Laramie County, Wyoming

Laramie County is a county located at the southeast corner of the state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 100,512 or 17.4% of the state's total 2020 population, making it the most populous county in Wyoming, but the least populous county in the United States to be the most populous in its state. The county seat is Cheyenne, the state capital. The county lies west of the Nebraska state line and north of the Colorado state line. Laramie County comprises the Cheyenne, WY Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city of Laramie, Wyoming, is in neighboring Albany County.

Laramie County was originally created in 1867 as a county within the Dakota Territory. The county was named for Jacques La Ramee, a French-Canadian fur-trader. In 1867, a portion of Laramie County was annexed to create Sweetwater County; in 1868; further annexations occurred to create Albany County and Carbon County. Laramie County became a county in the Wyoming Territory when the territorial government was formed in 1869. Crook County was created with land ceded by Laramie County in 1875. In 1888, Converse County was formed from a portion of Laramie County. In 1911, Goshen and Platte Counties were formed from parts of Laramie County, giving the county its current boundaries.

The county's early economy was based on agriculture and livestock raising. The present-day Wyoming Stock Growers Association dates from that era. Other types of animal husbandry also occurred.

Some of the settlers in early Laramie County were foreign immigrants; for example, Burns was largely settled by German immigrants.

The Laramie County Library System is one of the oldest continually operating county library systems in the United States, the first branch established in Cheyenne in 1886. In 1899, Andrew Carnegie donated $50,000 toward the building of the state's first Carnegie Public Library, which opened in 1902. The library moved to a larger location in 1969. In 2007, a second library opened.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,688 square miles (6,960 km²), of which 2,686 square miles (6,960 km²) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) (0.06%) is water.

As of the 2000 United States census, Laramie County had 81,607 people, 31,927 households, and 21,614 families. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12 people/km²). The county had 34,213 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.92% White, 2.60% Black or African American, 0.85% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 4.00% from other races, and 2.57% from two or more races. 10.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.7% were of German, 11.1% English, 10.3% Irish and 7.4% American ancestry.

As of the 2000 census, Laramie County had 31,927 households, of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.90% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 27.20% of all households were made up of a single individual and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.