What are the best ski towns in America for families, individuals to live in?
It won’t be long before we’re back on the snow. Seriously.
Snowboarders and skiers already have their fingers crossed for another big season. Last winter produced one powder day after another with record-setting snowfall.
If during the dog days of summer you’re considering a move to the mountains, OnTheSnow has put together a list of what it calls America’s best ski towns to live in. Most of them are in the West, including two each in Colorado and Utah. And one of the Utah cities might come as a surprise, because it’s not traditionally thought of as a ski town.
“When we talk here about living in a ski town, we mean it; this is for those individuals, couples and families who are considering a full-time move to the mountains to live in a ski town. So that means we’re not talking about the ski bum lifestyle here,” the publication writes.
“There are a lot of considerations. How much does it cost to live there? Can you work from home? Can you find a job that pays enough to support your new lifestyle? What about the schools? And the list of questions goes on.”
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Here’s the list and an excerpt from OnTheSnow’s more detailed description of each town:
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman gives families the best of two worlds when it comes to skiing and riding. Bridger Bowl is just a 17-mile drive from town with terrain for everyone from beginners to experts. Bridger Bowl is considered the locals’ ski area.
Bend, Oregon
Bend is 22 miles from Mount Bachelor, via the Cascades Lake Highway, where you can typically count on 400 inches of snowfall each season. Mount Bachelor is one of the most popular ski areas in the Pacific Northwest, and the largest, with skiing and riding spread out over more than 4,000 acres.
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is something of a small “big” mountain town, at just under 90,000 residents. Skiers and riders will consider it an ideal location, just 40 miles from Salt Lake City, and near Snowbasin (21 miles away), Powder Mountain (23 miles) and Nordic Valley (16 miles). The incredible snow conditions — Snowbasin accumulated more than 500 inches in the 2022-23 season — make Ogden a great place for skiers to live.
Truckee, California
Truckee, California, is the perfect place for that winter sports family that gets equally excited about summer as winter. Ski resort options are endless in Truckee, with Northstar California, Palisades Tahoe, Sugar Bowl, Mount Rose, and Tahoe Donner all within 30 miles of Truckee.
Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte, dubbed “Colorado’s last great ski town,” is conveniently located just a few minutes from Crested Butte Ski Resort. It gives off a small, fun ski town vibe that you won’t find in every Colorado ski town. Its picturesque town streets are lined with all kinds of charming boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson is well-known as one of the most desirable ski towns to live in. This isn’t your everyday ski town, however, as Jackson is home to one of North America’s top ski resorts, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (rated OnTheSnow’s Best All-Mountain Terrain resort for both 2022 and 2023), plus it’s the gateway to two of America’s most popular national parks, Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen has earned recognition as not only one of the best places to ski in America, but one of the best places to live. Skiing in Aspen is world-class, thanks to the combination of Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. However, the town of Aspen itself is just as world-class.
Park City, Utah
Park City, located 30 miles from Salt Lake City, has built a reputation as a great ski community and place to live. It’s no wonder considering how many incredible ski resorts are nearby, including Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley, both of which are in the town’s city limits. A new resort — Mayflower — broke ground in 2021 and is not far from opening.
Taos, New Mexico
Taos Ski Valley has long been a world-class ski resort in its own distinctive way since it was founded by the legendary Ernie Blake and his wife Rhoda, who opened the resort more than 60 years ago. New owners have brought much of the mountain and base community up to what we consider world-class today, without letting go of the charm for which the resort is famous.
Manchester, Vermont
Many people probably think Stowe when they think great New England ski towns, and it’s for good reason. However, Manchester is a lovely town in a skiing triangle with Bromley (6 miles), Stratton (20 miles) and Magic Mountain (13 miles) all nearby.
North Conway, New Hampshire
Don’t sleep on New Hampshire. North Conway is a small New England ski town, with just under 2,500 residents. While it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of many other ski towns, that’s exactly what makes it such a great town to live in. Cranmore Mountain is the hometown ski resort.
