At a glance: Wyoming

Wyoming is the least populous state in the U.S., with just 584,057 residents across its 97,088 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The state ranked No. 30 for business in 2024 by CNBC. Wyoming is a sparsely populated state known for its oil drilling, coal mining and petroleum refining, which cumulatively contribute approximately $23 billion to the state's economy.

Energy

Wyoming ranks No. 4 among states for most energy production, with its leading production sources being coal, natural gas and crude oil, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Wyoming ranks No. 4 for most energy consumption per capita. The leading energy sources consumed by Wyoming residents are coal, natural gas and distillate fuel oil.

Wyoming’s residential electricity rate is $0.1408/kWh, cheaper than the national average. Commercial electricity rate is also cheaper; Wyoming’s commercial users pay a rate of $0.0894/kWh, compared to the national average commercial rate of $0.1259/kWh.

Industrial users pay $0.0706/kWh, below the national average industrial electricity rate of $0.0804/kWh.

Wyoming’s residential natural gas price is $13.72 per thousand cubic feet, below the national average of $15.39, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Environment

Annual carbon emissions more than tripled (up by 202%) since 1970, while the state’s population raised 74 percent during the same span. The population is projected to increase another 1.75 percent, to 586,925 residents, by 2030.

Nearly half of all the land in Wyoming is owned by the federal government, operated as national parks, forestland, wildlife refuges and recreation areas. The majority of privately owned land in Wyoming is used for agricultural purposes, with beef cattle, sheep, hay and sugar beets among the top products.

The federal government lists 18 species in Wyoming as threatened or endangered.