Albany County, Wyoming

Albany County is a county in Wyoming, United States, on the state’s border with Colorado, in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 37,066 at the 2020 census and covers 4,309 square miles (11,160 km2) centred near 41°39′N 105°44′W.

Laramie is the county seat, and its postal code is 82070. The county has one city, one town, four census-designated places, and roughly thirty additional unincorporated communities. Albany County uses Mountain Time and carries FIPS code 56001.

Towns & Villages in Albany County

Albany County lists 36 named places below: one incorporated city (Laramie), one incorporated town (Rock River), four census-designated places, and thirty unincorporated communities, most of them railroad sidings or ranching hamlets along the Union Pacific line and the Snowy Range highway corridor. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no separate census count.

West Laramie sits directly across the Laramie River from downtown Laramie and functions as a neighborhood of the city rather than a separate settlement today. Bosler Junction is the rail-siding node closest to Bosler proper, and the two are often mapped as one point. New Jelm and Jelm are distinct sidings a short distance apart on the same rail line that also gave Woods Landing-Jelm CDP its name.

ZIP Codes

• 82070 — Laramie (also serves West Laramie, Buford, and Cooper Lake)
• 82083 — Rock River
• 82301 — Albany
• 82055 — Centennial
• 82063 — Jelm and Woods Landing-Jelm
• 82036 — Bosler

Most of the county’s smaller rail sidings and ranching points, including Buford, Cooper Lake, Dale Creek, Sherman, and Tie Siding, use the Laramie post office and do not carry their own ZIP code.

Geography

Albany County spans the high plains of the Laramie Valley in the east and the forested Medicine Bow and Snowy Range peaks of the Medicine Bow National Forest to the west, with the Laramie River and the Little Laramie River draining the valley floor. Elevations range from around 7,200 feet in Laramie to over 12,000 feet on Medicine Bow Peak. The county borders Converse and Platte counties to the north, Laramie County to the east, Carbon County to the west, and Larimer and Jackson counties in Colorado to the south.

Demographics

Albany County had 37,066 residents at the 2020 census, roughly 8.6 people per square mile of land. Laramie, home to the University of Wyoming, is by far the largest community; Centennial, at the base of the Snowy Range, is the largest place outside Laramie. The county’s median household income runs below the Wyoming median of $72,415, reflecting the large student population enrolled at the university in Laramie.

Economy & Local Life

The University of Wyoming, the state’s only four-year public university, is the county’s dominant employer and drives most of Laramie’s economy, from student housing to the health-care and research jobs tied to the campus. Outside Laramie, cattle and sheep ranching remain the main livelihood across the valley and the foothill communities, alongside wind-energy development on the ridgelines north and east of the city. Centennial and the Snowy Range corridor support a seasonal tourism economy built on skiing, fishing, and access to the Medicine Bow National Forest.

History

Albany County was organized on December 16, 1868, one of the original counties created by the Dakota Territory legislature before Wyoming became a separate territory later that year. Legislator Charles D. Bradley named it after Albany, New York. Laramie grew up as a railhead on the transcontinental Union Pacific line, and the University of Wyoming was chartered there in 1886, shaping the county’s economy and politics ever since.

Getting There

Interstate 80 crosses the county east–west through Laramie, and U.S. Route 287 runs north–south connecting Laramie to Centennial and the Colorado line via the Snowy Range corridor.

• Cheyenne — 50 miles east
• Fort Collins, Colorado — 65 miles south
• Rawlins — 100 miles west
• Centennial — 27 miles west of Laramie

Laramie Regional Airport offers limited commercial service; most travelers use Denver International Airport, about 130 miles south of Laramie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Albany County, Wyoming?
It is in south-central Wyoming on the Colorado border, anchored by Laramie along Interstate 80.

What is the population of Albany County?
37,066 at the 2020 census.

How big is Albany County?
4,309 square miles (11,160 km2), including the Snowy Range in the Medicine Bow National Forest.

What is the county seat of Albany County?
Laramie is the county seat and home to the University of Wyoming.

How many towns are in Albany County?
One incorporated city, one incorporated town, four census-designated places, and about thirty unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Albany County?
Laramie uses 82070; Rock River, Albany, Centennial, Jelm/Woods Landing-Jelm, and Bosler each have their own ZIP code, with smaller sidings served by Laramie’s post office.

What is the Snowy Range?
A mountain range in the Medicine Bow National Forest along the county’s western edge, popular for skiing and fishing near Centennial.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wyoming.