Highlands Today
Is Wyoming Next Retirement Haven?
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Published: January 11, 2008
The modern version of "Go west, young man," may very well be, "Go west, aging boomer."
Demographers who track retirement trends report increasing numbers of baby boomers are retiring to Wyoming and Montana. This past year, we read articles titled "Forget Florida or Arizona, More Baby Boomers Are Heading West" and "More Boomers Head to Mountain West."
We didn't put much stock in such news. We didn't want to believe the "rumors" of a somewhat surprising trend. That was, before we received a call from lifelong friends. They told us they'd sold their home in Dallas, Texas, and were retiring to Saratoga, Wyo.
Were they kidding? Our curiosity really got the best of us. We "googled" everything we could about Wyoming and Montana. We learned Wyoming is currently the 10th largest state by size and it's the least populated. Montana ranks fourth in area and 44th in population. It has the third lowest population density in the country.
In 2000, Wyoming ranked 43rd and Montana ranked 18th for the relative size of their over-65 populations. The Census Bureau predicts by 2030 Wyoming will rank third in the nation for over-65 population and Montana will rank fifth.
Most of us have traveled to and through Wyoming and Montana. We've visited their national parks during summer vacations. We must admit the scenery and the serenity are very appealing. But what's with their winters?
We checked the weather in Saratoga on the day we wrote this (Jan. 8.) A high of 20 to 25 with lowest wind chill readings of 10 below to 20 below zero in the morning were reported. We seriously doubt if most retirees would choose those winter temperatures over Florida's.
In fact, demographers expect Florida to continue to attract the majority of the over-65 population. However, Wyoming and Montana are said to likely become "older" than Arizona in coming years.
Among the many attractions in Wyoming and Montana, the fresh air and a variety of outdoor activities draw retirees. Low crime rates and little traffic also add to the allure. But, choosing cold snow over warm sunshine in the winter? That's certainly a new and interesting trend.
Baby boomers have always done their own thing. And, they obviously still have some surprises up their sleeves. We watched an online interview of Tom Brokaw done by a television station in Billings, Mont. Brokaw said he fell in love with Montana when he started backpacking there in the 1970s.
He told the interviewer he looked for a cabin on 100 acres. He didn't find one, but he bought a ranch between Big Timber and Livingston, Mont., almost 20 years ago. Someone once quipped that when in Montana, breaking news for Brokaw is, "The trout are biting."
In a 2004 Outside Magazine article titled "Anchor's Away," Brokaw said, "Every time I come over Wolf Point, leading down to our ranch, my heart skips a beat. When you come out there into the wilderness, you see all around you the long course of time. It puts you in your place and that's very useful."
He recently made a DVD telling newcomers their share of Big Sky Country comes with some responsibility. He admonished, "Montana is a beautiful place, but you have to live here on its terms."
Did we mention our Wyoming friends will be visiting us here in Florida next week?
If you're a visitor to this area and would like to read Boomers & Beyond weekly in your hometown paper, direct your editor to www.boomersandbeyondthecolumn.com or call 800-596-2455 for more information regarding its syndication.
©2008 Journey Publications
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