# Albany County, Wyoming

Albany County (/ˈɔːlbəni/ AWL-bə-nee) is a county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 37,066. Its county seat is Laramie, the site of the University of Wyoming. Its southern border lies on the northern Colorado state line. Albany County comprises the Laramie, WY Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is the fifth-most populous county in Wyoming.

## History

Albany County was organized in 1868 of territory annexed from Laramie County in Dakota Territory, which at the time had jurisdiction over part of modern-day Wyoming. It became a county in Wyoming Territory when its government was formally organized on May 19, 1869.
Charles D. Bradley, a member of the legislature of the Dakota Territory named the county for Albany, New York, the capital of his native state. In 1875, the Wyoming Territorial legislature authorized portions of Albany County to be annexed to create Crook and Johnson counties, and in 1888 land was taken from Albany County for the creation of Converse County. Further adjustments were made to the county's boundary in 1911 and 1955.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,309 square miles (11,160 km$^2$), of which 4,274 square miles (11,070 km$^2$) is land and 35 square miles (91 km$^2$) (0.8%) is water.

### Adjacent counties

* Converse County – north
* Platte County – northeast
* Laramie County – east
* Larimer County, Colorado – south
* Jackson County, Colorado – southwest
* Carbon County – west
* Natrona County – northwest

### Transit

* University of Wyoming Transit System (Roundup)
* Greyhound Lines

### Major highways

* Interstate 80
* I-80 BL
* U.S. Highway 30
* U.S. Highway 287
* Wyoming Highway 10
* Wyoming Highway 11
* Wyoming Highway 12
* Wyoming Highway 13
* Wyoming Highway 34
* Wyoming Highway 130
* Wyoming Highway 210
* Wyoming Highway 230

### National protected areas

* Bamforth National Wildlife Refuge
* Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
* Medicine Bow National Forest (part)
* Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge

## Demographics
### 2000 census

At the 2000 United States census, there were 32,014 people, 13,269 households and 7,006 families in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile (3.1 people/km$^2$). There were 15,215 housing units at an average density of 4 units per square mile (1.5 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 91.32% White, 1.11% Black or African American, 0.95% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.65% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. 7.49% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.4% were of German, 11.1% English, 10.2% Irish and 6.1% American ancestry.
There were 13,269 households, of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.
The county population contained 18.4% of the population under the age of 18, 28.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.4 males.
The median household income was $28,790 and the median family income was $44,334. Males had a median income of $31,087 compared with $22,061 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,706. About 10.8% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under the age of 18 and 8.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 36,299 people, 15,691 households, and 7,430 families in the county. The population density was 8.5 people per square mile (3.3 people/km$^2$). There were 17,939 housing units at an average density of 4.2 units per square mile (1.6 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 90.1% white, 2.8% Asian, 1.2% black or African American, 0.7% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.4% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.2% were German, 15.3% were Irish, 12.5% were English, and 4.4% were American.
Of the 15,691 households, 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 52.6% were non-families, and 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 26.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,890 and the median income for a family was $70,054. Males had a median income of $43,484 versus $33,512 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,622. About 7.2% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### City

* Laramie (county seat)

### Town

* Rock River

### Unincorporated communities

* Barrett
* Binford
* Bosler
* Bosler Junction
* Buford
* Cooper Lake
* Dale Creek
* Deerwood
* Garrett
* Gramm
* Harmony
* Harper
* Hatton
* Hermosa
* Keystone
* Little Medicine
* Lookout
* Millbrook
* Mountain Home
* New Jelm
* PhinDeli
* Red Buttes
* Sherman
* The Buttes
* Tie Siding
* Toltec
* Wyocolo

## Census-designated places

* Albany
* Centennial
* Fox Park
* Woods Landing-Jelm

## Politics

While Wyoming as a whole tends to be solidly Republican, Albany County is a swing county. It is one of only thirteen counties to have voted for Barack Obama in 2008, Mitt Romney in 2012, Donald Trump in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020. It is also a national bellwether, only failing to back the nationwide winner on four occasions in its history (1892, 1960, 1976, and 2012).
Since the 1990s, Albany County has been one of the few competitive counties in heavily Republican Wyoming. Laramie, home of the University of Wyoming, is solidly Democratic, while the Laramie suburbs and the county's rural precincts are equally solidly Republican. Laramie accounts for roughly half of the county's population, with the Laramie suburbs and the rural precincts of the county forming the other approximate half. Thus, swing voters typically determine the county's winner.
United States presidential election results for Albany County, Wyoming :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 8,930 | 49.95% | 8,371 | 46.83% | 576 | 3.22% |
| 2020 | 8,579 | 46.08% | 9,092 | 48.84% | 946 | 5.08% |
| 2016 | 7,602 | 44.56% | 6,890 | 40.39% | 2,568 | 15.05% |
| 2012 | 7,866 | 48.26% | 7,458 | 45.75% | 976 | 5.99% |
| 2008 | 7,936 | 46.36% | 8,644 | 50.50% | 537 | 3.14% |
| 2004 | 9,006 | 54.17% | 7,117 | 42.81% | 501 | 3.01% |
| 2000 | 7,814 | 55.22% | 5,069 | 35.82% | 1,268 | 8.96% |
| 1996 | 5,967 | 42.82% | 6,399 | 45.92% | 1,570 | 11.27% |
| 1992 | 4,176 | 32.46% | 5,713 | 44.40% | 2,978 | 23.14% |
| 1988 | 5,653 | 49.87% | 5,486 | 48.40% | 196 | 1.73% |
| 1984 | 7,452 | 60.36% | 4,708 | 38.13% | 186 | 1.51% |
| 1980 | 5,830 | 50.58% | 3,772 | 32.72% | 1,925 | 16.70% |
| 1976 | 6,734 | 57.94% | 4,663 | 40.12% | 225 | 1.94% |
| 1972 | 7,021 | 58.92% | 4,873 | 40.89% | 23 | 0.19% |
| 1968 | 4,422 | 48.71% | 4,079 | 44.93% | 578 | 6.37% |
| 1964 | 2,923 | 32.69% | 6,019 | 67.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 4,356 | 50.43% | 4,282 | 49.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 4,315 | 55.88% | 3,407 | 44.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,560 | 59.59% | 3,082 | 40.28% | 10 | 0.13% |
| 1948 | 2,858 | 47.28% | 3,141 | 51.96% | 46 | 0.76% |
| 1944 | 2,970 | 47.91% | 3,229 | 52.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 2,756 | 40.51% | 4,018 | 59.05% | 30 | 0.44% |
| 1936 | 1,777 | 32.08% | 3,685 | 66.53% | 77 | 1.39% |
| 1932 | 2,281 | 43.13% | 2,665 | 50.39% | 343 | 6.49% |
| 1928 | 2,941 | 64.13% | 1,618 | 35.28% | 27 | 0.59% |
| 1924 | 2,164 | 47.72% | 743 | 16.38% | 1,628 | 35.90% |
| 1920 | 1,769 | 59.16% | 1,145 | 38.29% | 76 | 2.54% |
| 1916 | 1,313 | 43.84% | 1,571 | 52.45% | 111 | 3.71% |
| 1912 | 882 | 32.75% | 1,044 | 38.77% | 767 | 28.48% |
| 1908 | 1,335 | 49.74% | 1,152 | 42.92% | 197 | 7.34% |
| 1904 | 1,674 | 63.41% | 706 | 26.74% | 260 | 9.85% |
| 1900 | 1,540 | 60.61% | 1,001 | 39.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1896 | 1,220 | 52.70% | 1,073 | 46.35% | 22 | 0.95% |
| 1892 | 1,100 | 49.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,123 | 50.52% |

## Education

There is one school district in Albany County: Albany County School District 1.