Dillon's overall cost of living score is 88, compared to South Carolina's 94 and the national average of 100. 4. People are moving back to the area, either after retirement or because they can work from their lake cottage, she says. Butler is located on the northern shore of Watauga Lake, and is actually the reconstruction of the "old" Butler. This Charming Small Town in Upstate New York Was Just Named the Best Place to Buy a Lake House in 2023 8 Best Small Towns to Buy a Vacation Home in the U.S. Where to Buy a Vacation Home in Colorado Bryson City, North Carolina, is a small town with big views. Beaufort, North Carolina. Cost of living . It boasts quaint shops and restaurants that surround the town square and plenty of locals who like to watch the passers-by as they sip beverages on their front porches. 8. Treat your family to a boat tour aboard the M/S Mount Washington, which has been cruising the lake for nearly 150 years, and if you're looking for a charming hotel, Pickering House Inn is just the place. 10 . Located at the mouth of the Cheboygan River on Lake Huron, the town offers clear waters and a gorgeous shoreline. When you're wiped from a day spent on the water and under the sun at Lake Conroe, there's nothing like kicking back at a local brewery and enjoying some tunes. Stacker used 2020 data from WalletHub to determine the 46 best U.S. lake towns to live in, evaluating each on six factors: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of . If you love the outdoors, you'll appreciate Deerfield Beach's Quiet Waters Park, where you can camp, fish, and ride some of the longest cable ski courses in the U.S. This waterfront home . Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. This two-bedroom condo on Highland Lake, with a shared dock across the street, is for sale for $319,000. She writes about food, travel, and real estate for Zagat, FoodNetwork.com, BBC Travel, and more. The undulating vistas of the Smoky Mountains make for an idyllic backdrop to life at Rarity Bay on Tellico Lake. Homes with private access to the water from their backdoors are more costly, such as this four-bedroom listed at $1,997,000. As its nickname suggests, the lake is an immensely popular destination year-round for fishing, boating, and other outdoor activities. Just 12 miles from Minneapolis, the lake town is one of Niche's top suburbs in the state, grading highly in nearly every quality-of-life category from crime to education. Situated approximately 40 miles southwest of Knoxville, this gated lakefront community offers space to grow and explore the iconic wilderness of the region. Yup. Caddo Lake is a 25,000-acre lake and bayou on the border of Texas and Louisiana. Listed at $399,900, 29 Marina Cove Drive is a 2-bed, 3.5-bath condo on Spinnaker Island with 1,894 square feet as well as views of Hull Bay and Boston Harbor from the living room and bedrooms. The 15 Best Resorts in the Continental U.S. How to Plan the Perfect Adirondacks Vacation in Any Season Charming Towns and Gorgeous Hikes Included. For car buffs, the Okoboji Classic Cars Museum is a must-see. 20 Best Mountain Towns to Visit in the U.S. 11 Best Lake Tahoe Beaches With Sandy Shores and Mountain Views, The Best Small Towns in the U.S. to See Fall Foliage. And all of them are great for those seeking escape in the spring and fall as wellno small consideration these days. Erie's 9,910-square-mile namesake Great Lake is home to Presque Isle State Park, which is a National Natural Landmark. The top 10 most affordable lakes for lakefront homes in Michigan are listed below, with the most affordable lake at No. But in todays overheated housing market, is the concept of owning your own waterfront home a punishing fantasy or an achievable reality? According to Time and Money magazines, Murfreesboro is one of the top 20 places to live in the US. At Rarity Bay . Most of the time beach towns are far too expensive to actua. Clear Lake, South Dakota, is proud of its strong, traditional values. Condos start as low as $40,000. Flagstaff, Arizona. Wisconsin Dells, named for the mighty Wisconsin River Dells, is a lakefront vacation destination that truly has something for everyone. For many, lakeside living is the answer. Beautiful beaches and candy-colored sunsets over Lake Michigan make this Midwest town a must. Just a three-hour drive, the idyllic glacial valley, located across the Cascade Range in the high desert, centers on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Chelan. With serene scenes, mountain-framed horizons, and breathtaking stretches of river and lake valleys, lake life looks different in every state, and we're here to celebrate them all. Halfway between Minneapolis and Chicago, the area has become a popular year-round destination for urbanites seeking an escape from city life. The red-brick sidewalks and friendly locals in this town are sure to make you nostalgic for childhood days on the water. If your ideal lakeside lifestyle is a bit more social, Crane Lake has you covered. Enjoy the natural beauty while hiking through the park, or set out for a swim in nearby Greers Ferry Lake. These lake towns might not be ones with the highest name recognition or bragging rights, but they do offer a host of fun water activitiesand the privacy and small-town feel missing from bigger, more populated vacation spots. three-bedroom, two-bathroom lakeside abode, The 10 Most Affordable Places To Buy A Vacation Home, How to Buy a Second Home (Hint: It Wont Be Like Your First), Thinking of Buying a Lakeside Home? 5. Nestled on Lake Lure in the forested hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the eponymous small town has unparalleled outdoor attractions, including the lake with its wide beach, greenways, golf courses, hiking trails, and Chimney Rock. Waterfront townhomes start in the mid-$100,000s, like this three-bedroom for $168,000. The outdoor offeringswhich often include boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, golfing, and lounging on the shoresare great ways to spend newly free hours during the weekdays and weekends. Little wonder Lake Chelan is such a popular vacation destination for 12 to 14 weeks per year. The 26,000-acre census-designated place boasts nine golf courses, dozens of restaurants, 14,000 residents and 11 lakes with plenty of single-family houses and townhomes on the shores. Visitors can easily hop on a ferry for a day of island-hopping, or spend the day at Cedar Point Amusement Park, which bills itself as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. They can also take a trip to the Merry-Go-Round Museum. Emmie Martin , Melissa Stanger, and Andy Kiersz. Its possible to get a single-family home right on one of the smaller lakes in the $100,000 range, like this three-bedroom on Center Lake for $119,800. Cliff Billingsley/Getty Images. Buyers can find single-family homes just blocks from the water starting in the $400,000s, like this $419,000, three-bedroom house just outside town. While its not a vacation hot spot, its just as beautiful as many nearby lake towns for a lot less cash. This city also ranks just outside of the top 10, with the 13 th-most Aurora, New York. Set in the Ozark Mountains of Northwestern Arkansas, Eureka Springs gets a ton of visitors who want to admire the beautifully preserved architecture of its Historic District. Boone, North Carolina. The dog days of summer 2021 are upon us at last. 5. Each year, with the arrival of the dog days of summer, the desire to find a place by the water becomes nothing less than a national obsession. The bucolic town, tucked between Pelican Lake and Lake Kampeska, offers a plethora of water sports like canoeing and water skiing. The New York Finger Lakes region is a pristine part of the state with 11 glistening bodies of water, each lined by towns with character. Median home sales price: $175,000. Its perfect for outdoor recreation with acres to hike and canoe. Each place had to have at least 50 listings each month to make the cut. Norris Lake dominates the area to the south. Wallethub's Best Beach Towns to Live in (Ocean or Lake) 15 Sparkling Seaside Towns In The USA The Best Small Beach Towns in the United States America's 25 Favorite Beach Towns America's Most Affordable Beach Towns in 2019 The 21 Most Popular Active and 55+ Communities in the Southeast. Thats a whole lot of space for you to lie out, water-ski, fish, kayak, or do whatever other water-based activity you care to dream up. Here buyers can find a lake home for under $200,000, if they are willing to make some renovations, such as this $175,000 four-bedroom across the street from the beach. Bryson City. Watch: Relax for Less: The 10 Most Affordable U.S. Beach Towns for Homebuyers. Lake Ozark is a small town of less than 2,000 people in the Lake of the Ozarks region of Missouri. The 10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Homebuyers, 2021, Avoid the Crowds and Take the Plunge: Top Affordable Lake Towns in the U.S., 2020 Edition. But its not just the water that makes the area so special and desirable. From Turnip Greens Country Market, where you'll find a farmer's market as well a range of boutique stores, to Vernon Square, with historic sites and trails, Darien is an ideal destination for a low key family getaway. Waterfront condos start in the mid 300s like this two-bedroom listed at $349,000. Minneapolis is just over three hours northwest, and Chicago more than three hours northeast. This five-bedroom, two-bedroom house is listed for $325,000. Lake homes have always been a popular, aspirational home. The cold winters allow for hockey and ice fishing, and the warmer months . Its basically the complete opposite of Bransonaside from, you know, the lakes. Greensboro is situated right on the 19,000-acre lake and is home to a posh golf community (there are six courses within Reynolds Lake Oconee). With pandemic restrictions easing upand American life returning to something akin to normallocking in a home on the water is feeling like less of an imperative to some would-be buyers. Cheboygan is located on Lake Huron, but it's close to many other lakes as well Burt Lake, Long Lake, Mullett Lake, Twin Lakes and Black Lake. Two years ago, USA Today named it the best coastal town in America. The light turquoise waters attract vacationers from all over the country. While the area boasts hundreds of hiking trails for all levels of ability, it also offers motorboating, fishing, and, for those seeking some summer adrenaline, whitewater rafting. You can drive 30 minutes to Austin to go out for a meal or take in some live music, or unwind in the quieter suburb of Lakeway, where you'll still find great barbeque and Tex-Mex. With beautiful mountain scenery, the nearby lake (about 15 miles away), and lots of waterfall-dotted hiking trails, there's not shortage of enjoyment to be had in Western North Carolina. Conroe, Texas, has made its name as a live music destination with shows happening in town almost every day. Winter Olympics. Laconia, New Hampshire. I cover residential real estate, including buying, selling and trends. There are many reasons why Lake Tahoe stands out as a lake vacation. The small town, which made our 2020 and 2019 lists, offers something for everyone, from nature lovers to history buffs and foodies to golfers. Known as a major vacation destination, Lake Ariel is surrounded by the gently rolling hills of the Poconos Mountains. Lake Wylie is in both Carolinas and the variety of activities in this area is great. They were all built around the citys natural springshence the name. 10: Jordan Lake, average home listing $340,734. Caddo Lake - Karnack. From this $400,000 one-bedroom cabin on a wooded, waterfront acre right near the Trezona Trail to this $599,000 one-bedroom cabin on a 1.25-acre island in Shagawa Lake, Ely is the ideal lake town for folks who want to get away from it all.. It's all about the water sports at White Lake - tourists come to swim, boat, tube, jet ski, wake board, and the like. 13. The community is well-known for its abundance of vacation rentals and homes for sale. One of the best things is that were far enough from any major metropolitan area that our lakes are not that busy relative to their size, says Deborah Fullford, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors of Indian River. . 1. The beach on Lake Huron at Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin. Known as Alabamas Lake City, its surrounded by older trees, rugged mountains, and has cultural amenities like a regional theater company. During the summer months, visitors and locals cruise along the shores of the 55-mile-long body of Lake Chelan, sailing, wakeboarding or paddling past historic cabins and vineyards. From a time-capsule-worthy main drag in Greensboro, Georgia, to a sun-soaked chain of lakes in Winter Haven, Florida, these are the South's best lake towns of 2022. And that is providing an opening for regular folks with steady jobs who have been saving up for just this opportunity to swoop in. His company sells lake homes in 33 states. Check out Margaritaville Lake Resort for a family-friendly vacation in Osage Beach. Prices include all homes in these towns, including those on a lake. The events of the past year drove additional interest, says Glenn S. Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty. The pinnacle of Montana lake culture is spending the summer months on Flathead Lake. The lakes in the region include Osceola, Maitland (pictured), Minnehaha, Virginia, and Mizell, and those who visit and live in Winter Park can enjoy them all. In 2012, 70% of registered voters supported former President Barack Obama. Meera Pal is a Northern California-based writer with a background in journalism and books. For some vacation homeowners, renting out their property has meant accepting the fact that a booking could possibly entail more risk than reward during the coronavirus pandemic. The median listing price in 2020 was a very affordable $107,792. Its very close to pricier Lake George as well as Gore Mountain Ski Resort. Just 85 miles outside of Atlanta sits one of the most charming lake destinations in the South: Lake Oconee. That said, you'll also find an amusement park in town and, next to White Lake (heading toward neighboring Elizabethtown), a picturesque 18-hole golf course. The area also has lots to do, from shopping and dining to mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and canoeing on its rivers and lakes. But that doesnt mean the rest of the 99% cant get in on the waterfront action. Estes Park, CO. 3.8%. The company, based in Hoover, AL, has lakefront listings in 34 states. Statesboro's place among America's cheapest small towns is largely due to housing costs, which are 32% lower compared with the national average. More than 125 homes and a projected fifty businesses moved to higher ground, the . Nestled into the scenic foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, this picturesque community is home to Highland Lake, one of the largest lakes in Connecticut and a popular spot for residents to beat the summer heat. Meander the historic district, then break out your boats or find a picnic bench along the shore to take in a few relaxing hours in LaGrange. Vermont's first and smallest city, Vergennes is a short drive to both Burlington and Middlebury. Find a warm welcome in LaGrange, a cozy West Georgia town located on West Point Lake. But beyond this, Abingdon has great outdoor recreation because it is so close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its also a prized destination for great shopping and local activitieslike a top-notch weekly farmers marketand its welcoming community vibe, says Jen Schaben, real estate agent with Stauss Realty in Okoboji. In terms of housing, though, Dillon is much cheaper than those numbers suggest. Offers may be subject to change without notice. It is so beautiful that the locals of the Texas Hill Country have given it the nickname of "The Jewel". Starting at under $200,000, buyers can find comfortable homes right near the shore, such as this four-bedroom ranch just around the corner from the boat ramp, asking $184,900. Although some of these homes are pricier than many homes across the country, they offer the chance to get a waterfront property, and with hurricane season upon us, perhaps a safer location than an oceanfront home.

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