Why Wyoming’s Zero Income Tax Is Changing Who’s Buying Homes Here
By Jessica LaCour | Broker, 411 Properties LLC | April 2026
Something has shifted in who’s calling me.
A few years ago, most of my buyers were locals — people already in Gillette or NE Wyoming, moving up, downsizing, or relocating within the region. That’s still a big part of my business.
But increasingly, I’m getting calls from Colorado. From California. From Texas. And more and more, the first question isn’t about square footage or school districts. It’s about taxes.
What the numbers actually look like
Wyoming is one of only seven states in the country with zero state income tax. No personal income tax. None.
On top of that, Wyoming’s effective property tax rate is consistently ranked among the lowest in the nation — typically well under 1% of assessed value. And Wyoming doesn’t have an estate tax or an inheritance tax either.
For someone coming from California — where state income tax can run 9-13% depending on income — this is a genuinely significant number. For someone leaving Colorado with a 4.4% state income tax and rapidly rising property values, the math in Wyoming starts to look very different very quickly.
What I’m seeing on the ground
I want to be careful here not to overstate this. Gillette is not Jackson Hole. We’re not seeing California tech money flooding the market the way some Wyoming communities are.
What I am seeing is a steady, meaningful uptick in out-of-state buyers who are making deliberate decisions. These aren’t people stumbling onto Gillette by accident. They’ve done the math. They’ve looked at what a similar home costs in their current market versus here. They’ve run the numbers on what they keep in their paycheck each month without a state income tax.
And then they call me.
These buyers tend to be serious. They’ve already decided Wyoming makes sense financially — they’re just figuring out where in Wyoming and what fits their situation.
The Campbell County advantage specifically
Here’s something that doesn’t get said enough: Campbell County’s property tax structure is particularly favorable for homeowners.
Because Wyoming ties property taxes to assessed value — and that assessed value is typically well below market value — homeowners here are often paying taxes on a number significantly lower than what their home would sell for. That gap matters.
For a buyer coming from a state where property taxes are 1.5-2.5% of full market value, and where home prices are two or three times higher than ours, the annual savings on both income taxes and property taxes can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars.
This doesn’t mean prices are stagnant
This is worth addressing directly, because some people assume that a lower cost of living equals a slow or declining market.
That’s not what I’m seeing.
Right now in Gillette, we have somewhere between 57 and 61 active residential listings at any given week. We have 57 homes under contract waiting to close. Demand is real, inventory is tight, and when a well-priced home hits the market here, it moves. My most recent listing received 10 offers.
That is not the picture of a soft or indifferent market.
Who should seriously look at Wyoming
If you’re in any of these situations, Wyoming deserves a real look:
- You’re earning solid income and your state income tax bill is painful
- You’re considering retiring and want to protect assets and retirement income
- You’re remote-work capable and no longer tied to a high-cost metro
- You’ve been priced out of Colorado or the Mountain West and want comparable lifestyle at a fraction of the price
- You’re an investor looking for a market with genuine demand and favorable tax treatment
What to know before you make assumptions
I’ll say this plainly: I’m a real estate broker, not a tax attorney. The specific impact of Wyoming’s tax structure on your personal situation depends on your income, your existing state, and factors I can’t assess for you.
What I can tell you is what the market looks like on the ground, what buyers from out of state are actually doing, and what homes at various price points look like right now in NE Wyoming.
If you want that conversation, I’m easy to reach.
Thinking about relocating to Gillette or NE Wyoming?
I’ve helped hundreds of buyers navigate this move. I know the neighborhoods, the market, the quirks of buying in a non-disclosure state, and how to get you into the right home at the right price.
Free home value estimate: https://www.411propertiesrealestate.com/sell/
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Jessica LaCour | Broker, 411 Properties LLC Call: 307-682-7767 | Text: 307-660-5470 411propertiesrealestate.com
