Rawlins is a compact, authentic western county seat of Carbon County with about 8,221 residents and an elevation near 6,827 feet; its walkable downtown, local cafes and museums plus immediate access to wide open high‑desert and forested landscapes make it a comfortable, interesting place to live and work for multi‑week assignments rather than a forgettable layover.
For quick weekend variety, Saratoga is about 41–42 miles away and offers hot springs, Platte River fishing and mountain trailheads for day trips, so you can easily escape for outdoor recreation and a livelier small‑town scene within an hour of Rawlins.