The Town FilesRanchester, Wyoming
Town in Sheridan County · population 1,064 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $326,900
- Household income
- $69,464
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 68 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 36.2
Ranchester is a town of 1,064 people in Sheridan County, Wyoming. The median home is worth $326,900, above the typical Wyoming town ($270,400). It ranks better for retirees than 91% of Wyoming towns, better for families than 80% of Wyoming towns, more of a college town than 74% of Wyoming towns.
How Ranchester ranks
Percentile among Wyoming towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wyoming towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ranchester is worth $326,900, above the typical Wyoming town ($270,400). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $69,464, which is more affordable than 31% of Wyoming towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 83.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ranchester | Typical Wyoming town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $326,900 | $270,400 |
| Median rent | $763 | $902 |
| Median household income | $69,464 | $69,545 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 83.2% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ranchester
| People | Ranchester | Typical Wyoming town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 39.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.5% | 18.2% |
| Under 18 | 31.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.7% | 24.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 17.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 89.6% |
Weather in Ranchester
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 10.2°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.3 inches of snow (typical Wyoming town: 55.7 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 197 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ranchester since 1950, compared with 4 for the typical Wyoming town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 11, 1995 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 1995.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 17, 1979.
Severe weather in Sheridan County since 1996
Sheridan County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2024 | Fire | FM-5539: Elk Fire |
| April 11, 2020 | Biological | DR-4535: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3479: Covid-19 |
| July 22, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4007: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| August 12, 2007 | Fire | FM-2719: Little Goose Fire |
Jobs and pay in Sheridan County
Sheridan County had 14,406 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,893 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Ranchester itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Ranchester
3 public schools with 420 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tongue River Elementary | K-5 | 236 | 13.1 |
| Tongue River Middle School | 6-8 | 164 | 14.9 |
| Slack Elementary | K-5 | 20 | 10.0 |
Towns near Ranchester
- Dayton, WY5.2 mi · 822 people · home $333,500
- Sheridan, WY12.6 mi · 18,737 people · home $340,600
- Powder Horn, WY17.7 mi · 682 people · home $949,800
- Story, WY26.2 mi · 903 people · home $437,200
Ranchester questions
Is Ranchester, Wyoming a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ranchester scores better for retirees than 91% of Wyoming towns and quieter than 62%. 11.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Ranchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Ranchester is valued at $326,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,464, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Ranchester?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 10.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 68.3 inches of snow.
Does Ranchester get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ranchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 11, 1995. The typical Wyoming town has had 4.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)