The most affordable lake towns all offer residents and visitors plenty to do. I know lake towns all too well as I live in a lake town. My town borders two lakes. The beaches, nature trails, and wildlife never stop impressing me. No matter which season it is, activities include swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, walking, ice skating, ice fishing, and bird watching. Opportunities on or near the lake abound. There are also plenty of scenes to capture with a camera if photography is a hobby.
Head away from the beaches and lakeshore to find shops, restaurants, museums, theaters, and historic sites to explore. Lake-town living is wonderful, but some lake towns are more affordable than others. In my area, it’s easy to spend millions to live on the shores and have views of Lake Champlain. Vermont’s also expensive, so you won’t find this state on my list of lake towns. That doesn’t mean everywhere is unaffordable. Where can people go to find low-cost homes and also gain all of the benefits that come from living near a lake?
My list of the most affordable lake towns spans the U.S. Explore lake towns in southern states like Texas or head north to Wisconsin. Lake towns in Maine put New England on this list or head west to South Dakota. Whether you’re looking for small and quaint or big and bustling, there are a variety of excellent options. Some of the best lakes in the U.S. are part of national parks. (After this article, discover The 11 Best National Parks to Visit in Good Weather .)
Methodology:
To determine the most affordable beach towns, 24/7 Tempo 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 ratio of median home value to median household income. Only places with at least 2,500 residents near lakes of at least one square mile in area were considered. Boundary definitions for places came from the U.S. Census Bureau, while boundary definitions for lakes came from Esri .
Source: daveynin / Flickr
- Median home value: $114,000 (2.1 times income)
- Median household income: $54,680
- Total population: 5,795
- Largest lake: Rainy Lake
Source: AbeSnap23 / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $107,900 (2.1 times income)
- Median household income: $51,949
- Total population: 5,097
- Largest lake: Braunig Lake
Source: Michael-Tatman / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $98,900 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $48,378
- Total population: 9,266
- Largest lake: Alexander Lake
Source: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $111,800 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $54,868
- Total population: 3,130
- Largest lake: Lake Oahe
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $89,200 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $43,843
- Total population: 3,500
- Largest lake: Ely Lake
Source: g-stockstudio / Getty Images
- Median home value: $141,900 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $70,086
- Total population: 3,641
- Largest lake: Eagle Nest Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $171,200 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $84,963
- Total population: 5,537
- Largest lake: Eau Claire Flowage
Source: gaffera / E+ via Getty Images
- Median home value: $84,000 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $41,875
- Total population: 2,877
- Largest lake: Roanoke Rapids Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $162,300 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $81,044
- Total population: 6,266
- Largest lake: Mosquito Creek Lake
Source: Marshan3q / Wikimedia Commons
- Median home value: $111,400 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $55,850
- Total population: 11,804
- Largest lake: Timber Creek Lake
Source: Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $95,800 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $48,125
- Total population: 6,880
- Largest lake: West Point Lake
Source: PianoMark / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $111,100 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $55,876
- Total population: 6,561
- Largest lake: Lake Paula
Source: Marine2844 / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $91,000 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $45,833
- Total population: 3,009
- Largest lake: Bluestem Lake
Source: Samantha R Carter / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $104,200 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $52,921
- Total population: 12,882
- Largest lake: El Dorado Lake
Source: SylvieBouchard / Getty Images
- Median home value: $162,400 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $82,670
- Total population: 3,066
- Largest lake: Shawnee Reservoir
Source: James Marciniak / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $156,600 (2.0 times income)
- Median household income: $80,099
- Total population: 3,838
- Largest lake: Mogadore Reservoir
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $123,000 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $63,214
- Total population: 4,586
- Largest lake: Green Bay
Source: DebraMillet / Getty Images
- Median home value: $123,100 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $63,602
- Total population: 12,670
- Largest lake: Seneca Lake
Source: IrinaK / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $152,000 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $78,750
- Total population: 2,713
- Largest lake: Deer Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $87,600 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $45,500
- Total population: 4,907
- Largest lake: Averys Millpond
Source: Sandra S Newman / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $86,900 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $45,345
- Total population: 4,136
- Largest lake: South Twin Lake
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $117,100 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $61,667
- Total population: 6,529
- Largest lake: North Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir
Source: Melissa Kopka / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median home value: $100,200 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $52,822
- Total population: 2,729
- Largest lake: Keith Sebelius Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $144,800 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $76,484
- Total population: 5,018
- Largest lake: Moss Lake
Source: AustralianCamera / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $84,500 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $44,723
- Total population: 6,978
- Largest lake: Broad Pond
Source: hstiver / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $94,600 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $50,738
- Total population: 4,562
- Largest lake: Lake Milton
Source: RyanJLane / E+ via Getty Images
- Median home value: $127,500 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $68,631
- Total population: 2,986
- Largest lake: Chautauqua Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $92,100 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $49,973
- Total population: 3,192
- Largest lake: Dairyland Reservoir
Source: mobili / Flickr
- Median home value: $100,600 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $55,000
- Total population: 2,744
- Largest lake: Marion Reservoir
Source: pasa / Flickr
- Median home value: $84,700 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $46,468
- Total population: 12,096
- Largest lake: Centralia Reservoir
Source: Emmy C / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $96,000 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $52,779
- Total population: 2,804
- Largest lake: Raquette Pond
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $107,000 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $59,167
- Total population: 2,872
- Largest lake: Valley Acres Reservoir
Source: Westlee Jay Appleton / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $90,400 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $50,197
- Total population: 5,129
- Largest lake: Brady Reservoir
Source: Tverdokhlib / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $172,200 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $95,688
- Total population: 9,461
- Largest lake: Sabine Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $105,800 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $59,106
- Total population: 5,127
- Largest lake: Antoine Lake
Source: Brandonrush / Wikimedia Commons
- Median home value: $92,400 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $51,643
- Total population: 2,865
- Largest lake: Lake Atkins
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $171,300 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $95,950
- Total population: 2,939
- Largest lake: Fox Lake
Source: Jon Kraft / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $177,600 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $99,798
- Total population: 6,255
- Largest lake: Lake Decatur
Source: omersukrugoksu / Getty Images
- Median home value: $91,000 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $51,243
- Total population: 11,381
- Largest lake: Neatahwanta Lake
Source: 25or6to4 / Wikimedia Commons
- Median home value: $85,100 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $48,514
- Total population: 8,556
- Largest lake: Elk City Lake
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $93,300 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $55,207
- Total population: 6,132
- Largest lake: De Queen Lake
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $81,200 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $48,784
- Total population: 6,999
- Largest lake: Rend Lake
Source: The Bohemian Lens / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $116,700 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $70,160
- Total population: 2,977
- Largest lake: Big Lake
Source: benedek / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Median home value: $124,500 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $75,315
- Total population: 3,160
- Largest lake: Meander Creek Reservoir
Source: E.N. May / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $83,800 (1.6 times income)
- Median household income: $50,958
- Total population: 4,695
- Largest lake: Peoria Lake
Source: StockPhotoAstur / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $95,600 (1.6 times income)
- Median household income: $58,681
- Total population: 27,026
- Largest lake: Horseshoe Lake
Source: PBFloyd / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $109,800 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $71,000
- Total population: 3,261
- Largest lake: Lake Robinson
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $98,200 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $63,917
- Total population: 4,408
- Largest lake: Lake Shelbyville
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $106,400 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $69,824
- Total population: 5,825
- Largest lake: Onondaga Lake
Source: Feng Cheng / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $127,700 (1.2 times income)
- Median household income: $103,363
- Total population: 2,506
- Largest lake: Beresford Lake
The post This Is the Most Affordable Lake Town in the US appeared first on 24/7 Tempo .
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