GILLETTE, Wyo. — Campbell County saw a slight population increase of 0.9% between July 2023 and July 2024, outpacing state growth in a trend seen by less than half of Wyoming’s counties.
According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the county’s resident population reached 47,946 as of July 2024, an addition of 435 people from the previous year. Campbell County’s growth rate nearly matched the national growth rate of 1%.
Statewide, Wyoming’s population grew by 0.4% to 587,618 residents during the same period.
The increase in Campbell County’s population is attributed to both natural change and net migration, per the Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, Economic Analysis Division. The county recorded a natural increase of 253, with 559 births and 306 deaths. Net migration contributed 184 residents to Campbell County. That includes 144 from net domestic migration and 40 from net international migration.
Looking ahead, population forecasts from the Economic Analysis Division indicate a continued modest upward trend for Campbell County’s population. The forecast estimates the population will reach 47,920 in 2025, 48,620 in 2030, 49,730 in 2040, and 50,690 by 2050.
Since the April 1, 2020 Census, Campbell County’s population has increased by 2%, or 919 residents.
Across Wyoming
The state experienced nearly six consecutive years of negative net migration, meaning more people left than moved in, between 2014 and 2019 due to the energy downturn. However, the direction of net migration has since reversed.
“Employment opportunities driven by the energy sector have long been a key factor in Wyoming’s migration trends, but the pandemic significantly influenced this dynamic in recent years,” said Dr. Wenlin Liu, chief economist with the Economic Analysis Division.
Eleven counties saw population increases from July 2023 to July 2024, with Crook County leading in growth rate at 2.4%. Laramie County experienced the largest net migration with 580 residents, followed by Albany County with 532 and Sheridan County with 398.
Three counties saw negative net migration of over 100: Teton (-172), Converse (-110) and Uinta (-104).
The state’s overall population growth of 2,551 individuals was driven by a natural change of 403 — 6,037 births minus 5,634 deaths — and a net migration of 2,146. The net migration figure is lower than the previous two years.
Liu noted that while Wyoming has experienced a positive natural change since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing decrease in fertility rates and the aging baby boomer generation have reduced natural population growth compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Across the state, about half of the counties showed negative natural change, or more deaths than births, and most of them are small and rural counties such as Hot Springs, Johnson, Niobrara and Platte, where nearly 30% of the population was 65 years and over. In contrast, Campbell, Albany and Laramie counties experienced large natural increases in 2024.
Looking Ahead
Liu provided County 17 a long-term forecast by county, in which the Economic Analysis Division assumes a net migration of between 1,000 and 2,000 annually. Liu said competition for labor among states may become more intense.
“Hopefully, Wyoming’s very low state and local tax burden — one of the lowest in the country — will be an important factor for future movers,” he said.
Of concern will be the severe low fertility rates and aging baby boomers in both the U.S. and Wyoming. Liu said the population growth from natural change, births minus deaths, is expected to be close to zero by the mid-2030s, and will likely become negative, meaning more deaths than births, afterward.
“The long-term drivers of population change will be net migration, leading to slower overall population growth. This growth rate is expected to be similar to the national average,” he said.
