Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Rutland?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Rutland, VT's $1,120, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Rutland?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $34,000 in Rutland.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Rutland?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Casper vs Rutland Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Rutland

Vermont

$1,120/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,120 in Rutland, VT. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Rutland, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $55,000 in Rutland, VT — about 20% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Rutland, VT

Rent

Studio

$730

$893

+22% in Rutland, VT

1 Bedroom

$764

$856

+12% in Rutland, VT

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,097

+18% in Rutland, VT

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,207

+7% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$176,400

+30% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$55,000

+20% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

48.5 yr

+11.5 yr in Rutland, VT

Homeownership

70.3%

52.7%

+17.6 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

32.2%

+2.2 pp in Rutland, VT

Avg Commute

16.9 min

14.7 min

+2.2 min in Casper, WY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

487.8

+61% in Rutland, VT

Property Crime

2,123.8

3,973.3

+87% in Rutland, VT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

44.6°F

+0.8°F in Casper, WY

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

40.5 in

+27.9 in in Rutland, VT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

24.4

+60% in Rutland, VT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$26.07

+43% in Rutland, VT

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Rutland, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

Average prices — West vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / VT)

+2.0 pp in VT

Income Tax (top rate)

None

8.75%

+8.8 pp in VT

Casper vs Rutland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Rutland?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Rutland, VT's $1,120, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Rutland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $34,000 in Rutland.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Rutland?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).