Most rural counties in Wyoming
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. Stacker compiled a list of the most rural counties in Wyoming using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2020 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn’t an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
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#23. Laramie County
– Rural area: 98.7% (2,651 square miles)
– Urban area: 1.3% (35 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,686 square miles
— #15 largest county in state, #193 nationwide
– Population density: 37.0 people / square mile (99,272 residents)
— #23 lowest density county in state, #1,397 nationwide
#22. Natrona County
– Rural area: 99.4% (5,310 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.6% (30 square miles)
– Total land area: 5,340 square miles
— #5 largest county in state, #71 nationwide
– Population density: 15.0 people / square mile (80,067 residents)
— #22 lowest density county in state, #739 nationwide
#21. Sheridan County
– Rural area: 99.5% (2,511 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.5% (13 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,524 square miles
— #17 largest county in state, #216 nationwide
– Population density: 12.0 people / square mile (30,397 residents)
— #21 lowest density county in state, #639 nationwide
#20. Campbell County
– Rural area: 99.5% (4,778 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.5% (25 square miles)
– Total land area: 4,803 square miles
— #7 largest county in state, #86 nationwide
– Population density: 9.8 people / square mile (46,958 residents)
— #19 lowest density county in state, #569 nationwide
#19. Albany County
– Rural area: 99.6% (4,256 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.4% (18 square miles)
– Total land area: 4,274 square miles
— #8 largest county in state, #107 nationwide
– Population density: 9.0 people / square mile (38,664 residents)
— #18 lowest density county in state, #537 nationwide
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#18. Uinta County
– Rural area: 99.7% (2,074 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.3% (7 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,081 square miles
— #22 largest county in state, #273 nationwide
– Population density: 9.8 people / square mile (20,374 residents)
— #20 lowest density county in state, #571 nationwide
#17. Sweetwater County
– Rural area: 99.8% (10,408 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.2% (19 square miles)
– Total land area: 10,427 square miles
— #1 largest county in state, #21 nationwide
– Population density: 4.2 people / square mile (43,352 residents)
— #12 lowest density county in state, #322 nationwide
#16. Goshen County
– Rural area: 99.9% (2,222 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.2% (3 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,225 square miles
— #20 largest county in state, #252 nationwide
– Population density: 6.0 people / square mile (13,301 residents)
— #17 lowest density county in state, #409 nationwide
#15. Park County
– Rural area: 99.9% (6,933 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (9 square miles)
– Total land area: 6,942 square miles
— #4 largest county in state, #45 nationwide
– Population density: 4.2 people / square mile (29,273 residents)
— #13 lowest density county in state, #329 nationwide
#14. Platte County
– Rural area: 99.9% (2,082 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (3 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,084 square miles
— #21 largest county in state, #271 nationwide
– Population density: 4.1 people / square mile (8,572 residents)
— #11 lowest density county in state, #317 nationwide
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#13. Hot Springs County
– Rural area: 99.9% (2,002 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,004 square miles
— #23 largest county in state, #285 nationwide
– Population density: 2.3 people / square mile (4,550 residents)
— #5 lowest density county in state, #180 nationwide
#12. Fremont County
– Rural area: 99.9% (9,174 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (10 square miles)
– Total land area: 9,184 square miles
— #2 largest county in state, #30 nationwide
– Population density: 4.3 people / square mile (39,711 residents)
— #14 lowest density county in state, #339 nationwide
#11. Teton County
– Rural area: 99.9% (3,991 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (4 square miles)
– Total land area: 3,995 square miles
— #12 largest county in state, #119 nationwide
– Population density: 5.8 people / square mile (23,356 residents)
— #16 lowest density county in state, #403 nationwide
#10. Washakie County
– Rural area: 99.9% (2,236 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,239 square miles
— #19 largest county in state, #250 nationwide
– Population density: 3.5 people / square mile (7,933 residents)
— #9 lowest density county in state, #274 nationwide
#9. Weston County
– Rural area: 99.9% (2,396 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,398 square miles
— #18 largest county in state, #228 nationwide
– Population density: 2.9 people / square mile (6,942 residents)
— #7 lowest density county in state, #227 nationwide
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#8. Converse County
– Rural area: 99.9% (4,252 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (3 square miles)
– Total land area: 4,255 square miles
— #9 largest county in state, #108 nationwide
– Population density: 3.3 people / square mile (13,842 residents)
— #8 lowest density county in state, #257 nationwide
#7. Johnson County
– Rural area: 99.9% (4,152 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
– Total land area: 4,154 square miles
— #10 largest county in state, #115 nationwide
– Population density: 2.1 people / square mile (8,518 residents)
— #4 lowest density county in state, #160 nationwide
#6. Carbon County
– Rural area: 99.9% (7,893 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.1% (5 square miles)
– Total land area: 7,898 square miles
— #3 largest county in state, #36 nationwide
– Population density: 1.9 people / square mile (15,073 residents)
— #2 lowest density county in state, #144 nationwide
#5. Lincoln County
– Rural area: 100.0% (4,075 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.0% (1 square miles)
– Total land area: 4,076 square miles
— #11 largest county in state, #116 nationwide
– Population density: 4.8 people / square mile (19,640 residents)
— #15 lowest density county in state, #360 nationwide
#4. Big Horn County
– Rural area: 100.0% (3,137 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
– Total land area: 3,137 square miles
— #13 largest county in state, #166 nationwide
– Population density: 3.8 people / square mile (11,809 residents)
— #10 lowest density county in state, #293 nationwide
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#3. Crook County
– Rural area: 100.0% (2,854 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,854 square miles
— #14 largest county in state, #183 nationwide
– Population density: 2.6 people / square mile (7,502 residents)
— #6 lowest density county in state, #208 nationwide
#2. Sublette County
– Rural area: 100.0% (4,887 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
– Total land area: 4,887 square miles
— #6 largest county in state, #82 nationwide
– Population density: 2.0 people / square mile (9,865 residents)
— #3 lowest density county in state, #155 nationwide
#1. Niobrara County
– Rural area: 100.0% (2,626 square miles)
– Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
– Total land area: 2,626 square miles
— #16 largest county in state, #203 nationwide
– Population density: 0.9 people / square mile (2,377 residents)
— #1 lowest density county in state, #60 nationwide
By Stacker
