Afton, Wyoming, Home of Olympic Wrestling Champion Rulon Gardner, 2001
Afton’s story
138 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2001.
- 1888Afton is settled
AftonWY
A town of 2,256, settled in 1888.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Cfrolander · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,256
2025 Census estimate · +4.2% since 2020
Typical home
$495K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
31.9
years
Jobs based here
2,432
A job hub
Is Afton a good place to live?
The best of Afton’s subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for civic life; the weakest is a C for incomes. 53% of working residents work locally in Afton, where Wyoming’s towns sit at 50% and U.S. towns at 8%. Of the 21 Wyoming towns we compare, none has a lower violent crime rate than Afton. Afton’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, near the Wyoming town median (1.2) and above the median of U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest park or preserve is Canyon View Park, at 29 acres. Afton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Afton stand out
Where Afton beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here2,432
Residents who work866
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 97% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Lincoln County School District #2
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Afton Elementary | PK–3 | 419 |
| Star Valley Middle School | 7–8 | 428 |
| Star Valley High School | 9–12 | 846 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Afton has grown 18% since 2010
1,911 counted in 2010 and 2,172 in 2020; an estimated 2,256 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Afton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wyoming), ordered by how far Afton is from typical.
SchoolsAOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Jobs & income$64K median household incomeCOpen →Hazard riskavalanches tops the listCOpen →HealthStar Valley Medical Center 0.6 miles awayBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 2.9% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB+Open →History9 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Afton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Afton, and how to reach them.
PowerLower Valley Energy7.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAfton, Board of Pub UtilitiesNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Afton’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personWyoming has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (received 14 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLincoln County ClerkLincoln County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code8311083110 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Afton.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
A job hub: Afton has 2.8 jobs for every working resident and draws in 1,970 commuters
Since 2013, Afton has added 540 jobs, to 2,432 in 2023. The average trip to work in Afton is 16 minutes. The top destinations are Jackson (6%), Thayne (3%) and Alpine (2%).
53%work in town
| Afton | Wyoming towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 15 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Afton53%
Jackson6%
Thayne3%
Alpine2%
Hoback2%
2 mi
median commute distance
2,432
jobs based in Afton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 43% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsA
On state tests, Afton’s schools beat 88% of Wyoming districts
Its public schools are run by the Lincoln County School District #2. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Star Valley High School, with 846 students.
88%of WY districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Valley Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 428 | A− |
| Star Valley High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 846 | B− |
| Afton ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 419 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WY on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Afton are worth about $495K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Afton home is worth about $495,000, up 1.8% in a year, 34% above the Wyoming typical home. 59% of Afton households own their home.
$495KZillow home value
| Afton | Wyoming towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $844 a month | $927 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Afton$495K
Wyoming$369K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Wyoming overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 27% of residents (37% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 30% of residents (22% statewide). Afton’s median age is 31.9 years. Afton has grown 4.2% since 2020, to 2,256 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
31.9median age · WY 39.1
| Afton | Wyoming towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 years | 37.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 24% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 16% | 18% |
AftonWyomingUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school26%
Some college26%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 43% and 71% women
The Census survey reached too few of Afton’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±13.8 points. Across Wyoming, 48.9% of residents are women.
| Afton | WY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 21.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 12.6% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.8% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.6% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.9% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.2% | 12.7% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.4% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.1% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.3% | 5.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.5% | 27.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.4% | 24.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.7% | 11.6% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24% | 19.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.2% | 11.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,300, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Afton
Afton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 6° and about 88 inches of snow falls in a winter.
88″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–30°
Spring25–53°
Summer42–79°
Fall26–57°
Sep 1
typical first frost
Jun 20
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Residents of Afton are healthier than 61% of U.S. towns
Afton beats the Wyoming average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 69% of adults had a checkup this year in Afton.
61%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Afton | Wyoming towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 68% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 21% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 16% |
31 measures vs. Wyoming
0 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Afton | WY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 12.6% | 9.7% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 11.6% | 9.2% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 8% | 6.4% |
Star Valley Medical Center
0.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Crime reported in Afton
Afton's reported crime rate is well below Wyoming's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Afton0.4
Wyoming1.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Afton4.8
Wyoming11
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in Afton, with avalanches at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesEarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2.2%conserved
2.2%
conserved · 62 of 2,835 acres
6.1 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Canyon View Park | 0.7 mi | 29 |
| 2. Afton City Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Afton
18pages on Afton
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 88% of WY districts · 4 schoolsSafety0.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than WY on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$495K typical home · up 1.8% in a yearWork & commuteC$64K median household income · 2,432 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 60% of U.S. communities · avalanches
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Afton; the nearest are
College of Eastern IdahoCommunity college · Public · Idaho Falls, ID74.7 mi$3,390 in-state tuitionIdaho State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Pocatello, ID76.7 mi$8,610 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Afton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wyoming.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,970 people come to Afton for work
Where Afton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,432jobs based in Afton
53%of working residents work in town
2 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Afton
9 notable people were born in Afton.
L
LaWanna ShurtliffAmerican politician · 1935–2020E
Evan SimpsonAmerican politician · born 1957V
Velma LinfordAmerican educator, author and politician · 1907–2002About Afton
Town in Wyoming, United States
Afton is a town in Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 2,172 at the 2020 census. Afton is home to the world's largest arch made of elk antlers. Spanning 75 feet (23 m) across the four lanes of U.S. Highway 89, the arch, completed in 1958, consists of 3,011 naturally shed elk antlers and weighs 15 tons. Afton was incorporated in 1902.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,240 ft
- ZIP code
- 83110
- Area code
- 307
Afton’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Afton.
How the neighbors grade
Afton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Afton reports no FBI crime data of its own. Osmond isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Afton with a neighbor →
Questions about Afton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Afton, WY expensive?
Not for the area. That is 5.5 years of the area's median household income ($89,330 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Afton, WY known for?
9 notable people were born here, including Rulon Gardner and Vern Gardner.