Live in A Picturesque Mountain Town For Less Than $50,000

Mountain living seems like an ideal way of life. Waking up to the sounds of nature–the chirping of birds, hearing the leaves blowing in the wind, perhaps listening to a stream as it flows by–and breathing in the fresh, crisp mountain air is a dream for many. The mountain life may not be for everyone, but if living in a picturesque mountain town has always been your vision, now might be the perfect time.

To determine picturesque mountain towns with affordable homes, Moms Who Think reviewed five years of data on median household value and median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey. Cities, towns, and Census-designated places were ranked based on the ratio of median home value to median household income.

Only places with at least 500 residents where at least 5% of housing units are vacant for seasonal or recreational use that intersect a mountain were considered. Mountain spatial boundaries are from the GMBA Mountain Inventory v2 of EarthEnv.

50. Ridgecrest, California

• Median home value: $224,600 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $85,872
• Total population: 28,118

49. Steele Creek, Alaska

• Median home value: $309,900 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $118,934
• Total population: 6,542

48. Cumberland, Maryland

• Median home value: $119,500 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $45,915
• Total population: 19,041

47. White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

• Median home value: $122,000 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $47,292
• Total population: 2,707

46. Scranton, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $125,700 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $48,776
• Total population: 76,119

45. Apple Mountain Lake, Virginia

• Median home value: $310,200 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $120,539
• Total population: 1,584

44. Cobleskill, New York

• Median home value: $168,800 (2.6 times income)
• Median household income: $65,610
• Total population: 4,152

43. Deltana, Alaska

• Median home value: $267,700 (2.5 times income)
• Median household income: $105,250
• Total population: 2,059

42. Lakemont, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $118,600 (2.5 times income)
• Median household income: $46,840
• Total population: 1,511

41. Pulaski, Virginia

• Median home value: $137,400 (2.5 times income)
• Median household income: $55,213
• Total population: 8,982

40. Keyser, West Virginia

• Median home value: $115,400 (2.5 times income)
• Median household income: $46,724
• Total population: 4,879

39. Nice, California

• Median home value: $170,600 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $69,653
• Total population: 2,389

38. Mount Union, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $93,600 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $38,382
• Total population: 2,130

37. Middlesborough, Kentucky

• Median home value: $87,000 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $35,798
• Total population: 9,383

36. Whitehall, New York

• Median home value: $96,400 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $40,294
• Total population: 2,166

35. Lewistown, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $86,500 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $36,166
• Total population: 8,522

34. Hinton, West Virginia

• Median home value: $85,400 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $35,735
• Total population: 2,167

33. Gorham, New Hampshire

• Median home value: $132,800 (2.4 times income)
• Median household income: $55,845
• Total population: 2,043

32. Jenkins, Kentucky

• Median home value: $61,300 (2.3 times income)
• Median household income: $26,500
• Total population: 1,862

31. La Vale, Maryland

• Median home value: $168,200 (2.3 times income)
• Median household income: $73,778
• Total population: 4,351

30. Powells Crossroads, Tennessee

• Median home value: $146,100 (2.3 times income)
• Median household income: $64,100
• Total population: 1,686

29. Ellenville, New York

• Median home value: $172,700 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $77,125
• Total population: 4,213

28. Berlin, New Hampshire

• Median home value: $93,200 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $41,638
• Total population: 9,485

27. Olyphant, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $132,200 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $60,120
• Total population: 5,372

26. Richwood, West Virginia

• Median home value: $68,000 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $30,962
• Total population: 2,567

25. Altoona, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $110,700 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $50,435
• Total population: 43,821

24. Warm Springs, Oregon

• Median home value: $129,200 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $59,167
• Total population: 2,453

23. Old Forge, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $156,300 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $71,615
• Total population: 8,506

22. Neah Bay, Washington

• Median home value: $137,500 (2.2 times income)
• Median household income: $63,750
• Total population: 1,081

21. Metlakatla, Alaska

• Median home value: $163,900 (2.1 times income)
• Median household income: $78,750
• Total population: 1,437

20. Marlinton, West Virginia

• Median home value: $82,000 (2.1 times income)
• Median household income: $39,643
• Total population: 1,139

19. Bluefield, West Virginia

• Median home value: $94,400 (2.1 times income)
• Median household income: $45,854
• Total population: 9,619

18. Saltville, Virginia

• Median home value: $84,900 (2.1 times income)
• Median household income: $41,339
• Total population: 2,085

17. Bowling Green, Maryland

• Median home value: $119,100 (2.0 times income)
• Median household income: $59,773
• Total population: 1,102

16. Parsons, West Virginia

• Median home value: $88,600 (1.9 times income)
• Median household income: $45,729
• Total population: 1,524

15. Dannemora, New York

• Median home value: $130,900 (1.9 times income)
• Median household income: $67,778
• Total population: 3,373

14. McClure, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $119,100 (1.9 times income)
• Median household income: $62,667
• Total population: 1,171

13. Patrick Springs, Virginia

• Median home value: $99,500 (1.9 times income)
• Median household income: $52,548
• Total population: 2,204

12. Renovo, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $54,400 (1.9 times income)
• Median household income: $28,750
• Total population: 1,081

11. Cumberland, Kentucky

• Median home value: $59,900 (1.8 times income)
• Median household income: $32,716
• Total population: 2,390

10. Covington, Virginia

• Median home value: $80,100 (1.8 times income)
• Median household income: $45,737
• Total population: 5,722

9. Westernport, Maryland

• Median home value: $83,500 (1.6 times income)
• Median household income: $50,938
• Total population: 1,993

8. Springville, Virginia

• Median home value: $65,700 (1.6 times income)
• Median household income: $41,250
• Total population: 1,017

7. East Carbon, Utah

• Median home value: $80,700 (1.5 times income)
• Median household income: $52,554
• Total population: 1,441

6. Atkins, Virginia

• Median home value: $66,300 (1.5 times income)
• Median household income: $43,318
• Total population: 1,028

5. King Cove, Alaska

• Median home value: $118,200 (1.5 times income)
• Median household income: $79,844
• Total population: 1,108

4. Searles Valley, California

• Median home value: $78,000 (1.4 times income)
• Median household income: $54,013
• Total population: 1,716

3. Desert Edge, California

• Median home value: $53,600 (1.4 times income)
• Median household income: $38,668
• Total population: 3,715

2. Hays, Montana

• Median home value: $63,600 (1.3 times income)
• Median household income: $49,423
• Total population: 1,095

1. Johnstown, Pennsylvania

• Median home value: $40,000 (1.2 times income)
• Median household income: $33,466
• Total population: 18,429

The image featured at the top of this post is ©"B&O 7401 freight near Keyser, West Virginia (Gafton Line) on March 2, 1969" by railfan 44 is licensed under PDM 1.0..