Affordable Mountain Living Awaits in This Towns With Homes Under $50K

The United States is such an expansive country spread out over many incredible geographical regions and no matter what your preference, there is likely a town, neighborhood, or city for you. With a diverse landscape spanning coastlines, inland regions, bustling cities, and quiet rural areas, there are no shortage of possibilities. Especially if you've always had dreams of mountain living.

For many, the perfect locale has always been in the mountains, away from the hustle and bustle and bright lights of the big city but the price hasn't always been ideal. However, if you've always wanted to live in a place where the air is crisp and pine trees dot the landscape, then affordable mountain living awaits. (Prefer a historic district? Check out these affordable homes.)

To determine affordable mountain living in towns with homes under $50k, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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