Cheyenne, Wyoming

The capital of Wyoming leans into cowboy living. Every summer, the city hosts Cheyenne Frontier Days, a 10-day rodeo and celebration of Western culture. Throughout the year, the 13,000 square-foot Wrangler (alternatively known as the Boot Barn) sells Western clothing — from kid-sized cowboy boots starting at $14.99 to a $5,000 cowboy hat with a diamond buckle. Nearby, a trolley tour promises tales of gunfights, brothels and vigilantes. (You might also learn that Wyoming was the first state to give women the vote.)

With 63,000 residents, Cheyenne is Wyoming’s biggest city. Like in the rest of this rural state, the unemployment rate has remained relatively low during the pandemic and was just 6.6% in June. The military and Union Pacific Railroad are both big employers. — Samantha Sharf

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