Top 10 Most Affordable Mountain Towns in the USA

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The village at Taos Ski Valley, NM. Credit: Taos Real Estate

Living in a mountain town is the best way to achieve the ski-bum dream, but unfortunately, mountain homes donโ€™t tend to fit a ski-bum budget. Worry not though, magazine House Beautiful has listed the most affordable mountain towns in the USA to make that dream a reality.

Obviously, youโ€™re not going to get that condo in Aspen, that house in Park City, or a cabin in Telluride, but each of these areas offers some epic skiing right on your doorstep. What matters most to you, a luxurious home with a three-car garage and sauna, or being able to shred right out of your front door?

10. Mammoth Lakes, CA โ€“ Average Home Cost: $438,686.

  • Nearest resort: Mammoth Mountain

9. Silverthorne, CO โ€“ Average Home Cost: $428,367.

  • Nearest resorts: Breckenridge, Keystone, A-Basin, Loveland, Copper

8. Taos, NM โ€“ Average Home Cost: $401,864.

  • Nearest resort: Taos Ski Valley

7. South Lake Tahoe, CA โ€“ Average Home Cost: $400,288

  • Nearest resorts: Heavenly, Kirkwood, Sierra-at-Tahoe

6. Durango, CO โ€“ Average Home Cost: $397,124

  • Nearest resort: Purgatory
Durango, CO.

5. Granby, CO โ€“ Average Home Cost: $354,721

  • Nearest resorts: Ski Granby Ranch, Winter Park

4. Big Bear, CA โ€“ Average Home Cost: $312,662

  • Nearest resorts: Big Bear Mountain Resort, Snow Summit

3. Maggie Valley, NC โ€“ Average Home Cost: $253,851

  • Nearest resort: Cataloochee Ski Area

2. Conway, NH โ€“ Average Home Cost: $237,708

  • Nearest resorts: Cranmore Mountain Resort, Attitash, Wildcat

1. Poconos, PA โ€“ Average Home Cost: $199,797

  • Nearest resorts: Blue Mountain Resort, Camelback Mountain, Big Boulder Ski Area

*House prices based on 2020 data.


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15 thoughts on โ€œTop 10 Most Affordable Mountain Towns in the USAโ€

  1. This list is ridiculous. Average home price in South Lake Tahoe $400,000??? Maybe in 2015. I havenโ€™t been able to find anything under 400,000 for months now, so after living here for seven years weโ€™re moving. I was looking for cheaper mountain towns to live in so I clicked on this and immediately scoffed when I saw SLT please future readers, take these suggestions with a huge grain of salt, and DONโ€™T move to Tahoe. There is going to be a mass exodus of working class folks after these last few years weโ€™ve had, and Iโ€™m not going to stick around that ghost town.

  2. According to realtor.com the median home price for Durango, CO is actually $739,000, so this number is way off. It is anything but affordable these days.

  3. These home prices are way off and far below any listings. Maybe 5+ years ago, these prices could make since but definitely not now.

  4. Rather than home purchase pricing, I believe that โ€˜ski-bum dreamersโ€™ would be more interested in rent pricingโ€“especially per-bedroom pricing. Rent pricing is more likely affected by availability of affordable units and local ordinances requiring businesses to subsidize/provide housing for employees.

    1. You can thank the โ€œtree huggersโ€ for the fact that there is still a Tahoe area worth living inโ€ฆ.

  5. Hey John, you must be one of those new entitled city bags with a comment like that people like your self canโ€™t make it in a real MT community youโ€™re too stuck on yourself and your money John suck it

  6. Iโ€™m sorry, I thought this article was titled โ€œmost affordableโ€. $300k+ homes are NOT in median income range of affordable.

    1. If one thing costs 1 million dollars and another costs 2 million the first one is more affordable than the second. It doesnโ€™t have to be affordable to you. The article is titled just fine, sorry you canโ€™t afford to live in the mountains.

      1. No John the articles titled โ€œThe ten most AFFORDABLE mountain towns in the USA.โ€ Sorry your such a clueless ass.

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