100 best places to live and launch

Population: 55,870
Pro: New supercomputing center should be a big boost
Con: Relatively isolated

Cheyenne is a classic western town, born of the Union Pacific Railroad and once home to an assortment of gamblers, saloon owners, cowboys, miners, railroad gangs and soldiers from Camp Cheyenne, now the F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

Today, Cheyenne is the biggest city in Wyoming and its state capitol. The cost of living is low, and the pace is on the slow side, which suits many residents, who drive 45 miles to Ft. Collins, Colo., when they seek a better selection of shopping, dining and entertainment options.

Wyoming currently has only a tiny tech sector, but not for long: last year the National Center for Atmospheric Research announced plans to build a powerful supercomputing center at a site a few miles west of Cheyenne. The $60 million center, slated to open by 2011, is expected to boost the research profile of the University of Wyoming and act as a technological magnet, creating jobs and business opportunities. -Elizabeth Bland

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