1st Advantage MortgageCarbon County households have a median income of $70,511 and median rent of $842 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Carbon County, WY: the basics
- Income in Carbon County compared with Wyoming
- Carbon County housing compared with Wyoming
- How Carbon County residents earn a living
- Carbon County next to its neighbors
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Carbon County
- Carbon County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in Carbon County
- A Carbon County household budget, worked through
- Licensing and complaints for Carbon County
- Checklist for Carbon County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Carbon County, WY: the basics
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Carbon County's population at 14,463; only 11 of Wyoming's 23 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 7,898 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 2 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Rawlins is the biggest of its 12 Census places, at roughly 8,129 people (56% of the county total).
Income in Carbon County compared with Wyoming
At $70,511, the typical Carbon County household income is 7% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Carbon County | Compared with Wyoming |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.0% | +1.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.3% | +1.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.7% | -0.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.0% | -1.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 35% of Carbon County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. Census counts 12.2% of Carbon County residents in poverty, against 10.5% across Wyoming. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.421 here. A household earning below the $70,511 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Carbon County housing compared with Wyoming
Renters in Carbon County pay a median of $842 a month, 15% below the Wyoming figure of $992. By the Census definition, 31% of Carbon County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $222,700, or 3.2 years of median income. 76% of Carbon County households own their home and 24% rent.
| Measure | Carbon County | Wyoming | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $842/mo | $992/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $222,700 | $309,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 76% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 31% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 26% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 26% | 12% | n/a |
Because most Carbon County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
How Carbon County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 21% of employed Carbon County residents work in education and health care and 12% in construction. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 10% locally and 5% for Wyoming. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.0% in Carbon County. Long commutes are the exception here: 12% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 6.1% of the total (4.1% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Carbon County workers | vs Wyoming |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.2% | -3.3 pts |
| Construction | 11.6% | +3.1 pts |
| Public administration | 11.3% | +4.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.2% | -0.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.8% | +5.3 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 8.9% | -0.2 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Carbon County next to its neighbors
Albany County is closest, 63 miles from center to center; the sixth, Moffat County, is 101 miles off. 4 of the six report a higher median household income than Carbon County; Routt County is highest at $106,489 and Jackson County lowest at $47,667. The list crosses into Colorado, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon County | - | $70,511 | $842/mo | 76% |
| Albany County, WY | 63 mi | $61,917 | $931/mo | 50% |
| Jackson County, CO | 78 mi | $47,667 | $1,701/mo | 71% |
| Routt County, CO | 84 mi | $106,489 | $1,917/mo | 76% |
| Natrona County, WY | 88 mi | $72,156 | $1,016/mo | 74% |
| Sweetwater County, WY | 100 mi | $75,034 | $911/mo | 75% |
| Moffat County, CO | 101 mi | $73,849 | $1,039/mo | 69% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Carbon County
The table lists the 12 largest of 12 Census places in Carbon County, by population. Together all 12 hold about 12,838 people, so roughly 11% of residents live outside any named place. Saratoga has the highest median household income on the list ($85,234) and Rawlins the lowest ($64,773), counting places with at least 500 residents. Live in one of these Carbon County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rawlins | city | 8,129 | $64,773 | $741 | 16 mi |
| Saratoga | town | 1,740 | $85,234 | $1,136 | 18 mi |
| Hanna | town | 789 | $75,540 | n/a | 22 mi |
| Encampment | town | 466 | $54,668 | $1,158 | 35 mi |
| Baggs | town | 443 | $56,917 | $697 | 60 mi |
| Medicine Bow | town | 442 | $72,500 | $529 | 40 mi |
| Sinclair | town | 362 | $91,250 | $1,475 | 11 mi |
| Dixon | town | 267 | $73,594 | n/a | 56 mi |
| Elk Mountain | town | 99 | $66,250 | n/a | 27 mi |
| Riverside | town | 59 | n/a | n/a | 35 mi |
| Arlington | CDP | 29 | n/a | n/a | 38 mi |
| Ryan Park | CDP | 13 | n/a | n/a | 35 mi |
Carbon County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 24% of adults over 25. 12.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Carbon County | Wyoming | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.4% | 30.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.3% | 5.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.2% | 11.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 9.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 10.5% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.0% | 3.7% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Carbon County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 67.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 14.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 5.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.8% |
| 60+ min | 5.5% |
Borrowing situations common in Carbon County
What the Carbon County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Hospital bills in Carbon County. For the 12% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- 15% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
A Carbon County household budget, worked through
Carbon County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,876 before taxes
- Less median rent of $842, which is 14% of it
- Under a 43% cap, $2,527 total minus rent leaves $1,685
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Licensing and complaints for Carbon County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Carbon County borrowers answers to the Wyoming Division of Banking. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on Wyoming: Wyoming personal loans.
Checklist for Carbon County applicants
Quick steps for Carbon County:
- Price the Carbon County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Verify the Wyoming license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Wyoming guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carbon County a high-income county?
Its $70,511 median ranks 14th of 23 Wyoming counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Carbon County?
$842 a month at the median, about 14% of median household income.
Should Carbon County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 76% of Carbon County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Carbon County?
By population: Rawlins, Saratoga, Hanna, Encampment, Baggs. The county has 12 Census places in all.
Is the fit check different in Carbon County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.