Brains
Skiing and snowboarding are not cheap activities, particularly for parents of kids eager to join in on the fun. Airfares for the whole family, car rentals, rapidly rising gas prices, lodging, lift tickets, season passes, rental equipment, ski/board lessons, $20 bowls of chili on the mountain for lunch, …, the list goes on and on. Thousands of dollars will be spent for a week-long trip, depending on where a family is coming from and going to and how many family members will tag along.
On top of the exorbitant costs associated with winter sports, most families in the United States do not live close to a ski area. The hours or days of travel time required to reach the hills and mountains where snowy slopes lie mean families with school-aged kids only have two realistic opportunities to partake each year: Winter Break and Spring Break. Both vacation periods clog lift lines with many families descending on resorts for their annual ski trip, and the timing of both breaks often lends to terrain closures due to early-season droughts or late-season snowmelt. Such factors can quickly diminish any remaining stoke upon arriving at a resort.
Due to the increased popularity of remote jobs and work-from-home positions, many families are combating the aforementioned costs by moving closer to the mountains in an effort to enjoy year-round activities without being confined to short school breaks.
There are a plethora of fantastic towns to choose from when deciding which state to homestead in. After covering the best seven towns West of the Mississippi previously, we have moved on to the best seven towns East of the Mississippi for our SnowBrains readers, again ranked on the AreaVibes Livability Score, which uses an algorithm to account for nine unique categories and then compiles the tally into one overall score out of 100.
For this list, the only categories factored in include affordable housing, quality of education, crime rate, and, most importantly, accessible on-mountain activities to enjoy! The seven towns are listed alphabetically by state:
Hancock, Michigan
Located in the Upper Peninsula, Hancock and its approximately 5,000 residents boast the title of “Snowiest City in the Midwest.” Due to its proximity to Lake Superior and the resulting Lake Effect phenomenon, the small city averages an astounding 212 inches of snow per year. Taking advantage of these tremendous snow totals are Mont Ripley Ski Area and Mount Bohemia. Mont Ripley Ski Area, also known as the oldest ski area in Michigan, lies less than five minutes from downtown and exudes a family-friendly vibe with 112 skiable acres of glades, bowls, bumps, and groomers, with terrain parks, night skiing, and tubing also available. For the more extreme families, head north less than an hour to Mount Bohemia, where beginners are prohibited. The black-diamond-only runs include Rockies-esq cliff bands, frozen waterfalls, and exposed rock formations hidden within tree-covered glades.
With a crime rate 72% lower than the average in Michigan, with median home prices around $110,000, and with average high school test scores 24% better than the national average, Hancock provides a fantastic city to raise kids in while enjoying the many outdoors activities offered in the area.
Gorham, New Hampshire
Gorham – situated 30 minutes away from the tallest peak in the Northeast, Mount Washington (6,288 feet) – hosts a population of around 3,000 residents who enjoy the beautiful scenery of New Hampshire and its ample offering of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, climbing, waterfall exploration, and winter sports. Local ski and snowboard enthusiasts can choose from a variety of the top resorts in New England, including Black Mountain, Attitash, Cranmore, Cannon, Loon Mountain, Bretton Woods, and more which are all less than an hour away. Wildcat Mountain, only 15 minutes from downtown and rising to a peak elevation of over 4,000 feet (one of 48 such peaks in New Hampshire), is the most easily accessible from town and holds the title for “longest beginner run in New Hampshire” with Polecat Trail traversing over 2.75 miles, perfect for families with kids.
With a violent crime rate 49% less than the national average, high school testing scores 19% higher than the national average, and a median home price of only $128,500, Gorham is a safe and affordable option for families to consider when searching for a permanent destination.
Ellicottville, New York
This small village of approximately 300 residents lies an hour South of Niagra Falls at the entrance to the beautiful Allegany National Forest. Camping, hiking, biking, and leaf peeping in the autumn are all popular family activities, while skiing and snowboarding dominate the winter season. Located within Ellicottville are HoliMont Ski Area and Holiday Valley Ski Resort, while Kissing Bridge Ski Resort resides a short 35-minute drive North towards Buffalo. HoliMont prides itself on being a family-friendly mountain while touting its moniker “the largest private ski club in North America,” with 100% of the runs at the resort covered by snow-making capabilities. Not to be outdone, patrons of Holiday Valley can enjoy 39 trails of nighttime adrenaline after carving 60 trails and 750 feet of vertical drop during the day.
With a crime rate 25% less than the rest of New York, a high school graduation rate 11% higher than the state average, and a median home price of $257,000, Ellicottville is an increasingly popular town back East for families desiring an affordable mountain lifestyle.
Boone, North Carolina
Named after the famous pioneer and frontiersman Daniel Boone, this city of nearly 20,000 residents resides within the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Warm summer months are perfect for enjoying activities such as rafting, mountain biking, birding, and fishing, while the cooler winters provide snow to ski and ice to skate. Appalachian Ski Mountain, Beech Mountain Resort, and Sugar Mountain Resort all provide winter recreation within a 15-40 minute drive at an affordable family price. The largest resort, Sugar Mountain, contains 20 varied slopes and 1,200 feet of vertical drop accessed by eight lifts and covered 100% by snowmaking capabilities. Additionally, a terrain park, a tubing park, and ski and snowboard schools provide all levels of recreation for each age and interest level.
Crime rates in Boone are 34% less than average compared to the rest of the state, schools achieve 20% higher than average national testing scores, and the median home price is an affordable $279,400 making Boone an attractive destination for year-round adventure.
Montpelier, Vermont
The beautiful and historic city of Montpelier is the capital of Vermont and with a little over 8,000 residents, the smallest capital city in the United States. What this city lacks in size, it more than makes up for in charm and quick access to outdoor recreation, including cross-country skiing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, biking, and downhill skiing. Four of the premier alpine ski areas in Vermont are within an hour of downtown, making the central location of the city a massive asset for families looking to enjoy winter sports with their kids. Stowe Mountain Resort, Bolton Valley Resort, Sugarbush, and Mad River Glen each provide differences in ski experience (particularly Mad River, which prohibits snowboards) with a plethora of trails, high-speed lifts, numerous terrain parks, and phenomenal East Coast tree skiing.
With a crime rate 12% lower than the national average, median home prices at $257,300, and an A+ education rating based on high school graduation rates and test scores, Montpelier easily makes the list as a great family ski town.
West Rutland, Vermont
Sitting at the base of the Green Mountain National Forest, West Rutland is a community of approximately 2,200 residents with outstanding access to the “Beast of the East.” Killington Mountain Resort, the largest ski area in the Eastern United States with the most verticle change from peak to base in New England, lies a quick 30 minutes from downtown. With over 3,000 feet of vertical drop, 1,500 skiable acres, 73 miles of trails, and arguably the most advanced terrain park on the East Coast, Killington provides families with endless opportunities to explore and improve. Nearby Pico Mountain offers patrons an additional 19 miles of trails and nearly 2,000 feet of vertical change with a recently upgraded snowmaking fleet.
West Rutland experiences 60% less total crime than the national average while offering a median home price of $148,300 and a B+-rated education system, according to AreaVibes.
Hurley, Wisconsin
Sharing a border with Ironwood, Michigan, 1,500 people reside in the city of Hurley near the shores of Lake Superior in a region known as “Big Snow Country.” Popular activities nearby include ATV excursions, biking, fishing, watersports, and winter sports. Known as a “place where everyone can play,” Hurley offers four family-friendly ski and snowboard areas within a 30-minute drive from downtown. The closest and oldest, Mt. Zion Recreational Complex, is located on the campus of Gogebic Community College, eight minutes from downtown, and offers reasonable rates, a variety of children’s programs, and a snow tubing park. Larger ski resorts Big Powderhorn, Snowriver Mountain Resort, and Whitecap Mountains Resort, are all less than 30 minutes from Hurley and offer plentiful powder days and over 200 inches of the Midwest’s finest snow annually due to the Lake Superior Lake Effect snowfall.
Buying a house in Hurley costs only $60,000 on average, with reported crime statistics 43% lower than the state average and high school testing scores one percent higher than the national average.
