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1. Understanding Wyoming’s Population Landscape
Wyoming, the tenth-largest state in the United States by land area, presents a unique demographic profile characterized by its sparse population and rural nature. Understanding the composition and distribution of its residents is essential for grasping the state’s social, economic, and healthcare dynamics.
1. 1 Geographic Overview
Spanning 97,813 square miles, Wyoming is a state of vast landscapes, ranging from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. This extensive area is divided into 23 counties, each with its own distinct characteristics. The Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR), located in the central part of the state, is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes, adding to the state’s cultural diversity.
1. 2 Rural, Urban, and Frontier Classifications
Wyoming’s counties are classified into three categories: rural, urban, and frontier. Laramie and Natrona counties, each home to a city with over 60,000 residents, are considered urban centers. In contrast, 17 counties are classified as frontier, with fewer than six people per square mile. These frontier counties, while sparsely populated, are home to 45% of Wyoming’s population (Wyoming Economic Analysis Division (WY EAD), 2022). This distribution highlights the significant role of rural communities in the state’s overall demographic makeup.
2. Wyoming’s Population: Size and Composition
As the least populous state in the U.S., Wyoming’s population size and composition are critical aspects of its identity. Examining the latest population estimates and demographic breakdowns provides insights into the state’s growth patterns and diversity.
2. 1 Population Size
In July 2022, Wyoming’s estimated population was 581,381, marking a 0.3% increase from July 2021 (U.S. Census Quick Facts, 2022). While this growth is modest, it reflects the state’s ongoing efforts to attract and retain residents.
2. 2 Racial and Ethnic Composition
Wyoming’s population is predominantly White, with 92.4% identifying as White alone. The remaining population includes Black or African American (1.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native (2.8%), Asian (1.1%), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%), and individuals of two or more races (2.4%). Additionally, 10.6% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. These figures illustrate a gradual diversification of the state’s demographic profile.
2. 3 Language Spoken at Home
In 2022, 93% of Wyoming residents aged five years and older spoke only English at home, while 7% spoke a language other than English (U.S. Census Quick Facts, 2022). This linguistic homogeneity underscores the dominant role of English in the state’s social and cultural landscape.
2. 4 Minority Population Growth
Between 2010 and 2020, the minority population in Wyoming, including groups other than single-race, Non-Hispanic White, increased by 34.4%. According to the WY EAD, this growth accounted for nearly all the state’s population increase during this period (WY EAD, 2021). This trend highlights the increasing diversity and multiculturalism within Wyoming.
3. Age and Education Demographics
Understanding the age distribution and educational attainment of Wyoming’s population is crucial for assessing its workforce potential and social needs.
3. 1 Age Distribution
Nearly one quarter (22.9%) of Wyoming’s population is under the age of 18, while 17.9% is over the age of 65. This age distribution indicates a significant proportion of both young dependents and senior citizens, which has implications for the state’s social services and healthcare systems.
3. 2 Educational Attainment
Almost 94% of Wyoming residents over the age of 25 have a high school education or higher, with 28.5% holding at least a bachelor’s degree. This high level of educational attainment underscores the state’s commitment to education and its potential for a skilled workforce.
4. Economic Indicators and Poverty Levels
Economic indicators such as median household income and poverty rates provide insights into the financial well-being of Wyoming residents.
4. 1 Median Household Income
In 2022, the median household income in Wyoming was $68,002, slightly less than the U.S. median of $69,021. This figure reflects the average income level of households across the state, indicating a moderate level of economic prosperity.
4. 2 Poverty Levels
Approximately 11.4% of Wyoming’s population is estimated to be living in poverty, compared to 11.6% nationally (U.S. Census Quick Facts, 2022). While the state’s poverty rate is slightly lower than the national average, it still represents a significant challenge for vulnerable populations.
5. Economic Rebound and Employment Trends
Wyoming’s economy experienced a rebound in the fourth quarter of 2022, driven by energy businesses maintaining their drilling activities. However, this growth was slower than the U.S. average.
5. 1 Employment Growth
In 2022, employment in Wyoming increased by 2.0% (5,700 jobs), compared to a U.S. growth rate of 3.4%. This indicates a positive trend in job creation, although the pace of growth lags behind the national average.
5. 2 Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate in Wyoming increased to 3.9%, slightly higher than the national average of 3.6% (WY EAD, 2023). This suggests that while employment is growing, some residents continue to face challenges in finding work.
6. Health Rankings and Outcomes
The 2022 Annual America’s Health Rankings Report provides a comprehensive assessment of Wyoming’s health outcomes and determinants.
6. 1 Overall Health Ranking
Wyoming ranks 35th in the nation in overall health outcomes and 33rd in all health determinants, which include social and economic factors, physical environment, clinical care, and behaviors. These rankings provide a broad overview of the state’s health status relative to other states.
6. 2 Strengths
The report highlights several strengths for Wyoming, including high fourth-grade reading proficiency, low prevalence of violent crime, low incidence of chlamydia, low income inequality, and low levels of air pollution. Additionally, HPV vaccination rates among adolescents aged 13-17 increased significantly from 26.7% to 48% between 2016 and 2021. Food insecurity also decreased from 13.2% to 11.2% of households between 2015-2017 and 2019-2021.
6. 3 Challenges
Challenges identified in the report include high rates of low birth weight, occupational fatalities, high school graduation racial disparities, premature death racial disparities, and adverse childhood experiences. Premature death rates increased by 14% from 8,000 to 9,141 years lost before age 75 per 100,000 population between 2019 and 2020.
7. Healthcare Access and Shortage Areas
Given Wyoming’s rural and frontier nature, access to healthcare services is a significant challenge. Understanding the designation of Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSA) is crucial for addressing these disparities.
7. 1 Primary Care HPSAs
As of March 31, 2023, Wyoming had 44 Primary Care HPSA designations, with 186,622 residents residing in these shortage areas. This indicates a substantial need for primary care providers across the state.
7. 2 Dental HPSAs
There were 29 dental HPSA designations in Wyoming, affecting approximately 49,361 residents. This underscores the challenges in accessing dental care services, particularly in rural communities.
7. 3 Mental Health HPSAs
The entire state of Wyoming is considered an HPSA for mental health. Only 41.22% of the mental health needs are being met, and 28 full-time psychiatrists are needed to adequately serve the population. This highlights the critical need for increased mental health resources and professionals.
8. Availability of Specialized Medical Professionals
The availability of specialized medical professionals, such as obstetricians/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) and pediatricians, is essential for maternal and child health.
8. 1 OB/GYN Availability
In 2023, there were 48 physicians practicing OB/GYN in Wyoming. Eleven counties did not have an OB/GYN. Over 16,900 Wyoming women of childbearing age (15-44) lived in a county without a practicing OB/GYN.
8. 2 Pediatrician Availability
There were 61 practicing pediatricians in Wyoming in 2023. Eleven counties did not have a pediatrician. Approximately 25,800 Wyoming children and youth (<18 years of age) lived in a county without a practicing pediatrician (CDC Wonder, 2023).
8. 3 Family Practice Physicians
There are 274 family practice physicians in the state. Five counties have five or fewer family practice physicians (Wyoming Office of Rural Health, 2023).
9. Challenges in Access to Care
The rural and frontier nature of Wyoming presents unique challenges in accessing healthcare, especially for the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) population.
9. 1 Lack of Level III Facilities
Wyoming lacks Level III facilities, which provide specialized care for high-risk pregnancies and newborns. This necessitates reliance on out-of-state facilities for critical care.
9. 2 Shortage of Specialist Providers
The shortage of specialist providers within the state further exacerbates the challenges in accessing timely and appropriate care.
9. 3 High Uninsured Population
In 2022, 14.8% of Wyoming residents under the age of 65 years had no health insurance coverage, compared to 9.8% of the population nationally (U.S. Census Quick Facts, 2022). This high uninsured rate contributes to difficulties in accessing healthcare services.
10. Medicaid Expansion and Health Insurance Options
Efforts to expand Medicaid coverage and the availability of health insurance options play a crucial role in improving healthcare access for Wyoming residents.
10. 1 Medicaid Expansion Efforts
During the 2023 Wyoming legislative session, a Medicaid extension bill (HB0004), extending Medicaid coverage up to 12 months postpartum, was passed but has a sunset date of March 31, 2027. Additionally, Wyoming is one of ten states that has not expanded Medicaid. A Medicaid expansion bill (HB0080) failed to pass, marking the ninth time such a bill has failed.
10. 2 Health Insurance Marketplace
Health insurance options in the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace for Wyoming are limited to Blue Cross Blue Shield and Mountain Health co-op. During open enrollment for 2023 coverage, 38,565 residents enrolled in private individual-market plans through the Wyoming exchange, which was a record high.
11. Health Equity and Disparities
Addressing health equity and disparities is crucial for ensuring that all Wyoming residents have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
11. 1 Child Poverty
According to the 2023 Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Wyoming fares better than the nation for the proportion of children in poverty, with 12% of children in poverty versus 17% nationally. However, within Wyoming, the proportion of children in poverty varies widely by county, ranging from 6% (Teton County) to 19% (Niobrara and Fremont County) (County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2023).
11. 2 High School Graduation Rates
Wyoming’s overall high school graduation rates rose steadily from 78.6% (2013-2014) to 82.4% (2020-2021), and was 81.8% for the 2021-2022 school year. However, racial and ethnic disparities continue to be observed. While 84.1% of White youth graduated from high school in the 2021-2022 school year, 76.4% of Hispanic youth and 49.3% of American Indian youth graduated during the same period (Wyoming State Four-Year Graduation Rates).
11. 3 Health Equity Definition
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation defines health equity as: “Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.”
12. Challenges in Measuring Health Equity
Due to Wyoming’s unique nature, several barriers exist in measuring health equity. Small population numbers, particularly for minority populations, at the state and county levels make stratification by geographic region, race, and ethnicity challenging. Wyoming continually monitors MCH outcomes for minority populations through the calculation of rolling rates and data aggregation.
13. Maternal and Child Health Services (MCH) and Organizational Structure
The Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant is managed by the WY MCH within the Community Health Section (CHS) and Public Health Division (PHD) of the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH).
13. 1 WDH and PHD Missions
WDH’s mission is to “promote, protect, and enhance the health of all Wyoming residents.” PHD’s mission is to “To promote, protect, and improve health in Wyoming.”
13. 2 PHD Structure and Services
PHD is one of four divisions within WDH, joining the Aging, Behavioral Health, and Health Care Financing (Wyoming Medicaid) Divisions. PHD employs approximately 290 staff in a mostly-centralized public health system. PHD provides a wide range of services that promote, protect, and improve health in Wyoming, aligning with the 10 Essential Public Health Services.
13. 3 Public Health Accreditation and Strategic Planning
PHD is working toward public health accreditation and has recently undergone strategic planning efforts to refresh its priorities following the COVID-19 pandemic. The draft PHD strategic plan contains guiding principles that act as the underlying foundation to guide the division’s work, as well as operational and population health goals.
14. Wyoming MCH Mission, Vision, and Core Values
WY MCH’s vision is a Wyoming where all families and communities are healthy and thriving. Its mission, updated in 2023, is to partner with communities and families to promote and advocate for optimal health and wellbeing, using a public health approach.
14. 1 Core Values
WY MCH core values include:
- Health Equity: Striving for just and fair health outcomes for all.
- Partnerships: Collaborating with families, communities, and other stakeholders.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data to inform strategies and interventions.
- Family-Centered Approach: Prioritizing the needs and preferences of families.
- Prevention: Focusing on proactive measures to promote health and prevent illness.
- Innovation: Embracing new ideas and approaches to improve health outcomes.
- Cultural Competence: Respecting and valuing diverse cultures and perspectives.
15. MCH Needs Assessment and Priorities
The 2020 MCH Needs Assessment resulted in the selection of seven priorities for 2021-2025:
- Prevent Maternal Mortality (Women/Maternal Domain)
- Prevent Infant Mortality (Perinatal/Infant Domain)
- Promote Healthy and Safe Children (Child Domain)
- Promote Adolescent Motor Vehicle Safety (Adolescent Domain)
- Prevent Adolescent Suicide (Adolescent Domain)
- Improve Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN Domain)
- Strengthen MCH Workforce Capacity to Operationalize MCH Core Values (Cross-Cutting Domain)
16. Systems of Care and Services for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)
In 2020-2021, approximately 26,200 (19.7%) of Wyoming children and youth ages 0-17 had a special health care need.
16. 1 CYSHCN Program Overview
WY MCH’s CYSHCN program offers care coordination and limited gap-filling financial assistance as the payer of last resort for enrolled clients (CYSHCN ages 0-18 and high-risk pregnant women and infants requiring Level III care) who meet medical and financial eligibility criteria. In FFY22, CSH actively served 366 clients.
17. Health Services Infrastructure and Integration of Services
Wyoming lacks a children’s hospital and has a significant shortage of pediatric specialists in the state, leading families to rely heavily on bordering states’ infrastructure for Level III hospital care and pediatric specialty care.
17. 1 Pediatric Specialty Clinics
WY MCH maintains an updated map of pediatric specialty clinics offered in Wyoming and directly funds in-person and telehealth genetic clinic services due to an absence of an in-state geneticist and long wait times for out-of-state appointments.
17. 2 Partnerships with Out-of-State Providers
Strengthening partnerships with out-of-state providers and neighboring Title V agencies helps to build Wyoming’s health services infrastructure.
18. Financing of Services
Wyoming is one of two remaining states whose Medicaid payments are based on fee for service. Overall, children make up 67% of Wyoming residents covered by Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP.
18. 1 Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP
Wyoming Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP serve a large portion of Wyoming’s child population, including 100% of children in foster care, 55% of children who live in or near poverty, 34% of children with disabilities or special health care needs, and 29% of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers (Georgetown University Health Policy Institute).
19. State Statutes Relating to MCH
Three state statutes directly impact the work of WY MCH:
- Newborn Screening (NBS) Statute: Mandates newborn screening be available to all newborns.
- Public Health Nurses Infant Home Visitation Services: Directs Public Health Nurses (PHN) to contact eligible women to offer home visitation services.
- State School Nurse Authorization: Authorizes the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ a state school nurse if/when non-state funds were available.
20. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Wyoming’s Population
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the current population of Wyoming? | As of July 2022, Wyoming’s estimated population is 581,381. This makes it the least populous state in the United States. |
| What is the racial composition of Wyoming’s population? | The population is predominantly White (92.4%). Other groups include Black or African American (1.2%), American Indian and Alaska Native (2.8%), Asian (1.1%), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.1%), and individuals of two or more races (2.4%). Additionally, 10.6% identify as Hispanic or Latino. |
| How fast is Wyoming’s population growing? | Wyoming’s population increased by 0.3% from July 2021 to July 2022. While this growth is modest, it reflects the state’s ongoing efforts to attract and retain residents. |
| What are the major cities in Wyoming by population? | The largest cities in Wyoming by population are Cheyenne (the state capital) and Casper. Laramie and Natrona counties, where these cities are located, are considered urban centers. |
| What is the median household income in Wyoming? | In 2022, the median household income in Wyoming was $68,002, slightly less than the U.S. median of $69,021. |
| What is the poverty rate in Wyoming? | Approximately 11.4% of Wyoming’s population is estimated to be living in poverty, compared to 11.6% nationally. |
| How many counties are considered frontier in Wyoming? | Seventeen of Wyoming’s 23 counties are considered frontier, with fewer than six people per square mile. These counties are home to 45% of Wyoming’s population. |
| What is the significance of the Wind River Indian Reservation? | The Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR), located in the central part of the state, is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes, adding to the state’s cultural diversity. |
| What are the main challenges in healthcare access in Wyoming? | Challenges include the rural/frontier nature of the state, lack of Level III facilities, shortage of specialist providers, and a high uninsured population. |
| What efforts are being made to improve health equity in Wyoming? | Wyoming is continually monitoring MCH outcomes for minority populations and working to address racial and ethnic disparities in high school graduation rates. The state is also focused on strengthening MCH workforce capacity to operationalize MCH core values. |
Alt Text: Wyoming counties classified by rural, urban, and frontier areas, showing population density.
Alt Text: Distribution of pediatricians across Wyoming counties, highlighting healthcare access challenges.
Alt Text: Map illustrating the availability of OB/GYN services in each county of Wyoming, crucial for maternal health.
Alt Text: Organizational structure of Wyoming’s Public Health Division, emphasizing the framework for health services.
Understanding the dynamics of Wyoming’s inhabitants provides valuable insights into its social, economic, and healthcare landscape. From its rural and frontier classifications to its health equity challenges, Wyoming presents a unique set of demographic considerations. Stay informed and explore further by visiting WHAT.EDU.VN, where you can ask any question and receive free answers. Need quick, reliable information? Address: 888 Question City Plaza, Seattle, WA 98101, United States. Contact us via Whatsapp: +1 (206) 555-7890. Website: what.edu.vn. Do you have questions about the population count of Wyoming or any other topic? Don’t hesitate – ask now and get the answers you need!
