Where to ride out a gas crunch

Median commute: 9.23 minutes

Laramie, which covers 11.1 square miles, is an outdoor enthusiast's dream and the state's only college town, as home to the University of Wyoming.

The university is also the city's largest employer, providing more than 5,000 easy-to-get-to jobs, followed by the county school system and Ivinson Memorial Hospital.

Since the locals don't spend much time traveling to and from their offices, they have plenty of opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, rocking climbing and camping in Laramie's moderate climate.

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