Cody, Wyoming

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.43 sqmi, of which 10.20 sqmi is land and 0.23 sqmi is water.

The Shoshone River flows through Cody in a canyon. There are four bridges over this river in the Cody vicinity, one at the north edge of town that allows travel to the north, and one about 5 mi east of Cody that allows passage to Powell and the areas to the north and east. The other two are west of town; one allows access to the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park, and the other is used by fishermen in Shoshone Canyon and as access to the Buffalo Bill Dam.

Cody is located at the western edge of the Bighorn Basin, a depression surrounded by the Big Horn, Owl Creek, Bridger, and Absaroka ranges. At the western edge of Cody, a deep canyon formed by the Shoshone River provides the only passage to Yellowstone's Eastern Entrance. At its mouth and rising above Cody are Rattlesnake Mountain on the north side and Cedar Mountain on the south side. Much of Cody has views of Heart Mountain, whose 8,123 ft peak is 9 mi directly north of Cody, and the Carter Mountain massif, which forms a line with peaks above 12000 ft, some 15 mi to the south.

Climate

Cody enjoys about 300 days of sunshine per year, and is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5a (-20 to).

The Buffalo Bill Dam between Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains forms a large reservoir about 10 mi to the west of Cody. This reservoir (among others) feeds the Shoshone Project, a large irrigation water distribution system.

The wettest calendar year has been 2014 with 16.59 in and the driest 1956 with 3.58 in. The most rainfall in one month was 5.76 in in June 1992. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.51 in on July 22, 1973. There are an average of 72.3 days with measurable precipitation. The most snow in one year was 73.4 in between July 1916 and June 1917. The most snow in one month was 29.0 in in February 2014.

|Jan record high F = 68 |Feb record high F = 75 |Mar record high F = 79 |Apr record high F = 87 |May record high F = 94 |Jun record high F = 103 |Jul record high F = 105 |Aug record high F = 103 |Sep record high F = 97 |Oct record high F = 87 |Nov record high F = 74 |Dec record high F = 67

|Jan avg record high F = 56.2 |Feb avg record high F = 56.5 |Mar avg record high F = 66.4 |Apr avg record high F = 75.3 |May avg record high F = 81.6 |Jun avg record high F = 89.8 |Jul avg record high F = 94.9 |Aug avg record high F = 93.2 |Sep avg record high F = 88.4 |Oct avg record high F = 78.0 |Nov avg record high F = 64.3 |Dec avg record high F = 55.4 |year avg record high F = 95.6

|Jan avg record low F = -8.6 |Feb avg record low F = -3.2 |Mar avg record low F = 5.6 |Apr avg record low F = 17.6 |May avg record low F = 28.0 |Jun avg record low F = 38.1 |Jul avg record low F = 47.5 |Aug avg record low F = 43.3 |Sep avg record low F = 31.8 |Oct avg record low F = 16.5 |Nov avg record low F = 2.1 |Dec avg record low F = -5.7 |year avg record low F = -16.0

|Jan record low F = -40 |Feb record low F = -46 |Mar record low F = -23 |Apr record low F = -18 |May record low F = 15 |Jun record low F = 25 |Jul record low F = 33 |Aug record low F = 29 |Sep record low F = 9 |Oct record low F = -11 |Nov record low F = -24 |Dec record low F = -35

|access-date = August 15, 2022 |access-date = August 15, 2022

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 10,066 people, and 4,401 households in the city. The population density was 981.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 3.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7% of the population.

21.4% of the population were under 18, and 6.6% were under 5. People over 65 made up 19.4% of the population. The gender makeup was 49.9% female and 50.1% male.

The median household income was $59,682, and the per capita income was $34,127. People under the poverty line made up 8.9% of the population.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,520 people, 4,278 households, and 2,502 families living in the city. The population density was 933.3 PD/sqmi. There were 4,650 housing units at an average density of 455.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 0.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 4,278 households, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.5% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 42.4 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.9% were from 45 to 64; and 18.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,835 people, 3,791 households, and 2,403 families living in the city. The population density was 952.3 people per square mile (367.6/km2). There were 4,113 housing units at an average density of 443.3 per square mile (171.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.90% White, 0.10% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.22% of the population.

There were 3,791 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,450, and the median income for a family was $40,554. Males had a median income of $31,395 versus $19,947 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,813. About 9.4% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Husky Energy was founded in Cody in 1938 as Husky Refining Company, when Glenn Nielsen purchased the assets of Park Refining Company, started four years earlier by area oil developer Valentine M. Kirk. Husky operated as refinery until 1980s, the facility being demolished in the 1990s.

Arts and culture

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West features the Draper Natural History Museum, the Plains Indian Museum, the Cody Firearms Museum, the Whitney Western Art Museum and the Buffalo Bill Museum, which chronicles the life of William F. Cody, for whom the center is named.

Old Trail Town is a restoration of more than 25 historic Western buildings and artifacts.

Cody calls itself the "Rodeo Capital of the World", and the Cody Nite Rodeo is an annual amateur rodeo event.

The Cody Stampede Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo, one of the largest rodeos in the United States. It features a stampede, parades, rodeos, and fireworks.

Cody has a public library, a branch of the Park County Library System.

The Whitney Western Arts Museum, and the Cody Country Art League are local galleries.

Rendezvous Royale art festival features the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale.

The Concert in the Park series features the Cody Cattle Company.

The Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre is a local dance company.

Government

Cody is governed by a city council and a mayor. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. The city council consists of six members who are elected from one of three wards. Each ward elects two members.

Education

Public education in the city of Cody is provided by Park County School District #6. Three elementary schools – Eastside, Glenn Livingston, and Sunset - serve students in grades kindergarten through five. The district's two secondary campuses are Cody Middle School (grades 6–8) and Cody High School (grades 9–12).

Media

AM Radio:

• KZMQ (AM) 1140 (country)
• KPOW 1260 (country)
• KODI 1400 (news talk)

FM Radio:

• KOFG 91.1 (religious)
• KUWP 90.1 (Wyoming Public Radio and NPR), University of Wyoming
• KTAG 97.9 (adult contemporary)
• KZMQ-FM 100.3 (country)
• KROW 101.1 (contemporary christian)
• KBEN-FM 103.3 (classic country)
• KCGL 104.1 (classic hits)
• KWHO 107.1 (classic rock)

Television:

• KTVQ (CBS) from Billings
• KULR (NBC) from Billings
• K19LM-D (PBS) (translator for KCWC-DT in Lander)

Newspaper

The twice-weekly Cody Enterprise was founded by "Buffalo Bill" Cody and Col. John Peake in August 1899. The paper has a paid circulation of 7,050, and is owned by SAGE Publishing of Cody.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

• U.S. 14
• U.S. 16
• U.S. 20
• U.S.14A - Powell Highway
• 120
• 291 - South Fork Road

Airport

The Yellowstone Regional Airport offers passenger service.

Railroad

Cody is served by the Cody Branch of the BNSF Railway, which runs south-west from Frannie for about 46 mi. The branch terminates in Cody.

Notable people

• Laura Bell, author, currently residing in Cody
• Luke Bell (1990–2022), country musician, raised in Cody
• Eric Bischoff (born 1955), former President of World Championship Wrestling
• William Frederick Cody a.k.a. "Buffalo Bill", namesake of city
• Larry Echo Hawk, former attorney general of Idaho
• Frank Tenney Johnson (1874–1939), western artist
• John Linebaugh, gunsmith; cartridge inventor
• Jackson Pollock (1912–1956), abstract expressionist painter
• Colin M. Simpson (born 1959), former Wyoming State Representative
• Milward Simpson (1897–1993), former governor of Wyoming and U.S. senator
• Pete Simpson (born 1930), historian; former administrator at the University of Wyoming
• Mark Spragg (born 1952), author, born in Cody
• Craig L. Thomas (1933–2007), former United States Senator from Wyoming
• Mike Leach (1961-2022), football coach

Sister cities

• Georgia Lanchkhuti, Georgia

References

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. {{GNIS. 2409499
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. Robert E. Bonner. (October 25, 2015). "Town Founder and Irrigation Tycoon: The Buffalo Bill Nobody Knows". WyoHistory.org.
6. "US Gazetteer files 2010". [[United States Census Bureau]].
7. "2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map {{!}} USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map".
8. "Historical Decennial Census Population for Wyoming Counties, Cities, and Towns". Wyoming Department of State / U.S. Census Bureau.
9. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
10. link
11. "Old Trail Town".
12. "History of Cody and Rodeo".
13. "Cody Nite Rodeo".
14. "Parades".
15. "Wyoming Public Libraries". PublicLibraries.com.
16. "Cody Country Art League".
17. "Rendezvous Royale".
18. "Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale".
19. "Concerts in the Park".
20. "Cody Cattle Company".
21. "The Nutcracker".
22. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Park County, WY". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
23. "Mike Leach - Football Coach".
24. "Archived copy".