Town · Big Horn County, Wyoming

Basin, Wyoming

Basin is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming. It has 1,290 residents. Basin, Wyoming has a quality-of-life score of 55 out of 100 (moderate), ranking #7,092 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Wyoming it ranks #44 of 56 cities and towns. It ranks best on time spent in the emergency room (low), unemployment rate (low) and public libraries (high). It ranks worst on distance to an Amtrak station (high), flu vaccinations (low) and suicide rate (high).

55Moderate

Quality-of-life score: #7,092 of 15,651 cities and towns
Wyoming: #44 of 56 in WY
Population: 1,290 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 545.9 /mi²
FIPS code: 5605320

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety5#14,913/15,637
Economy62#5,950/15,631
Housing91#1,349/14,977
Health48#8,182/15,609
Healthcare19#12,635/15,650
Environment59#6,280/15,453
Education92#1,313/15,649
Infrastructure41#9,249/15,650
Community36#10,006/15,651
Leisure & amenities84#2,455/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Basin, Wyoming ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Big Horn County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Time spent in the emergency room · low68 min
100/100Wyoming 133 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesBig Horn County value
Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Wyoming 3.4%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Public libraries · high4.2 /10k
98/100Wyoming 1.3 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesBig Horn County value
Average commute time · low14.7 min
97/100Wyoming 18.8 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low5.1 µg/m³
96/100Wyoming 4.4 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyBig Horn County value
Reading scores · high3.36
92/100Wyoming 3.24United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBig Horn County value

Weaknesses

Distance to an Amtrak station · high257 mi
1/100Wyoming 173 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauBig Horn County value
Flu vaccinations · low23.0%
2/100Wyoming 37.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBig Horn County value
Suicide rate · high30.5 /100k
3/100Wyoming 30.0 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100k2024Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateBig Horn County value
Mammography screening · low32.0%
3/100Wyoming 40.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBig Horn County value
Uninsured residents (under 65) · high23.6%
6/100Wyoming 12.5%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Comfortable days · low23.0%
7/100Wyoming 24.3%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationBig Horn County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
1,388 (2015-2019) → 1,290 (2020-2024)
−7.1%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateWorsening
6.9% (2015-2019) → 34.9% (2020-2024)
+28 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
68.8% (2015-2019) → 89.3% (2020-2024)
+21 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$41,250 (2015-2019) → $65,515 (2020-2024)
+59%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
16.2% (2015-2019) → 24.5% (2020-2024)
+8.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
30.7% (2015-2019) → 23.6% (2020-2024)
−7.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Basin, Wyoming improved on 2 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Broadband+21 points68.8% → 89.3%
Household income+59%$41,250 → $65,515

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of Basin, Wyoming between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	17.6 min2015-2019	14.7 min2020-2024	−2.9 min	Within the margin of error	78%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.2%2015-2019	24.5%2020-2024	+8.3 points	Within the margin of error	85%
Broadband subscriptions	68.8%2015-2019	89.3%2020-2024	+21 points	Improved	91%
Effective property tax rate	0.76%2015-2019	0.51%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	67%
High school diploma or higher	87.6%2015-2019	87.2%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Home price to income ratio	2.8×2015-2019	2.4×2020-2024	−0.4×	Within the margin of error	92%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4242015-2019	0.3502020-2024	−0.074	Within the margin of error	91%
Median household income	$41,2502015-2019	$65,5152020-2024	+59%	Improved	90%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	30.7%2015-2019	23.6%2020-2024	−7.1 points	Within the margin of error	92%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Basin, Wyoming five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Basin, Wyoming in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Basin, Wyoming itself moved +18.3 points in standing on average over the same 8 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,290 residents (±273)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

507 households (±114)

Basin, Wyoming
Wyoming share

Under $25k16%†81
$25k–50k15%†77
$50k–75k32%

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

507 households (±114)

Basin, Wyoming
Wyoming share

Own72%365
Rent28%†142

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

689 workers (±192)

Basin, Wyoming
Wyoming share

Drive alone87%†598
Carpool10%†69
Public transit

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Big Horn County, the county holding most of Basin's residents.

Big Horn County has 309 employer establishments, 257 for every 10,000 residents (1.03× the US rate of 248; 0.63× Wyoming's), with 2,341 paid employees at an average annual pay of $54,919. The Census Bureau also counts 1,071 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 309; 1,071 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 257; US 248 · Wyoming 408
Paid employees: 2,341
Average annual pay: $54,919; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Big Horn County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	34	28.3	1.83×More than typical	149	$59,228	110
Construction of buildings	19	15.8	2.09×More than typical	45	$44,822	47
Ambulatory health care services	15	12.5	0.60×Fewer than typical	59	$47,356	40
Restaurants and other eating places	15	12.5	0.68×Fewer than typical	102	$15,225	3
Automotive repair and maintenance	11	9.1	1.82×More than typical	21	$32,619	23
Building equipment contractors	11	9.1	1.52×More than typical	26	$41,500	12
Other specialty trade contractors	11	9.1	3.64×More than typical	61	$69,016	53
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	10	8.3	2.64×More than typical	53	$61,434	22
Gasoline stations	10	8.3	2.56×More than typical	96	$25,229	—
Management, scientific and technical consulting	10	8.3	1.24×About typical	25	$51,440	23
Lessors of real estate	9	7.5	0.61×Too few to compare	16	$24,375	82
Food manufacturing	8	6.6	7.19×Too few to compare	98	$59,765	5

Rank places for an industry Open Big Horn County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 12,034 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Basin, Wyoming: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

192.7FY2017
748FY2018
3.5KFY2020
1.1KFY2021
2.6KFY2022
-958FY2023
1.1KFY2024
432.7FY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Basin, Wyoming, so they do not add up across cities.

Basin, Wyoming's figures are part of those of Big Horn County, WY ($3M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Basin is mostly in Big Horn County.

See federal money in Big Horn County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Basin, Wyoming is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Harriet M. HagemanR-WY · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 0.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Big Horn County62100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Big Horn County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5605320

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends