Wyoming Gets 20 Opportunity Zone Census Tracts

Why it matters

The Opportunity Zones program gives investors tax benefits for investing in businesses and real estate in designated communities, and Wyoming had fewer than 25 eligible census tracts, so the state nominated all 20 tracts Treasury identified. The Wyoming Business Council adviser said the designation can make a good project easier to finance.

The details

Wyoming nominated all 20 census tracts identified by the Treasury Department, a process led by the Wyoming Business Council and the Governor's Office through a working group. Campbell County's designated area is census tract 1.03, which covers part of southwest Campbell County near Wright and has an estimated population of 1,793; the program provides tax benefits but does not offer government grants.

Timeline

1. November 9, 2026: Treasury designation announced.

2. January 1, 2027: Opportunity Zone designations take effect.

3. 10 years: Designations remain in place and investors must hold investments for this period to avoid federal taxes on growth.

Economic Context

Wyoming's designations apply the federal Opportunity Zones program, created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, to a state where most eligible tracts are rural. The program offers tax incentives to investors who put capital into designated census tracts.

The takeaway

Investors and communities looking at Opportunity Zones should check whether their census tract is designated and plan around the January 1, 2027 start date. The 10-year holding period is the key requirement for the tax benefit.

What happens next

The designations take effect January 1, 2027, and remain in place for 10 years.

Further reading

Explore more on Regional Economics to see how federal incentive programs shape local investment across states.

More information

View the Wyoming Opportunity Zone maps and designated area details for the full list of designated tracts.