Wyoming has 17 (of 23) counties with fewer than six people per square mile (the most widely accepted definition for ‘Frontier’ by federal agencies); and the overall state averages 5.17 people per square mile. Forty-seven percent of Wyoming’s residents live in frontier areas of the state. With the exception of people living in Cheyenne and Casper, the remaining population lives in rural areas. As a result of our vast expanses of land and sparse population centers, healthcare access issues in Wyoming must be closely and seriously addressed. The Wyoming Department of Health has created the Rural and Frontier Health Section to respond to existing healthcare issues and build a frontier and rural healthcare system for Wyoming’s future.
Additional links to learn more about rural areas:
What is Rural?
The United States Department of Agriculture provides definitions for rural and frontier.
Click HERE for more information.
Am I Rural? Tool
The Rural Health Information Hub provides a tool for use in determining areas that meet some of the definitions of rural. Enter an address and a report will be generated to determine if the location meets the criteria for certain programs to be considered rural.
Click HERE for more information.
HRSA Data Warehouse Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer
The Health Resources and Services Administration Data Warehouse provide a Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer. Enter the necessary information to learn the availability of grants in the area.
Click HERE for more information.