Jobs & Economy in Laramie
Laramie's real, current 2026 economy is genuinely anchored by the University of Wyoming -- the state's only four-year public university and a Carnegie R1 research institution -- alongside Ivinson Memorial Hospital, with a genuinely low and improving Albany County unemployment rate this record discloses precisely.
Thinking about moving to Laramie?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreThe University of Wyoming: Laramie's Dominant Employer and Identity Anchor
The University of Wyoming, founded in 1886 as Wyoming's Morrill Act land-grant institution, is Wyoming's ONLY four-year public university and now holds Carnegie R1 research status. UW is cited as Laramie's largest employer under any source reviewed, with employee-count citations ranging from approximately 2,000 to 4,323 depending on source -- a real, disclosed cross-source spread. UW's student body is cited between approximately 10,819 (fall 2025 headcount, a real uptick after six years of decline) and roughly 12,000, against a citywide population of roughly 32,000.
A Real, Genuinely Low and Improving Unemployment Rate
Albany County's unemployment rate ran genuinely low and improving across 2026: cited at 3.4% in February, 2.7% in March, and 2.3% by May-June -- notably below Wyoming's own statewide 3.2% June 2026 rate.
A Second Real, Clearly-Documented Major Employer: Ivinson Memorial Hospital
Ivinson Memorial Hospital, a real, current 99-bed nonprofit community hospital operating since 1917, is Laramie's other major, clearly-documented employer, as detailed on the healthcare topic page.
A Real, Disclosed Data-Quality Caution on One Employer Citation
One citation listed Walmart with '10,000+ employees' in Laramie -- this record discloses this figure directly as almost certainly an aggregation artifact (a single Walmart location in a city of roughly 32,000 residents could not plausibly employ 10,000+ people) rather than presenting it as usable Laramie-specific data.
A Median Household Income Figure Specific to Laramie City
Median household income for Laramie CITY specifically was cited at approximately $55,613 (2024), up from $52,414 the prior year. This record explicitly disclaims a separate, much higher $80,200 figure that belongs to the different, similarly-named Laramie County (Cheyenne), not to Laramie city -- a real, important naming-trap disclosure.
Key takeaways
- The University of Wyoming, Wyoming's only four-year public university and a Carnegie R1 institution, is Laramie's dominant employer and identity anchor.
- Albany County unemployment ran genuinely low and improving across 2026 (2.3% by May-June), notably below Wyoming's statewide rate.
- Ivinson Memorial Hospital is Laramie's other major, clearly-documented employer.
- Median household income for Laramie city specifically was cited at approximately $55,613 (2024) -- this record explicitly does NOT use the separate, much higher Laramie County (Cheyenne) figure.
Want to know what your budget buys in Laramie?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Laramie overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move to Laramie?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert