s missing some of the amenities and fun of Laramie and Cheyenne. But the mountain is nice, the Platte river is cool, Alcova lake is only like 45 minutes away. There is tons of wild life. And if you like beer, we have six different breweries now.

It takes people a few years to warm up to you and it can be tough to make friends. It’s not that they aren’t friendly (well, some aren’t), but they appreciate being left alone and ironically will only open up to you when they know you share that appreciation.

I think the crime rate is about the same as any other 50-60k population city. You do hear about a shooting now and then, but then again, you HEAR about it. It’s rare enough that it makes the news. In general, I don’t think there are any parts of Casper that I would feel uncomfortable walking in, even the ‘bad’ parts like North Casper.

The snow can be difficult, especially because the city only plows like two main streets. But if you have an AWD, it’s not terrible. But for my money, no road in Wyoming is as sketchy as I-80, and that doesn’t go through Casper.

**RadioFlow**
4mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

Wyoming is not full! We have plenty of room for newcomers! Just be respectful. I like Casper better than Cheyenne because Cheyenne has the air force base and the capitol, so it feels more bureaucratic. Casper offers Casper Mountian and the Ford Wyoming Center which is where all of the big names who come through Wyoming go.

**kwwar**
3y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I definitely recommend living in Casper! We love it here! Make sure you get your house inspected for Radon since it’s very common for basements in this area to have an unsafe amount of radon and it’s not tested in your general home inspection. Homes seem to be climbing in price all the time but it’s still much more affordable here than Colorado or other surrounding states. In terms of vehicles, four wheel drive is best for the winter when it’s snowy, but you can get by with a two wheel drive vehicle as long as you invest in high quality snow tires. Good luck!

Casper, Wyoming

What's Up Doc?

Looklyloo Score: 90

Reviews

What's it like to live in Casper?