These Scenic U.S. Ski Towns Offer The Best Quality Of Life All Year Long

From college kids seeking the ski bum life to serious skiers wanting to live next to their favorite mountain permanently, the internet is littered with skiers asking for advice on moving to a ski town. It's not that they expect to ski year-round — although that would certainly be a dream. It's more that these towns have a very particular ski culture that is hard to replicate elsewhere. It also helps that many come with year-round action and fresh mountain air, making the offseason interesting. If you find yourself similarly wanting to live year-round in a ski destination, some expectations should be set.

Comparatively speaking, moving to a ski town is not an inexpensive task. Since skiing is one of the most expensive sports, ski resorts and their surrounding towns invariably end up on the higher end. Cost of living will be the biggest factor to consider as you try to find a town with the best quality of life. Home prices in towns like Aspen hover around $3.3 million on average. You may think that's because Aspen is a luxe, celeb-ridden playground. But a home in Vail will cost around $1.7 million, and the average house price in Crested Butte is $1.4 million.

If you go in expecting a ski town to be on the higher end, it will be easier to find the perfect town. We've done the research and found the prettiest ski towns with the best quality of life. Since finances play a big part in quality of life, we tried to find towns with affordable price tags. But as expected, some towns were on the higher end. We also considered factors like health care and access to culture and entertainment. And of course, you can expect these towns to offer year-round enjoyment.

Nestled inside the breathtaking Adirondacks, Lake Placid in New York has beauty on every side. Mountains filled with tangled forests hug the town, providing the perfect frame to Mirror Lake and Lake Placid, both of which add a picturesque serenity to the town in winter. Whiteface Mountain, home to one of the East Coast's best skiing destinations, is one of the mountains skiers who move to the town will see while strolling around daily.

In winter, Lake Placid's frigid weather helps provide a frame for powder on Whiteface. Skiing, snowboarding, and bobsledding take place on 94 trails scattered over three mountain peaks. Whiteface is renowned for hosting the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, and while you're in Lake Placid, signs of its Olympic history are everywhere. By summer, Lake Placid's lakes awaken. Mirror Lake attracts kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and fishermen, since motorized watercraft aren't allowed on the smaller lake. Lake Placid has no such restrictions. From boat tours to water skiing, the lake offers a quintessential lake experience.

The mountains also come alive with hiking trails that offer up the Adirondacks' beauty on a plate. In the fall, the mountains are equally beautiful. Year-round, Lake Placid Health Center and nearby Adirondack Medical Center provide good health care. All this comes with a price tag that will make those on a budget smile. Lake Placid has a cost-of-living score of 84.5, which is 15.5% lower than the U.S. average. At an average of $343,000, home prices should be within reach of most. No wonder Lake Placid got high marks from skiers on Reddit: "Awesome town with rich Olympic history and Whiteface is one of the best in the east ... The Adirondacks are sweet."

Crested Butte's ski resort ranks above Aspen for mountain experience (via Peak Rankings). Yet with such high-quality skiing, Crested Butte comes with a cost of living score of 108.7, which is 8.7% higher than the U.S. average — and nowhere as high as Aspen's (220.4). Home prices are also lower in comparison. A home in Crested Butte costs around $1.4 million, while Aspen's average home price is $3.3 million. With these lower costs, the artsy town is perfect for ski lovers looking for an affordable option among higher-end ski towns.

Thanks to its location in the Elk Mountains, in winter, skiing is the top winter activity. Both Crested Butte Mountain Resort and Crested Butte Nordic Center provide trails. Crested Butte stays fairly cold into early spring, so ski season extends into April. By summer, the town gets a dusting of wildflowers. Purples, oranges, and yellows streak the meadows, and suddenly, nature outshines the art in the many galleries around town. The mountains transform from white to green. And hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding replace skiing.

The Wildflower Festival also takes place as the weather warms up. A July 4 parade, rodeo, and the Crested Butte Art Festival also take place. If you aren't overbooked, Elk Avenue is home to four art galleries, shops, and eateries inside colorful Victorian buildings. The pretty main street was one reason this skier recommended the town on Reddit: "Crested Butt is the absolute best. Elk Ave is one of the top drags in any ski town in the world. Super authentic, fun, and beautiful." A network of clinics and specialty care providers offers health care access.

When Timeout ranked the most expensive ski resorts in the U.S., Taos Ski Valley was fourth from the bottom (via Time Out). This is good news for skiers looking for a four-season home that's close to a ski resort while being affordable. Taos' cost of living is 4% lower than the U.S. average, and a home costs around $420,000. There's access to medical care at Holy Cross Medical Center, and with spring highs in the 70s, the town has some of the best spring weather among the towns on this list. Before spring arrives, skiing can be enjoyed at the four ski areas around the town. The most famous is Taos Ski Valley, where 120 trails offer skiing for every level, including 46 double-diamond runs for true experts.

Winter also brings ice skating at the Eis Haus Ice Skating Rink, sleigh rides, and sledding, as Taos also attracts outdoor enthusiasts all winter. In summer, Taos becomes a true nature lover's destination with fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and golfing. Year-round, Taos's historical and cultural sites are open to visitors. Delve deep into Taos' culture and history in the town's five museums, including the Harwood Museum of Art, where art from the Taos area is part of the exhibitions, and the Kit Carson House, a National Historic Landmark built in New Mexico's traditional adobe style and dedicated to preserving the history of New Mexico's Native peoples.

Around town, adobe architecture lends rustic charm to the earthen buildings that house art galleries, small shops, and historic attractions. The UNESCO-designated Taos Pueblo is particularly enchanting, thanks to the rugged look of its historic adobe walls and the opportunity to see Native American history dating back nearly 1,000 years.

If this list were ranked based solely on votes for beauty and livability, Telluride would take the top spot. Skiers in our research overwhelmingly recommended Telluride for its beauty and authentic vibe. "The one that is somehow (still) underrated is Telluride. Ajax towering over Main Street at the end of the box canyon, and not really having any corporate logos on storefronts, really makes you feel like you're in an alternate universe," raved one skier on Reddit. However, they also agreed they would have to sell an arm and a leg to live there.

One skier lamented the town's prices on Reddit: "If all the homes weren't so ridiculously priced in Telluride I'd have a modicum of hope that I could live there. I have zero hope of living anywhere I want to live." Telluride is very expensive. Our research showed that the beloved town's cost of living is 57% higher than the U.S.  average. It made the list because, compared with other popular ski towns, like Park City (69% higher) and Aspen (120.4% higher ), it was more affordable and a must due to the high number of recommendations. Average home prices hover around $2 million. But that price tag gets you a gorgeous town and a high quality of life.

The town's Victorian buildings are famously framed by three peaks, Wilson Peak, Ajax, and the San Juan Mountains, where all the skiing takes place in winter. These buildings retain their Western charm from Telluride's past as a mining town, and house small shops and eateries. In Summer, the mountain turns green with trails for hiking and biking. There are also lakes to explore and an active calendar of festivals, including the iconic Telluride Mountain Film Festival. Telluride Regional Medical Center provides excellent health care.

You could say Durango's beauty unfolds in layers, much like an onion as it's peeled. Approach the town from any end, and breathtaking views are all you see. From Denver, you'll drive along the San Juan Skyway, framed by towering mountains. From Albuquerque, desert vistas are all you'll see, and from Phoenix, you'll pass the natural wonders of Mesa Verde National Park. In town, dramatic mountains frame the streets. These streets hold Durango's third layer — Victorian buildings, a sign of the town's past as an old Western mining town. The fourth layer unfolds along a wild river bordered by a historic railroad that draws visitors from around the world.

Further in, you'll find that the town sits next to San Juan National Forest, a destination for hiking, fishing, and hunting big game in summer. Purgatory Resort, where skiing takes place in colder months, is also a summer destination. But instead of hiking trails, the resort offers thrilling rides, lake activities, and a bike park. Summer also sees Durango staying true to its Western roots with the True Western Roundup, a rodeo with authentic Western bull riding, team roping, barrel racing, and more activities.

Year-round, the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad offers themed rides in a coal-fired locomotive train using the original tracks cowboys and miners used back in the day. Back in town, the historic main street has restaurants, shops, and art galleries for added entertainment. Skiers who move to Durango full time will have access to three hospitals. At 17.9% higher than the U.S. average and 2.2% lower than Colorado's average, the cost of living is decent. A home will be around $728,000.

Traverse City would make an enviable home, even if it wasn't close to three ski areas, including Crystal Mountain with its 59 trails. Year-round, the town is known for wineries, lakeside holidays, gorgeous hiking trails, and being close to the scenic beaches of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Spring sees winter's powder give way to pretty cherry blossoms lining the Old Mission Peninsula. This area is also home to Traverse City's Wine Trail, a collection of lush vineyards and wineries offering tastings and tours.

In summer, the town's lakes transform into family playgrounds with water activities like fishing, kayaking, jet skiing, and more. Nearby, Empire Beach, ranked among the best white sand beaches outside Florida, offers swimming and sandy dunes in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. And the town's famous cherry festival offers eight days filled with cherry markets, arts and crafts, car shows, fireworks, a cherry pie-eating contest, and more.

Traverse City's superb year-round lifestyle comes with an approachable price tag. A home costs around $420,000, and with a cost-of-living score 4.2% lower than the U.S. average, your dollars will stretch far. You'll also have access to many options for health care as the Munson Healthcare system has several facilities, ranging from emergency services to community care clinics.

Steamboat Springs was beloved by skiers in our research for a genuine frontier quality that visitors described as "charming" and "non-pretentious." When you couple this Western charm with the natural attractions of the town's valley location, Steamboat Springs is one of the most scenic ski towns to visit. Those who want more than a casual winter stay may find the town's cost of living restrictive. With a cost-of-living score of 138.4, the town is 38% higher than the U.S. average. And a home will cost around $1.4 million. But you'll have access to health care right in town and rich history and culture.

Steamboat Springs' Western charm is not for show. Verdant working ranches dating back to the 1920s still surround the town, and from the cowboy hat-selling F.M. Light & Sons to the Western art at Jace Rommick Gallery, the streets and shops are as western as they come. In winter, skiing takes place at Steamboat Ski Resort, where 183 trails also offer snowshoeing and night skiing. In January, these slopes see the Cowboy Downhill, a rodeo with professional cowboys — except instead of roping, the cowboys ski. As spring arrives, Yampa River Botanic Park starts to bloom and opens up its 15 gardens of colorful flowers and butterflies to both residents and visitors, free of charge.

Summer brings water activities on Steamboat Lake. And there's hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. There's also art walks, free concerts in the botanical gardens, a July 4 celebration, a farmers market, and a rodeo, of course. Here's how one Redditor recommended the town: "The town of Steamboat is awesome. Some really great restaurants and the town off the mountain seems to retain a lot of the Frontier charm that it was founded on."

For a destination of its reputation, Whitefish in Montana has a moderate cost of living. Some call it Montana's most charming town, thanks to a storybook downtown. Nature lovers know it as a gateway to Glacier National Park. And it has also been ranked among the West's best ski towns (via Ski Mag). Moving to the town year-round puts the cost of living 15.7% above the U.S. average, with home prices around $840,000, placing it at the higher end of the list. Emergency healthcare needs are handled right in town at Logan Health, a full-service hospital.

In town, residents also have access to a thriving arts scene with plenty of art galleries. At Whitefish Theatre Company, you'll find an eclectic roster of plays and live music performances. And Alpine Theatre Project puts on professional shows at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Downtown also has restaurants, cafes, and shops nestled inside fairy-tale buildings that look like they belong in a children's storybook.

Whitefish Mountain Resort is the main skiing destination, while in winter, Glacier National Park also offers trails for skiing. In summer, the national park has gorgeous glaciers and 700 miles of hiking trails, while Lake McDonald, its largest lake, is an adventure-filled beauty. In the fall, Whitefish's trees get new colors, and a celebratory mood takes over the town. Whitefish Food & Wine Festival's wine tastings, farm-to-table meals, and live music are perfect for foodies, and the Whitefish Songwriter Festival brings storytelling talents into town. There's also an Oktoberfest in October.

With powder-dusted peaks everywhere and Lake Tahoe unfolding below, skiing the mountain at Heavenly Ski Resort is a dream. These breathtaking scenes continue in the town of South Lake Tahoe at the base of the mountain. People who like flashy casinos and a lively nightlife will find lots of entertainment right across the border in Caesars, which is only three minutes away, along with several other casinos in the area. In fact, the casinos were a draw for some skiers in our research. "Heavenly has a gondola that ends up in the South Lake Tahoe village area just steps away from a bunch of casinos and Lake Tahoe," said one on Reddit.

If your idea of the good life is a lake and warm weather, Lake Tahoe gets active as temperatures rise. Visitors can enjoy water sports such as paragliding or take a boat excursion.

In the mountains, wildflowers appear, and numerous hiking trails make you one with nature. One of the most picturesque hikes to take is the Eagle Falls Trail hike, which ends with breathtaking views of Eagle Falls. Compared with many of the ski towns on this list, South Lake Tahoe is fairly affordable. On average, a home is around $630,000, and your cost of living will be 4.1% lower than the rest of California, though 44% higher than the rest of the U.S.

Our research began with travel boards and Reddit, where we looked for recommendations and reviews of the ski towns skiers found beautiful or wanted to move to. Next, we needed to narrow these towns to those that would provide the best quality of life. To develop a criterion, we looked at happiness and quality-of-life studies to identify commonly used factors. We settled on cost of living, home prices, access to health care, availability of cultural experiences and entertainment, and access to the outdoors. To determine these, we used Zillow for average home prices, Best Places for cost-of-living scores, and searched the towns' databases for hospitals and other health care.

Because the towns needed to offer a strong quality of life year-round, we consulted tourism websites for information on seasonal offerings. This ensured the final list included towns with year-round opportunities for entertainment, outdoor immersion, and culture.