Living Cost Compare
Laramie

Wyoming

$890/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,250/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $890 in Laramie, WY versus $1,250 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,414 in Laramie, WY and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 5% higher in Wilmington, DE. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Laramie, WY
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$667
$1,103
+65% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$728
$1,024
+41% in Wilmington, DE
2 Bedroom
$883
$1,213
+37% in Wilmington, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,423
$1,394
+2% in Laramie, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$302,200
$224,500
+26% in Laramie, WY

Income

Median Household Income
$52,414
$55,269
+5% in Wilmington, DE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
—
$54,310

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.9 yr
37.0 yr
+10.1 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
44.1%
46.0%
+1.9 pp in Wilmington, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.8%
33.1%
+22.7 pp in Laramie, WY
Avg Commute
13.5 min
23.0 min
+9.5 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
129.6
1,138.2
+778% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
1,175.9
3,182.4
+171% in Wilmington, DE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
41.0°F
54.9°F
+13.9°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
10.9 in
43.1 in
+32.2 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.94/gal
+8% in Laramie, WY

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
19.3
+27% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$29.73
+63% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Laramie, WY
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Laramie, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Wilmington, DE
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Laramie, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Laramie, WY
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Laramie, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / DE)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Laramie vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Laramie or Wilmington?
Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Wilmington, DE's $1,250, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Laramie than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Laramie versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Laramie or Wilmington?
Laramie is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).