Wyoming Zombie Survival Index: 93/100

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The three tests

Wyoming scored three times

A state that handles shamblers can get erased by sprinters. Here is how Wyoming performs under each outbreak model.

Walking DeadThe Walking Dead

98

Slow zombies reward distance, terrain, food and freshwater. Wyoming has about 588,753 people and 28.8 million acres in farm operations, plus 1.16 million cattle and calves. Against walkers, survivors have time to turn those resources into a defensible long-term system.

World War ZWorld War Z

97

Fast zombies turn evacuation into a race against the road network. Wyoming wins on low population, route redundancy and defensive terrain, with almost no metro exposure to punish it. The passes can choke, but the traffic simply isn't there.

Last of UsThe Last of Us

84

Yes, we know they're not technically zombies. This asks whether a settlement still works after modern supply chains stop. Wyoming has the food, water and fuel; the limit is climate and the distance to specialised medicine.

What helps

Rocky Mountains, high basins, plains, canyons, badlands and enormous sparsely populated distances
Mountain snowpack and the North Platte, Green, Bighorn and Snake river systems, plus reservoirs and groundwater
28.8 million acres in farm operations
1.16 million cattle and calves
280,000 sheep and lambs plus major hay, barley, wheat and sugarbeet production
One of the country's strongest per-capita resource bases — coal, natural gas, oil, wind and hydro
F.E. Warren Air Force Base, the Wyoming National Guard and strategic missile infrastructure

What hurts

Extreme winter cold, blizzards, wildfire, drought, high winds and localised flooding
Remote safety can mean thinner medicine and longer repair distances
Main corridors become population funnels after a late evacuation
Parts, medicine and skilled labour can be very far from remote settlements

Choose an agricultural valley with dependable water, then let distance and terrain do the rest.

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The reason for the score

Wyoming's zombie superpowers

Mountains, basins, canyons and badlands determine movement, observation, evacuation and settlement options. The best refuge needs terrain plus water plus food plus energy plus access — and Wyoming supplies all five.

1 · Population

Fewer than 600,000 residents spread across a huge state. There is almost nobody to turn.

2 · Terrain

Mountain ranges, basins and canyons make large-scale infected movement extremely difficult.

3 · Ranching and food

USDA shows 28.8 million farm and ranch acres, 1.16 million cattle and 280,000 sheep and lambs.

4 · Energy

Coal, oil, natural gas and wind give Wyoming extraordinary fuel and power depth.

The catch

Winter, distance and medicine

Winter

Wyoming's biggest zombie weapon will kill unprepared humans just as efficiently.

Medical distance

Specialised care may be hours away, and hours matter.

Long logistics

Parts, medicine and skilled labour can be very far from a remote settlement.

The framework

25 survival factors, scored 1–10

Every state is measured on the same 25 factors. Weighting shifts by scenario — terrain matters more against sprinters, agriculture matters more in a long collapse.

01 Population density Lowest-tier population density nationally 10/10

02 Major city exposure No major metro exposure 10/10

03 Road escape capacity Low congestion, though roads are sparse and distances huge 8/10

04 Freshwater availability Strong mountain-fed rivers and reservoirs where settlements exist 8/10

05 Agricultural capacity 28.8 million farm and ranch acres 10/10

06 Food self-sufficiency Excellent cattle, sheep, hay and grain base 9/10

07 Wilderness & remote land Exceptional remote land 10/10

08 Natural defensive terrain Mountains, basins and canyons are elite terrain 10/10

09 Climate survivability Harsh climate is difficult for humans 4/10

10 Winter zombie suppression Elite winter suppression 10/10

11 Natural disaster risk Blizzard, drought, wildfire and wind risk 5/10

12 Energy production Elite coal, gas, oil and wind resource depth 10/10

13 Off-grid energy potential Excellent wind and solar potential 10/10

14 Medical resources Sparse advanced medical access 5/10

15 Military & Guard presence F.E. Warren and Guard assets 8/10

16 Emergency management Strong winter and wildfire emergency capability 8/10

17 Supply & logistics Long-distance logistics are a weakness 6/10

18 Infrastructure vulnerability Remote infrastructure and winter access can be fragile 7/10

19 Survival resource availability Food, fuel, water, minerals and wildlife are exceptional 10/10

20 Evacuation & refuge potential Elite refuge potential 10/10

21 Natural barriers & water access Mountains and rivers create major barriers 9/10

22 Distance from population centers Huge distances from population centers 10/10

23 Chokepoint & bridge dependency Passes can choke, but traffic is low 9/10

24 Hunting, fishing & foraging Elite hunting and fishing 10/10

25 Long-term settlement potential Outstanding with winter and logistics planning 9/10

Tactics

What works, by scenario

Strategy	Walking Dead	World War Z	Last of Us
Rural farm or ranch with independent water	Excellent	Very good if reached early	Excellent
Small agricultural town	Very good	Good	Excellent
Remote site with no food system	Good early	Very good for isolation	Poor long-term
Major highway evacuation	Good early, bad late	Terrible late	Poor after collapse
Major metro shelter	Poor	Terrible	Poor
Distributed renewable power	Very good	Good	Excellent
Hunting and fishing supplement	Very good	Good	Very good
One-road refuge	Risky	Risky	Risky

Geography

Where to be

Best overall

Bighorn Basin

Agriculture, water, terrain and small communities create the best overall package in the state.

Established irrigation and ranch land
Mountain barriers on more than one side
Small towns without metro exposure
Dependable water rather than seasonal flow

Runner-up

Wind River Basin agricultural fringe

Water and ranching with strong mountain barriers behind you.

Third

Rural southeast Wyoming, away from Cheyenne

Excellent energy and ranching, though the terrain is more open and exposed.

Where not to be

Avoid

Remote mountain cabin without winter logistics

Distance alone is not a survival system. A cabin you cannot resupply or heat is a slow-motion problem.

Avoid early

The Cheyenne corridor

Still small by national standards, but it is the state's largest transport concentration.

Avoid

High basin site without secure water and wind protection

The emptiness is not the problem; exposure is.

Verdict

93 out of 100 · Grade A · Rank #1

Wyoming is among the best states for avoiding both zombies and people. It has fewer than 600,000 residents, mountains, open range, cattle, hunting, energy resources, freshwater headwaters, and enormous stretches of defensible wilderness. The catch is extreme cold, blizzards, drought, wildfire, long distances, limited farmland, and sparse medical infrastructure. Wyoming offers extraordinary isolation, but survivors must bring the skills and supplies needed to live without outside support.

Walking Dead 98. World War Z 97. Last of Us 84.

Choose an agricultural valley with dependable water, then let distance and terrain do the rest.

See the national survey board

Method & sources

Where the numbers come from

The Zombie Survival Index is a fictional entertainment ranking that uses real public data as its inputs. Every state is scored on the same 25 factors under three outbreak models, and the overall number blends those results. All fifty states have been assessed and normalised against the same national scoring set.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Population Estimates and QuickFacts
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2025 State Agriculture Overview
U.S. Energy Information Administration, State Electricity Profile
State water-resource and environmental agencies
State emergency-management agencies
U.S. Department of Defense and National Guard installation sources
State wildlife, hunting and fishing agencies
NOAA and state climatology and hazard sources