Living in the mountains is a dream for many. Waking up each day with the crisp, fresh mountain air, surrounded by trees, nature, and more access to outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking can be a perfect way to live. And the United States has many incredible regions that offer some of the most beautiful homes in scenic mountain towns.
If you’ve always wanted to live in a mountain town and are considering buying a second home or planning a major move, these top destinations should be on your radar. They offer smaller populations, peaceful and secluded environments, close knit communities, breathtaking views, and more.
Methodology
To determine the most beautiful homes in these scenic U.S. mountain towns, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year 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 percentage of owner-occupied housing units valued at $2,000,000 or more.
Only places with at least 1,000 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. Whitefish, MT (Rocky Mountains)
©"Downtown Whitefish, MT" by twbuckner is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 15.5%
- Median household income: $69,919
- Total population: 8,098
49. Taos Pueblo, NM (Rocky Mountains)
©Dan Kaplan/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 16.5%
- Median household income: $36,597
- Total population: 1,422
48. Lake Lure, NC (Blue Ridge)
©"Youngs Mt Trail Lake Lure NC 20220908_130215687" by bobistraveling is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 17.7%
- Median household income: $75,259
- Total population: 1,575
47. Highlands, NC (Blue Ridge)
©"Country Club Highlands, NC - 2006" by hyku is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 18.0%
- Median household income: $55,573
- Total population: 1,140
46. Wolf Creek, UT (Wasatch Range)
©"Rabbitbrush near Wolfe Creek Ranch" by roy.luck is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 18.4%
Median household income: $137,813
Total population: 1,642
45. Kittredge, CO (Front Range)
©Nick Fox/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 18.8%
- Median household income: $143,147
- Total population: 1,021
44. Clear Lake, WA (Cascade Range)
©"Sunlight on trees at Clear Lake" by ShebleyCL is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 19.6%
- Median household income: $94,755
- Total population: 1,157
43. Oakley, UT (Rocky Mountains)
©"Utah welcome sign on U.S. Route 40" by daveynin is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 19.7%
- Median household income: $119,231
- Total population: 1,744
42. Telluride, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Telluride, CO at night 003-18-2018 026" by Richard Hurd is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 21.2%
- Median household income: $81,429
- Total population: 2,622
41. Kings Beach, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©"Downtown Kings Beach, CA" by Rick Cooper is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 22.3%
- Median household income: $50,220
- Total population: 2,589
40. Tahoma, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©U. Eisenlohr/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 23.1%
- Median household income: $83,971
- Total population: 1,071
39. Mammoth Lakes, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©Frostka/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 23.6%
- Median household income: $80,795
- Total population: 7,253
38. Ketchum, ID (Rocky Mountains)
©"Don hiking near Ketchum, ID" by davidjlee is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 23.9%
- Median household income: $87,478
- Total population: 3,490
37. Midway, UT (Wasatch Range)
©Alexander Lukatskiy/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 25.6%
- Median household income: $130,648
- Total population: 6,019
36. Somers, MT (Rocky Mountains)
©Leo_nik/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 27.1%
- Median household income: $54,466
- Total population: 1,037
35. Silverthorne, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Silverthorn Mountains, CO 8-12" by inkknife_2000 (11.5 million views) is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 28.7%
- Median household income: $97,558
- Total population: 4,550
34. Truckee, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©Matt Gush/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 28.9%
- Median household income: $107,423
- Total population: 16,784
33. Avon, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Avon CO" by Edsel L is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 29.1%
- Median household income: $85,817
- Total population: 6,115
32. Kingsbury, NV (Sierra Nevada)
©Nick Fox/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 29.4%
- Median household income: $74,424
- Total population: 1,920
31. Frisco, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Frisco, CO 22F" by Fermented Thoughts is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 31.1%
- Median household income: $101,140
- Total population: 2,900
30. Hideout, UT (Wasatch Range)
©Gustavo Frazao/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 32.3%
- Median household income: $73,472
- Total population: 1,066
29. Steamboat Springs, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Steamboat Springs, CO" by Log Home Finishing is licensed under CC0 1.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 33.5%
- Median household income: $93,280
- Total population: 13,251
28. Pray, MT (Rocky Mountains)
©"Evening light & thistle: Pray, MT" by Lorie Shaull is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 34.2%
- Median household income: $104,512
- Total population: 1,017
27. Lakeside, MT (Rocky Mountains)
©"Montana welcome sign" by Sebastian Bergmann from Siegburg, Germany is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 35.6%
- Median household income: $71,006
- Total population: 2,564
26. Tesuque, NM (Rocky Mountains)
©"Tesuque Pueblo" by m c is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 36.0%
- Median household income: $56,250
- Total population: 1,123
25. Tahoe Vista, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©"Tahoe Vista" by ClatieK is licensed under BY-ND 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 40.8%
- Median household income: $91,944
- Total population: 1,171
24. Sunnyside-Tahoe City, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©"Lake Tahoe" by warpafx is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 40.9%
- Median household income: $125,144
- Total population: 1,536
23. Dollar Point, CA (Sierra Nevada)
©"Dollar Point, CA 96145, USA - panoramio" by Doug Olson is licensed under BY-SA 3.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 41.3%
- Median household income: $113,269
- Total population: 1,233
22. Edwards, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Eagle River from I-70 w Edwards CO" by Dicklyon is licensed under BY-SA 4.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 41.4%
- Median household income: $89,399
- Total population: 10,721
21. Emigration Canyon, UT (Wasatch Range)
©Wisanu Boonrawd/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 41.7%
- Median household income: $138,125
- Total population: 1,503
20. Jackson, WY (Rocky Mountains)
©"bull moose Jackson WY" by Fisherga is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 42.4%
- Median household income: $101,477
- Total population: 10,748
19. Vail, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 42.7%
- Median household income: $96,667
- Total population: 4,833
18. Big Sky, MT (Rocky Mountains)
©Zorro Stock Images/Shutterstock.com
Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 42.8%
Median household income: $94,176
Total population: 2,825
17. Genoa, NV (Sierra Nevada)
©iStock.com/gguy44
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 44.7%
- Median household income: $116,250
- Total population: 1,013
16. Sun Valley, ID (Rocky Mountains)
©CSNafzger/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 45.2%
- Median household income: $67,386
- Total population: 1,383
15. Snyderville, UT (Wasatch Range)
©Stas Moroz/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 47.2%
- Median household income: $135,132
- Total population: 5,730
14. East Basin, UT (Wasatch Range)
©"Cannonvile, UT Flowers9-09c (8631475603)" by inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +) is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 48.7%
- Median household income: $172,614
- Total population: 3,646
13. Aspen, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Mountain Bike Government Trail, Aspen, CO, USA" by TRAILSOURCE.COM is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 49.1%
- Median household income: $94,338
- Total population: 6,952
12. Breckenridge, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 49.1%
- Median household income: $129,481
- Total population: 5,017
11. Summit Park, UT (Wasatch Range)
©"Utah-Wyoming Border From Summit County, Utah" by Ken Lund is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 49.6%
- Median household income: $171,408
- Total population: 8,708
10. Wilson, WY (Rocky Mountains)
©"Ken, Welcome to Wyoming, Near McKinnon, Wyoming" by Ken Lund is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 49.7%
- Median household income: $128,981
- Total population: 1,303
9. Crested Butte, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©iStock.com/stockphoto52
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 50.6%
- Median household income: $67,625
- Total population: 1,434
8. South Park, WY (Rocky Mountains)
©"Mountain big sagebrush steppe: S of Farson WY" by Matt Lavin is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 52.6%
- Median household income: $109,402
- Total population: 1,899
7. Snowmass Village, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©"Sunset on Snowmass Mountain - Aspen, CO" by Dusty J is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 58.1%
- Median household income: $94,761
- Total population: 3,076
6. Blue River, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©nyker/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 59.9%
- Median household income: $150,074
- Total population: 1,238
5. Basalt, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©bodrumsurf/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 65.8%
- Median household income: $103,049
- Total population: 3,815
4. Mountain Village, CO (Rocky Mountains)
©Capriccio222/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 66.7%
- Median household income: $56,917
- Total population: 1,582
3. Park City, UT (Wasatch Range)
©"Park City Mountains" by josephdepalma is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 69.6%
- Median household income: $132,315
- Total population: 8,379
2. Moose Wilson Road, WY (Rocky Mountains)
©Dean Fikar/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 73.6%
- Median household income: $105,673
- Total population: 1,143
1. Silver Summit, UT (Wasatch Range)
©Layne V. Naylor/Shutterstock.com
- Homes worth $1,000,000 or more: 84.1%
- Median household income: $226,442
- Total population: 1,703
The image featured at the top of this post is ©JMY Photography/Shutterstock.com.