Maya Kachroo-Levine is the luxury and experiences editor at. Little wonder Lake Chelan is such a popular vacation destination for 12 to 14 weeks per year. There are few things more relaxing than the quintessentially American lake vacation. Dillon's overall cost of living score is 88, compared to South Carolina's 94 and the national average of 100. This lake town is brimming with charming accommodations, too, from the more modern Hotel Earl to the historic Bridge Street Inn and the waterfront Edgewater Inn & Suites. More than 125 homes and a projected fifty businesses moved to higher ground, the . Lake Burton. Then we ensured these were the kind of places buyers want to be, by searching for the towns with the most water-based businesses, like marinas, restaurants, and activities, using U.S. Census Bureau data. Chelan offers housing options at a wide range of price points. That makes Ely paradise for lake lovers who really do want to escape from the crowds and arent afraid to keep socially distant. Located at the southern edge of Lake Keowee and just a short drive from Lake Hartwell, Seneca is a great small town for retirement. While the town of Osage Beach has only 5,000 residents, there is a variety of restaurants, bars, and parks that attract visitors every summer. Sandy beaches and waters for boating and kayaking are inviting spots to spend the afternoons. 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. Bayview, Idaho is a floating village - yes, that's a real thing - on Lake Pend Oreille. Homes: $165K - $1.5M Lots: $10K - $300K. Beautiful beaches and candy-colored sunsets over Lake Michigan make this Midwest town a must. Winter Olympics. Well, it all depends on where you look. Rent a cabin with a private dock (and a boat, if you like) at MacDonald's Resort in Bayview. The median listing price in 2020 was a very affordable $107,792. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. This three-bedroom across the street from Big Bass Lake was listed at $229,000. In between shopping, dont miss the reason Ashland is called the Historic Mural Capital of Wisconsin. Roughly two dozen murals dot the downtown district, depicting the lively history of the former logging town. 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. Lake Wylie is a 13,400 acre lake that was created for hydro-electric power, but is also used as a recreational facility by its nearby towns - which includes the rather famous Tega Cay, known for the Jim Bakker/PTL Club extravagance. Venture into Ithaca, New York for dinner at Maxie's Supper Club, visit Heart & Hands Wine Company in nearby Union Springs, and of course, stay at Inns of Aurora for a luxurious lakeside escape at one of their five beautifully curated inns. Buyers at one of these two lakes in the Branson, MO area, can find their dream home for a median price of 205,900. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. 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. Just outside Austin, Texas is Lakeway, along the southern shores of Lake Travis. Asheville, North Carolina. This city also ranks just outside of the top 10, with the 13 th-most The Corpus Christi Bay area sits behind the Padre and Mustang islands. Then we calculated affordability by analyzing median home list prices year to date through May 2022 for these communities. In . Winter activities include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The top 10 most affordable lakes for lakefront homes in Michigan are listed below, with the most affordable lake at No. Enjoy the natural beauty while hiking through the park, or set out for a swim in nearby Greers Ferry Lake. Chattanooga receives its highest score for affordability. The area offers hiking, skiing and gambling at the casinos. To find out where house hunters can actually buy a lake home without taking an extra jobor threeRealtor.com looked at the median list prices of more than 2,000 towns located on Americas watering holes from May 2020 through June 2021. 3. Cayuga Lake is known for its stunning wine trail and Aurora, nestled right on the shores of Cayuga, is in close proximity to wineries along the lake as well as wineries lining the adjacent Seneca Lake. Average temperature: 71.8 degrees. Just a three-hour drive east of Seattle, this high desert town is the sunny escape from the rain and clouds of the coastal Pacific Northwest. Lake homes have always been a popular, aspirational home. Residents can enjoy leisurely days boating on the lake, or go fishing in two of the nearby lakes, Lake Henry and Lake Wallenpaupack. But its not just the water that makes the area so special and desirable. Clear Lake, SD. Consider spending the winter or the entire year in one of these southern cities. Fun fact: hundreds of Bigfoot sightings have been reported on the Texas side of Caddo Lake since 1965. Gigabit ISP: C Spire ($80/month) Zillow Home Value Index: $165,574. For many looking to escape the city, it became a great place this summer to social distance and enjoy the outdoors. If Queen Dolly Partons Stampede and live country music shows arent your thing, check out the Titanic Museum, with 400 pre-Discovery artifacts spread across 20 gallerieswhich can be enjoyed in the blissful A/C. 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. There are no theme parks or big music shows. LindaZ74 / Shutterstock. An upscale and heavily golf-oriented resort community on the Gulf Coast, Diamondhead is . . 5. 8. Rent a house right on the shores of Flathead Lake, or book a cabin at the all-inclusive Flathead Lake Lodge for a memorable dude ranch experience. 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. Tucked into Chequamegon Bay on the south shore of Lake Superior, Ashland is rich with local history, arts and culture, and natural beauty. The pinnacle of Montana lake culture is spending the summer months on Flathead Lake. Other towns in the area include Lakeland, Lakeview, Lakeside, Osage Beach, Sunrise Beach, and others. Fishing, beach going, and relaxing are popular activities. Statesboro's place among America's cheapest small towns is largely due to housing costs, which are 32% lower compared with the national average. Closer to town, those similar units near the large body of water go for at least an extra $100,000if not moresuch as this three-bedroom asking $539,000. The first is its sheer size. The small community of Georgetown on the Carolina coast is what Charleston used to be - 200-year-old homes (more than Charleston, in fact), lots of Southern . 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. Median home sales price: $175,000. You're sure to catch your fix of small-town charm and slow country living in this Alabama town. 22. Situated on nearly a half-acre, this house features a screened porch and is within walking distance of Roamingwood Lake. To ensure geographic diversity, we limited our list to just one city per state. Visitors will find endless entertainment within the village of Big Bear, from brunch at Teddy Bear Restaurant to midday microbrews at Big Bear Lake Brewing Company. The house, which sits on nearly a quarter-acre, offers views of Lake Kampeska from the deck. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Located near some of the highest mountain peaks in the region, Flagstaff is a stunning location year round: Think snow-capped mountains, fall . Glen Arbor is nestled between Lake Michigans Sleeping Bear Bay and the Glen Lakes. ( (Tony Franzel for Realtor.com)) 1. Theres also the noteworthy shops and restaurants located in the towns eight-block business district, which happens to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The data team at realtor.com ran the numbers to come up with these affordable lake towns. We see a trend across all our markets of buyers thinking, Life is short, buy the lake home! Many of those seek out the more rural lake towns where homes may be relatively more affordable than at larger lakes or at lakes near cities, says Phillips. 10 . 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. The roughly 2,000-square-foot house sits on a third of an acre and has a fenced backyard. The events of the past year drove additional interest, says Glenn S. Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty. 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? Clear Lake, South Dakota, is proud of its strong, traditional values. Big Bear is less of a hotel town - the name of the game here is renting a house on the water and spending your days fishing, hiking, swimming, and mountain biking. If your ideal lakeside lifestyle is a bit more social, Crane Lake has you covered. The lake is named after the town of Burton which is now situated at the bottom of the lake. However, those who want a waterfront view should expect to spend $400,000 and up, such as this lakefront two-bedroom with a rooftop deck listed for $499,999. To come up with our list of the nations most affordable lake towns, we looked at more than 11,000 towns with or on lakes. When looking for a place to retire, lake towns make a strong case. . It sits on 1.5 acres across from Templar State Park on Big Spirit Lake. We have four seasons here, and most people like that it switches things up from boating, to snowmobiling, ice fishing, and huntingthe list goes on, says Jayson Maguire, Realtor and owner of Exit Realty Connection in Watertown. The community is home to several private bodies of water: Roamingwood Lake, Deerfield Lake, Brooks Lake, Windermere Lake, Hidden Lake, and Big Springs Pond. We have homes that are $100,000 to $250,000, and then we also have $5 million lake homes. - Port Isabel, TX - Port Isabel is a beach town and a popular resort, as well as being a retirement destination. Lake Wylie- South Carolina/North Carolina. In 2012, 70% of registered voters supported former President Barack Obama. And yes, they can be terrific investments, too. Melbourne, Florida, is the highest-ranked beach town on the Atlantic Ocean shore. Canyon Lake. 1. At Rarity Bay . Virginia's only lakeside town is located on Kerr Lake and has become a hub for outdoor enthusiasts, who enjoy the boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and hiking opportunities at Occoneechee State Park.