1st Advantage MortgageLaramie, WY DSCR loans work like they do elsewhere: the lender divides the property's rent by its full monthly payment. The local inputs are a median gross rent of $925, median real estate taxes of $1,864 and a renter share of 56%.
Laramie rents, values and tenants
Two Census medians frame the Laramie rental market: gross rent of $925 a month, which is close to the Wyoming median of $992, and a home value of $319,500, which is close to the Wyoming median of $309,700. Put the two medians together and Laramie shows a gross yield of 3.5%, a lean ratio that leaves little room for taxes, insurance and dues. Because the rent number covers apartments as well as houses, expect single-family rentals to land above or below it.
| Indicator | Wyoming | Laramie | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persons per household | 2.34 | 2.04 | |
| Share in 2-4 unit buildings | 6.4% | 17.2% | +168% |
| Share of homes detached | 67.8% | 43.3% | -36% |
| Long commuters, 45 min plus | 9.7% | 4.6% | -52% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 30.6% | 56.2% | +84% |
| Workers on their own account | 11.9% | 7.1% | -41% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 43.1% | 51.2% | +19% |
| Units sitting vacant | 12.2% | 6.2% | -49% |
| Typical construction year | 1981 | 1977 | |
| Annual rent divided by value | 3.8% | 3.5% | -10% |
| Tax as a share of home value | 0.57% | 0.58% | +2% |
| Annual property tax bill, median | $1,767 | $1,864 | +5% |
| Household income, median | $76,176 | $55,613 | -27% |
| Typical monthly rent | $992 | $925 | -7% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 582,397 | 32,234 |
A renter-heavy city, Laramie has 55.9% of households renting (well above the Wyoming median of 28%), which is good for demand and a reminder to check rent comparables carefully. Median household income of $55,613 (well below the Wyoming median of $76,176) sets the ceiling for rent growth, and 51% of renters already spend 30 percent or more of income on rent.
What Laramie investors are buying
The housing stock in Laramie leans toward shared walls: 41% of units are in multi-unit buildings, and 17% sit in small two to four unit properties. With 1977 as the median build year, expect aging HVAC and roofs and ask for the dates of the last replacements.
Vacancy is a quiet driver of rent. 6% of homes are vacant citywide and 4.1% of the rental inventory was listed for rent when the Census surveyed.
What the data means for Laramie buyers
At 3.5% gross, Laramie is a tight market for DSCR math, and investors often turn to interest-only structures, higher rents on renovated units or small multifamily to make the ratio clear. With a 1977 median build year, the question for each property is when the roof and HVAC were last replaced. Renter-heavy markets like Laramie favor investors with a clear tenant profile, whether workers, students or families.
The payment side of the Laramie ratio
The Census reports median real estate taxes paid of $1,864 in Laramie, close to the Wyoming median of $1,767. Against the median value that is an effective rate of roughly 0.58%, compared with 0.57% for Wyoming as a whole. Set beside the median rent, the tax alone consumes about 17% of annual rent.
FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates Albany County as relatively low overall for natural hazard risk, with winter weather (relatively high), lightning (relatively high) and landslides (relatively moderate) among its leading hazards.
| Hazard in Albany County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Cold waves exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Landslides exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Lightning exposure | Relatively High |
| Winter weather exposure | Relatively High |
| Social vulnerability score | Relatively Low |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively Low |
| Composite risk | Relatively Low |
In Albany County, as anywhere, the premium is part of PITIA, which means a quote with the roof, age and flood zone of the actual Laramie address belongs in your file early.
Rent math for Laramie buyers
For a rough fit test, treat $925 as the rent and $155 as the monthly tax. The payment cannot exceed $925 at a 1.00 ratio, so $770 is left after taxes for interest, principal, insurance and any association dues, shrinking to $585 if the lender wants 1.25.
Landlord and short-term rental rules in Laramie
For Laramie, treat local rental rules as an open question to close before you offer. Ask the city and Albany County about landlord registration, inspections and short-term rental permits, and check association documents too. For Laramie short-term hosts, one state-level point stands out. Wyoming taxes short-term rentals of less than 30 continuous days with state sales tax and a statewide lodging tax plus local taxes, and platforms that act as marketplace facilitators collect and remit for the reservations they handle.
A Laramie landlord must handle the deposit within 60 days after move-out under Wyoming law. On rent control, No rent-increase notice requirement and no rent control provision found in W.S. 1-21-1201 to 1-21-1211 (other titles not searched).
Laramie compared with nearby markets
Among the nearby markets above, Cheyenne has the lowest median home value at $333,700 and Fort Collins the highest at $577,900, against $319,500 in Laramie.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins | 48% | $2,875 | $577,900 | 170,229 | $1,690 |
| Cheyenne | 33% | $1,946 | $333,700 | 65,239 | $1,118 |
| Laramie | 56% | $1,864 | $319,500 | 32,234 | $925 |
Tenants, jobs and anchors in Laramie
The self-employed share of the workforce is 7.1%, and those owners tend to be exactly the buyers DSCR financing was built for. The same survey shows government workers are about 34% of employment, 56% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 5% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
The Laramie area is home to University of Wyoming and Laramie County Community College. Students and employees at schools like these are a recurring source of rental demand. Wikipedia's entry for Laramie notes interstate access via I-80 and air service through Laramie Regional Airport and Denver International Airport, a practical point for tenants and owners alike.
Next steps for a Laramie purchase
Run the Laramie rent, tax and insurance figures through the DSCR calculator. When they clear the ratio, start an application or ask for a quote.
More Wyoming markets
References
- Lodging tax reference: Wyoming Excise Tax Division
- 2020 to 2024 ACS data used for Laramie
- FEMA county hazard table
- Background reading: Laramie, Wyoming
- Deposit statute: W.S. 1-21-1207, 1-21-1208
We took the Laramie data from Census ACS five-year tables for 2020 to 2024, estimates with margins of error. RedFlagLease (CC BY 4.0) supplies the Wyoming landlord-tenant notes, and the statutes are linked. Checked October 2026; confirm with Laramie or the county before you rely on any rule.
Quick file checklist
On a Laramie purchase, line up the lease, the tax estimate, the insurance quote and any association dues before the appraisal is ordered, and ask the appraiser's office what rent comparables they plan to use.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
What rent do DSCR lenders use for a Laramie rental?
It comes from a lease or from the market rent in the appraisal, whichever the program uses. Against that, the Laramie median is $925.
Do taxes and insurance count in the Laramie DSCR ratio?
Every piece of PITIA is in the denominator. With $925 in rent, a 1.25 lender allows about $740, leaving $585 after median taxes of $155 a month.
How high are property taxes in Laramie?
The Census reports a median of $1,864 a year for Laramie owners, about 0.58% of median value against 0.57% for Wyoming. The county reassesses after a sale, so ask the tax office for an estimate on your purchase price.
Can nightly stays at a Laramie property support a DSCR file?
Often, with conditions: legal use under city and association rules, documented income and an insurance policy that covers guests. Laramie owners should check all three first.
What are the security deposit rules for a Wyoming landlord?
Landlords in Laramie follow W.S. 1-21-1207, 1-21-1208. Return deadline: 60 days from move-out.
What hazard risk does Laramie carry for investors?
The National Risk Index gives the county an overall relatively low rating. Use that as a prompt to get quotes, not as a verdict on one Laramie street.
Should a Laramie rental be bought in an LLC?
Many Laramie investors do, though no rule forces it. The loan is secured by the property either way, and the lender will check who controls the company.