Introducing Johnson County: Rural character and rich ranching heritage shape Johnson County
The Wyoming Livestock Roundup is excited to highlight farms, ranches and agribusinesses of Johnson County in our 2026 Winter Cattlemen’s Edition.
Located in north-central Wyoming, Johnson County covers 4,175 square miles of rugged foothills, rolling rangelands and wide river valleys, providing some of the most productive livestock country in the state and boasting Wyoming’s 10th largest landmass of the state’s 23 counties.
With a population of just over 8,000 people – roughly two residents per square mile – the county’s rural character and rich ranching heritage continue to shape its economy and culture.
Landscape and climate
Johnson County’s landscape is a blend of vast plains, rolling hills, sagebrush steppe, interwoven river valleys and the eastern slopes of the Big Horn Mountains.
The Powder River and its tributaries wind through the county, supplying vital water resources to support grazing and hay production in northern Wyoming’s semi-arid environment.
Like much of Wyoming, Johnson County receives limited precipitation of roughly 15 inches per year, and the climate is shaped by hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.
These conditions support forage production and extensive livestock grazing.
Johnson County ag stats
According to the 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Census of Agriculture, Johnson County is home to 402 farms and land in farms totals 2,034,098 acres, with average acreage per operation equating to 5,060.
Of the county’s agricultural land, 1,968,968 acres are classified as pastureland; 47,087 acres are classified as cropland and 9,763 acres are classified as woodland.
Only two percent of land in farms – or 36,760 acres – are irrigated.
According to the USDA, all hay and haylage, at 31,776 acres, is the number one crop grown in the area, followed by barley for grain at 1,545 acres and corn for grain at 60 acres.
At 59,071 head, cattle and calves dominate the county’s livestock inventory, with sheep following in second at 25,430 head.
The rest of the county’s livestock inventory includes 2,293 horses and ponies; 1,110 layers; 796 goats; 263 broilers and other meat-type chickens; 35 pullets and 16 turkeys.
Additionally, USDA reports Johnson County accounts for three percent of the entire state’s agricultural sales, with the total market value of agriculture products sold topping $54.78 million.
The majority of these sales – 88 percent – comes from livestock, poultry and other animal products, while the remaining 12 percent comes from the sale of crops.
State rankings
According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, Johnson County ranks in the state’s top 15 of nearly all agricultural products grown and raised there.
The county ranks second for the production of fruits, tree nuts and berries; fifth for sheep, goats, wool, mohair, horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys and seventh for hogs and pigs.
Additionally, Johnson County ranks 11th for grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas and milk from cows; 13th for poultry and eggs and cattle and calves; 14th for vegetables, melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes and 18th for nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, sod, short-rotation woody crops and cultivated Christmas trees.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
