JACKSON, Wyo. — The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) 2024 Annual Report, which was released at the end of the year, identifies that Wyoming has the highest overall out-migration rate of any state, but “third spaces” might be the solution.
Research conducted in 2022 and cited in the report shows that people tend to leave the state before they are 40 years old.
“This is especially noteworthy given how much Wyoming spends educating its youth,” the report reads.
Insights from a panel with WBC and a core group of University of Wyoming (UW) students highlighted in the report, along with a survey of more than 200 UW students, confirm Wyoming’s strengths are in entrepreneurship and potential for business growth. However, the limited availability of what’s known as “third spaces,” meaning community-oriented spots like cafes, theaters and bookstores where people can gather and connect outside of work and home, were a big deterrent for participants when considering staying in the state.
In Jackson Hole, these third spaces exist in the three bookstores, 10+ cafes and a collection of theaters and performance spaces.
Tumbleweed Creative Arts Artistic Director Andrew Munz, who grew up in Jackson, emphasizes the importance of access to these places locally.
“Without theaters, music venues, cafes, etc., we lose our culture, our reason to connect, to stay, to feel like we’re part of something bigger.”
Tumbleweed Creative Arts Artistic Director Andrew Munz
“With Tumbleweed, we’re trying to show that community isn’t just where you live – it’s what you can build and create together,” Munz tells Buckrail. “Without theaters, music venues, cafes, etc., we lose our culture, our reason to connect, to stay, to feel like we’re part of something bigger.”
Munz says he’s working on more initiatives to create venues with inclusive programming for everyone.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) stresses that the relevance of third places to health and quality of life is still under-researched, but research does confirm that sites like these can encourage wellbeing through mechanisms of stimulation, support, protection and care.
“These ‘third places’ enrich social interaction, sense of community and belonging outside of the home and workplace,” the NIH writes on its website.
According to the report, building “third space” environments is key to retaining young professionals in the state of Wyoming, providing the next generation of workforce a balance between career potential and quality of life.
To read the WBC’s full assessment, click here.
