Let them leave, give them reason to return

For decades, Wyoming parents, employers and policy makers have wrung their hands, wondering why their youth flee while neighboring states experience population growth. 

I attended a webinar last week hosted by the Wyoming Business Council that sought to address this conundrum, titled “The Exit Interview: What are Wyoming’s young people trying to tell us?” The virtual event featured a panel of young Wyomingites sharing their decisions to either leave or stay in their home state.

To me, “Why do young people leave Wyoming?” is an interesting question to be asked, but not a problem to be solved. 

As someone who grew up in Wyoming, left for four years and returned this fall, I believe efforts to understand the phenomenon of “youth outmigration,” or the notion that young people are leaving the state of Wyoming at disproportionately high rates, are misplaced. 

Many answers to the “exit interview” questions hinged on personal preference and experience. One panelist said her choice to stay came easily. She enjoys a successful career, loves the outdoors and said Wyoming’s small town ethos enables her to seamlessly form industry connections and civically engage. 

Wyoming is among the top 10 largest states in the country and holds the smallest population. Delaware could fit into our state 39 times and has nearly twice as many people. Communities are tight-knit here. They have to be. Extreme weather and deeply ingrained Western values bring neighbors together and strengthen a statewide social fabric. 

Returning to my hometown of Sheridan has reminded me how special this way of life is. A move from West to East for college exposed me to another culture, where the pace is fast, the population is dense and the idea of a rural town where everyone knows everyone is as mythic as a jackalope. But people truly do know their neighbors here. And they care deeply. They invest in their communities, support local teams, organizations and nonprofits and celebrate wide-open spaces and vast public lands. 

While I spent my childhood hiking, backpacking and spending time on my family’s ranch, access to natural beauty or rugged landscapes was not high on my priority list for college. Growing up in one of the most beautiful states in the country, I was spoiled. How could it get better than the Rocky Mountains? 

But there are real reasons to leave. 

Wyoming is one of the most racially and ethnically homogenous states in the country, according to the U.S. Census, with 81.4% of residents denoted as ‘white alone.’ Wyoming ranks in the top 20 states with the oldest populations in the country, and the senior population is growing at a far faster rate than others. In 2017, Gallup News compiled interviews around political ideology from more than 177,000 United States adults and Wyoming was ranked as the most conservative state in the country. 

For those who desire racial, ideological and cultural diversity, Wyoming has far less to offer than many places in the country. While my decision to move out of state centered on access to higher education options — quality four-year universities are a dime a dozen on each coast, whereas our state offers one option for an in-person bachelor’s degree — I also had the desire to hear different languages, immerse in new cultures and take advantage of city amenities: diverse restaurants, vibrant nightlife, professional sports games, Trader Joe’s and thousands of people who didn’t know me in high school. 

Another panelist’s decision to leave the state also seemed obvious. He works in oil and gas, and despite his love for his home, Wyoming’s declining energy industry propelled him to a large city in the southwest. 

Job security is a major factor in folks’ decisions on where to spend their lives. With half a million residents (less than the population of Las Vegas), there are few jobs here. There are few people! And that is what makes Wyoming so special. You can drive for hours on Interstate 90 without passing more than a handful of cars, and while that would cause shivers and cold sweats for my urban-born friends, there is comfort in the solitude and silence for those of us who grew up with it. 

A participant poll administered during the webinar reflected this notion. Of more than 270 webinar attendees, 43% said employment opportunities are the No. 1 factor that spurs young people to leave the state. 

According to the America’s Health Rankings 2025 Report, Wyoming ranks 29th in the country in overall health outcomes. The state ranks 23rd in income inequality and is among the most food-insecure states, ranking 42nd in the nation at 13.1% of households unable to provide adequate food for one or more household members. 

There is a perception among my peers that Wyoming policymakers are not willing to invest in opportunities for youth to thrive. Rather than focusing on why young people leave Wyoming, it’s more useful to think about ways to improve the state at large. Expand access to physical and mental health care. Bolster arts, culture and education. Work on affordable housing and decrease income inequality.

When young people inevitably venture beyond the Cowboy State to stretch their wings and experience the world, they will be able to think of reasons to return home.