We’ve all done it. Gone on vacation, only to fall in love with where we’re staying and make plans for moving back someday. But then life gets in the way; we get busy, and our plans fall by the wayside, or we look at home prices only to realize our home-buying dreams were out of reach. Until now. Whether you’ve dreamt of moving to the beach, a lake property, or the mountains, these vacation communities have something affordable for everyone.
Methodology
To determine vacation communities with the most 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 40% of housing units are vacant for seasonal or recreational use were considered.
50. Casper Mountain, WY
©”Casper, Wyoming” by pmsyyz is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. – Original / License
- Median home value: $423,400 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $140,556
- Total population: 671
49. Long Lake, NY
©Danita Delimont/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $202,100 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $67,917
- Total population: 666
48. Saw Creek, PA
©Patrick Mark Stofanak III/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $196,500 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $67,331
- Total population: 4,071
47. Lake Carroll, IL
©Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $285,400 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $99,297
- Total population: 758
46. Port O’Connor, TX
©zmotions/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $256,600 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $91,150
- Total population: 791
45. Basye, VA
©Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $241,900 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $86,028
- Total population: 1,341
44. Towamensing Trails, PA
©IEW MEDIA/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $216,200 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $76,983
- Total population: 1,712
43. Port Austin, MI
©haveseen/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $147,100 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $53,125
- Total population: 667
42. Big River, CA
©SawBear/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $128,200 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $47,222
- Total population: 1,028
41. Fawn Lake Forest, PA
©David E English/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $211,300 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $78,036
- Total population: 667
40. Caseville, MI
©Bernie Parsons/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $142,900 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $52,917
- Total population: 674
39. Lake Waynoka, OH
©Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $226,400 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $84,063
- Total population: 1,103
38. Cordry Sweetwater Lakes, IN
- Median home value: $283,300 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $105,673
- Total population: 1,328
37. The Galena Territory, IL
©Kenneth Keifer/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $291,300 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $112,250
- Total population: 1,606
36. Cleora, OK
©railway fx/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $199,600 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $77,604
- Total population: 1,508
35. Blue Ridge Shores, VA
©Karlsson Photo/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $232,900 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $90,938
- Total population: 666
34. Mountain Lakes, NH
©”Lonesome Lake, White Mountains, NH” by Under the same moon… is licensed under BY 2.0. – Original / License
- Median home value: $150,800 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $59,107
- Total population: 597
33. Lakes of the North, MI
©”St. Joseph North Pier Light. Lake Michigan. St. Joseph, MI” by NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. – Original / License
- Median home value: $158,300 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $62,179
- Total population: 1,031
32. Old Forge, NY
©”Bald Mountain. Old Forge, NY” by Extra- Ordinary is licensed under BY 2.0. – Original / License
- Median home value: $335,200 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $132,645
- Total population: 573
31. Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH
©IanSkylake17/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $115,600 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $45,755
- Total population: 1,085
30. Conneaut Lakeshore, PA
©Kristen Prahl/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $169,000 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $67,063
- Total population: 1,933
29. Wells, NY
©Matthew Krahula/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $189,700 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $75,583
- Total population: 571
28. Smallwood, NY
©SevenMaps/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $157,400 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $63,909
- Total population: 666
27. Sylvan Beach, NY
©April531/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $118,400 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $48,125
- Total population: 856
26. Bass Lake, IN
©batsac/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $170,300 (2.4 times income)
- Median household income: $70,110
- Total population: 1,018
25. Woodridge, NY
©SevenMaps/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $167,900 (2.4 times income)
- Median household income: $70,313
- Total population: 936
24. Saybrook-on-the-Lake, OH
©Romiana Lee/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $144,600 (2.4 times income)
- Median household income: $61,094
- Total population: 1,112
23. Sand Lake, MI
©”Water Lake Michigan Grass Sand Beauty Horizon Scenic Peaceful Outdoors Heavenly Calm Tranquil Panoramic Beach People Sunbathing Sunlight Light Blue Sky Shoreline Shore ‘Grand Haven and Muskegon July 2′” by Daniel Marchese is licensed under BY 2.0. – Original / License
- Median home value: $109,100 (2.4 times income)
- Median household income: $46,250
- Total population: 1,178
22. Lake Medina Shores, TX
©Mia GiAngelos/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $132,000 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $56,200
- Total population: 532
21. Chokoloskee, FL
©John Apte/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $213,000 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $91,080
- Total population: 1,061
20. Oak Run, IL
©zmotions/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $267,300 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $117,375
- Total population: 673
19. Caroga Lake, NY
©Brenda L Kambeitz/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $114,700 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $50,565
- Total population: 577
18. Elsah, IL
©Fsendek/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $187,500 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $83,125
- Total population: 629
17. Pocono Pines, PA
©Jojiiiiii/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $211,100 (2.2 times income)
- Median household income: $95,833
- Total population: 654
16. Rangeley, ME
©”Jiayin Lu and Yue Sun on the Appalachian Trail, with Rangeley Lake in the distance” by chris.rycroft is licensed under BY 2.0. – Original / License
- Median home value: $105,600 (2.2 times income)
- Median household income: $48,026
- Total population: 568
15. Round Top, NY
©Jaclyn Vernace/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $199,000 (2.1 times income)
- Median household income: $94,353
- Total population: 663
14. Wallenpaupack Lake Estates, PA
©PeterHermesFurian/ via Getty Images
- Median home value: $185,700 (2.1 times income)
- Median household income: $90,408
- Total population: 1,075
13. Lake Michigan Beach, MI
©haveseen/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $163,800 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $81,023
- Total population: 918
12. Chippewa Park, OH
©Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $118,000 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $58,661
- Total population: 650
11. Pymatuning Central, PA
©Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $116,200 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $58,068
- Total population: 2,325
10. Daufuskie Island, SC
©Marilyn D. Lambertz/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $290,400 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $146,349
- Total population: 569
9. St. Helen, MI
©Mary Anne Whitchurch Tuck/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $76,000 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $38,445
- Total population: 2,822
8. Legend Lake, WI
©Cavan-Images/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $160,700 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $86,563
- Total population: 1,530
7. Atlanta, MI
©Jean Pierre Pinochet/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $68,000 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $38,000
- Total population: 576
6. Thunderbird Bay, TX
©C.Morote/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $76,700 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $43,750
- Total population: 766
5. Indian Lake, MO
©APN Photography/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $182,400 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $105,108
- Total population: 1,000
4. Salome, AZ
©MatMazzini/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $116,600 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $79,745
- Total population: 708
3. Lake Colorado City, TX
©Nicholas J Carroll/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $90,200 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $65,000
- Total population: 903
2. Desert Edge, CA
©Sholmes370/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $53,600 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $38,668
- Total population: 3,715
1. Buffalo, IN
©Mike Truchon/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $137,800 (1.1 times income)
- Median household income: $120,333
- Total population: 776
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Patrick Mark Stofanak III/Shutterstock.com.
