most affordable lake towns in the south

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. A comparatively high tax rate and low income helped push Erie to 15th place in the rankings despite low home costs, but it's still one of the most affordable waterfront cities in the country. Best South Carolina Lakes to Buy Lakefront Property 9. Can it be? 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. Scott's median income of $55,825 is quite high, which helps offset the slightly higher home prices and rent. Diamondhead, MS. Population: 8,044. But those who want access to the water from their backdoors need IPO-level cash; they should expect to fork over six figures for places like this brand-new three-bedroom listed at $1.25 million. Those who want to own property right on the water should expect to spend at least $500,000, such as this $725,000 three-bedroom home. Along the 185-mile shoreline, you'll find patches of crystal clear water. A leg of the great Cumberland Trail is accessible at the north end of LaFollette. This northern Wisconsin resort town (165 miles northwest of Green Bay) has all the ingredients of a great family vacation , including more than 3,000 lakes in Vilas and Oneida counties. 15 Best Lakes in Georgia - The Crazy Tourist 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. 12 Cheapest Small Towns in America | Kiplinger While its not a vacation hot spot, its just as beautiful as many nearby lake towns for a lot less cash. Some offer Zen-inducing tranquility, some pulse-pounding action, and others the kind of family-friendly tourist vibe that can optimize rental opportunities. Those interested in a vacation getaway can snag this four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house located about 1.4 miles from the Guy Sandy boat ramp on Arbuckle Lake for $275,000. Starting at under $200,000, buyers can find comfortable homes right near the shore, such as this four-bedroom ranch just around the corner from the boat ramp, asking $184,900. It boasts quaint shops and restaurants that surround the town square and plenty of locals who like to watch the passers-by as they sip beverages on their front porches. In . The 800-acre recreational lake is surrounded by a wooded shoreline, winding road and grassy picnic spots that come right up to the edge of the water. 5 Gorgeous Mountain Towns You Can Actually Afford - Livability The 10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Homebuyers, 2021, Avoid the Crowds and Take the Plunge: Top Affordable Lake Towns in the U.S., 2020 Edition. 10 Surprisingly Affordable Lake Towns To Own Property in Across the US The community is nestled between the southern shores of the lake and the foothills of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. The community is well-known for its abundance of vacation rentals and homes for sale. Set your sights on Lakeway, Texas, which is located in the Hill Country near Lake Travis, and you'll have bountiful opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking in the picturesque landscape of the sunny Lone Star State. Spirit Lake also offers a host of museums and local historical sites such as the Dickinson County Heritage Center and the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum. The area also has lots to do, from shopping and dining to mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and canoeing on its rivers and lakes. Beaufort, North Carolina, one of the Southeast's oldest and most charming beach towns, is at the southern tip of North Carolina's Crystal Coast. Norris Lake dominates the area to the south. Situated near Columbia, South Carolina's capital city, and just a short drive from Lake Murraya 50,000-acre reservoir with more than 600 miles of shorelineLexington is a great place to live. Caddo Lake - Karnack. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, Abingdon is one of those small towns in the south that is known for its combination of artsy vibes and historic charm. And with inflation rising, stock and cryptocurrency markets taking a beating, and fears of another recession mounting, plenty of well-off Americans are holding off on buying yet another home. Rent a cabin with a private dock (and a boat, if you like) at MacDonald's Resort in Bayview. Lake Burton. The city sits in a strategic position at the southern tip of the Inside Passage, connecting the Gulf of Alaska to the Puget Sound. There's a stretch of great small towns north of Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. South Lake Tahoe: If North Lake Tahoe is a pristine and relaxed winter wonderland, South Lake Tahoe is more of a year-round affair. With a name like Sulphur, its no surprise that the area is famous for its mineral springs. For the price-conscious, there is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on Shoreline Drive that is listed for $260,000. Aurora, New York sits on Cayuga Lake, one of the largest of the 11 Finger Lakes. The house, which sits on nearly a quarter-acre, offers views of Lake Kampeska from the deck. 15 Best Lake Towns in America - Travel + Leisure And while it is possible to find a single-family home on the water that needs a bit of love for under $200,000, the pickings at that price point are slim. When on dry land, you might hit a casino (Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania) or theme park (Branson, Missouri), tubing or go-karting (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin), or enjoy strolling through the shops and restaurants of a historic district (Vermilion, Ohio).. 2019 Best Retirement Lakes | Lake Homes Realty ( (Tony Franzel for Realtor.com)) 1. Best Places to Buy a Lake House 2021 | Vacasa And we specifically wanted to hone in on the best lake towns in America as a way to help travelers pinpoint exactly where to book a week-long rental or a charming inn for their next lake vacation. The quaint village offers restaurants, hotels, resorts, and fun and unique shops along its cute downtown corridor. Best Lake Towns In America - Best Lake Towns to Retire - Country Living Flagstaff, Arizona. Big Bear Lake is a year-round California destination because, much like Tahoe, it transforms from a ski town in the winter to a lake town in the summer. 9 Things Youd Better Consider First, Surf and Save? Meanwhile, downtown is filled with antiques stores, restaurants, and small boutiques. Where to Buy a Lakefront Home in America - Travel + Leisure Eureka, California. But its not just the water that makes the area so special and desirable. 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. Swimming is unlikely because the lake contains alligators, but it's a great spot for boating. Conroe. 5. (They come highly recommended.) Lake Burton. One perennial rule of summer: Branson, MO, is always one of the highest-ranking lake towns in the nationeven if it did move down a couple of spots, from No. Located near some of the highest mountain peaks in the region, Flagstaff is a stunning location year round: Think snow-capped mountains, fall . The cold winters allow for hockey and ice fishing, and the warmer months . There has been a lot of new development in the area, as more people from out of state discover the Spirit Lake area, says Schaben. Treptow notes that the town has seen an uptick in the number of visitors to the area, as well as folks who have decided to turn their lake homes into their permanent homes. But there are also plenty of folks whod prefer to be right in town, within walking distance to dozens of restaurants, the performance center, and the nearly 30 sculptures spread throughout downtown. The top tourist attractions are the International Wolf Center and North American Bear Center. We also factored in the number of restaurants, bars, and entertainment establishments per capita to ensure there was more to do in these places than just lounge by the water. Maya Kachroo-Levine is the luxury and experiences editor at. These Are the Most Affordable Lake Towns In the U.S. The Lake of the Woods area is perfect for spending one's golden years of retirement. 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. Greensboro is situated right on the 19,000-acre lake and is home to a posh golf community (there are six courses within Reynolds Lake Oconee). Alabama's Lake Town lives up to its moniker by offering plenty of activities on and off the water. How to Find the Best Places to Retire in the Southeast Near the Water You can find traces of all of them in Florence, Alabama. Those four-season attractions have made the areas lake homes a hot commodity among second homeowners. Darien is one of the best family beach towns in Georgia, with plenty to see and do. Thats a whole lot of space for you to lie out, water-ski, fish, kayak, or do whatever other water-based activity you care to dream up. If you're looking for the perfect vacation town on Lake of the Ozarks, look no further than Osage Beach. Right near the Canadian border, way up north in Minnesota, secluded Ely offers acres upon acres of pristine lakes and unspoiled forests set on a stunning, glacier-carved landscape. Well, it all depends on where you look. There's also plenty of nature . Median home sales price: $175,000. Baraboo, Wisconsin. For outdoor enthusiasts, Chickasaw National Recreation Area (Oklahomas oldest national park) offers nearly 10,000 acres of camping, hiking, horseback riding, and biking. Top 10 Affordable Lake Towns in the US - Lakefront Living International Little wonder Lake Chelan is such a popular vacation destination for 12 to 14 weeks per year. Read on for the 25 best places to live in the South. * Median home list prices as of June from Realtor.com. 10 Walkable Towns - Explore These Southern Communities. - ideal-LIVING Butler is located on the northern shore of Watauga Lake, and is actually the reconstruction of the "old" Butler. Minocqua's quieter lakes are perfect for swimming lessons and sand castles. The charming red-brick downtown is filled with fun shops and restaurants. - Port Isabel, TX - Port Isabel is a beach town and a popular resort, as well as being a retirement destination. Chattanooga, Tennessee. The red-brick sidewalks and friendly locals in this town are sure to make you nostalgic for childhood days on the water. If you love the outdoors, you'll appreciate Deerfield Beach's Quiet Waters Park, where you can camp, fish, and ride some of the longest cable ski courses in the U.S. Top 10 Michigan lakes with the most affordable real estate But beyond this, Abingdon has great outdoor recreation because it is so close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers have their confluence at or near Paducah, and nearby are two long lakes, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, with the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area situated between them. 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. Lake Wylie covers over 13,000 acres, with a shoreline of 325 miles. The actual town of Bigfork has a growing arts scene - between their impressive array of galleries, notable theatre presence, and annual Festival of the Arts - and it is known for great hiking, with many trails offering views of the lake. 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. There has been a steady uptick in the number of people seeking out homes in lake towns over the past few years, says Glenn S. Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty. The South's Best Lake Towns 2022 - Southern Living 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. This four-bedroom with views of Sandusky Bay is listed at $355,000. The small town, which made our 2020 and 2019 lists, offers something for everyone, from nature lovers to history buffs and foodies to golfers. That makes Ely paradise for lake lovers who really do want to escape from the crowds and arent afraid to keep socially distant. Summer and fall in the South Lake Tahoe area is synonymous with boat rentals, hiking Rubicon Trail for views of the lake, dining al fresco at Boathouse on the Pier, and sunsets savored with a bottle of wine. While the area boasts hundreds of hiking trails for all levels of ability, it also offers motorboating, fishing, and, for those seeking some summer adrenaline, whitewater rafting. The 0.67-acre lot is one of the last waterfront building sites in the village of Lake Placid and comes with 295 feet of sandy waterfront. LindaZ74 / Shutterstock. 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. Its easy to spend an entire day outdoors in Ashland, either fishing in the deep waters of Chequamegon Bay, hiking to one of the many nearby waterfalls, or simply counting the different species of birds flying over the bay. At a time when many Americans are trying to manage life under lockdown, a home where you can enjoy the outdoors is looking more and more appealingnot just as a weekend-only getaway, but potentially for year-round living, if you have the ability to work remotely, said realtor.com housing expert Cicely Wedgeworth. Greenwood, South Carolina. 3. Chelan offers housing options at a wide range of price points. 10 Surprisingly Affordable Lake Towns To Own Property in Across the US Listed at $399,900, 29 Marina Cove Drive is a 2-bed, 3.5-bath condo on Spinnaker Island with 1,894 square feet as well as views of Hull Bay and Boston Harbor from the living room and bedrooms. Alleged shooter of State Police trooper arrested in SC Once an old port town, Sandusky is now known as a major recreation and entertainment destination. Lake Tahoe is so big (22 miles long and 12 miles wide) that it straddles . Most Affordable Small Towns - Business Insider Known as a major vacation destination, Lake Ariel is surrounded by the gently rolling hills of the Poconos Mountains. It is so beautiful that the locals of the Texas Hill Country have given it the nickname of "The Jewel". This area is one of the more affordable places to purchase from, ensuring that your investment will provide you with the most value. Most Affordable Lake Areas to Call Home - Lake Homes Realty 13 Best Lake Vacations in the Southeast Region, USA - Life Family Fun Rocky River, Ohio. Credit: John Noltner. Waterfront condos start in the mid $300,000s, like this one-bedroom listed at $349,000. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Even in todays expensive real estate market, there are still a few places left where homebuyers can find great, affordable lake homes that can serve as Zen-inducing or pulse-pounding retreats (your choice!) 11. Neighboring Muscle Shoals has a deep music history. The data team at realtor.com ran the numbers to come up with these affordable lake towns. 10. 3 . Explore the Seneca Historic District where wraparound porches are a staple on every home and Southern charm is a way of life, then grab a bite to eat at Dimas Brothers Caf before renting a kayak at Lake Keowee Marina to take in the views on the water. 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. There are many reasons why Lake Tahoe stands out as a lake vacation. Find a warm welcome in LaGrange, a cozy West Georgia town located on West Point Lake. Best Retirement Lake Communities | Compare Communities Get Facts Buyers willing to spend a bit more can find huge spreads like this three-bedroom on more than an acre of property right on the edge of Lake Desoto listed for $454,900. Whether you're renting a lake house for the summer, or looking for a lakeside long weekend to book this fall, these are the 15 best lake towns in America. Aurora, New York sits . The bucolic town, tucked between Pelican Lake and Lake Kampeska, offers a plethora of water sports like canoeing and water skiing. Winsted, Connecticut is a picturesque community is home to Highland Lake, one of the largest lakes in Connecticut and a popular spot for residents to beat the summer heat. At B-52 Brewery, you'll find them serving up a new brew release every Friday alongside live music performances.