Wyoming
The Equality State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"Equal Rights"
Additional Information
Reflecting Wyoming Territory's groundbreaking 1869 act granting women the right to vote, the first such law in U.S. history.
Adopted 1869.
Population Growth
Overview
Wyoming, the 'Equality State,' is the last true American frontier — the least populous state in the nation, where bison outnumber people in some counties and the sky is wide enough to see for 100 miles across the sage-covered plains. Beneath its surface lie colossal reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas; above its surface rise the most spectacular mountain landscapes in North America, crowned by Yellowstone's volcanic superstructure.
Historical Significance
Wyoming officially joined the Union on July 10, 1890, as the 44th state. Its path was paved with firsts: in 1869, Wyoming Territory became the first government in U.S. history to grant women the right to vote — earning it "The Equality State." In 1872, Yellowstone became the world's first national park. In 1906, Devils Tower became the nation's first National Monument under Theodore Roosevelt. And in 1925, Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first female governor in U.S. history.
Top Cities & Hubs
Cheyenne
Population: ~65,000The state capital and largest city, the "Magic City of the Plains" founded where the Union Pacific Railroad crossed the Crow Creek in 1867, home to the legendary Cheyenne Frontier Days — "The Daddy of 'em All" — the world's largest outdoor rodeo.
Casper
Population: ~58,000The state's economic powerhouse, the "Oil City" of Wyoming's Natrona County, a hub for ranching and energy production on the North Platte River and the gateway to the Casper Mountain and Muddy Mountain recreation areas.
Gillette
Population: ~33,000The self-proclaimed "Energy Capital of the Nation," the gateway to the Powder River Basin — which supplies more coal to U.S. power plants than any other region in the country, powering roughly 10% of American electricity.
Laramie
Population: ~32,000Home to the University of Wyoming — the state's only four-year public university — a high-altitude college town at 7,165 feet on the Laramie Plains, with a storied frontier history and a thriving outdoor recreation culture.
Rock Springs
Population: ~23,000A historic mining and railroad city in southwestern Wyoming, known for its extraordinary multicultural heritage (56 nationalities settled here in the 19th century) and its proximity to the dramatic Flaming Gorge Recreation Area.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- Wyoming was the first government in the world to grant women the right to vote in 1869 — 51 years before the 19th Amendment — and elected the world's first female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross, in 1924.
- Yellowstone sits atop one of the world's largest active supervolcanic hotspots; a full eruption would be one of the most catastrophic natural events in human history, though scientists say such an event is not imminent.
- Wyoming has the lowest population of any U.S. state and fewer people than any U.S. city except a handful of small towns — yet it ranks 10th in land area, giving it fewer people per square mile than almost any place on Earth.