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Ah, the good ol’ ski town debate. Is ski season really over until we hotly debate the best ski towns in North America. Is it about access to the slopes or great après-ski? The spirit of the community or affordable lodging and housing? Yes, and yes. It’s about all of it, depending on who you are and why you ski.
Watch: Guess the Ski Towns in this Video
The topic of the best ski towns in North America is a vigorously contested one among the SKI staff—and skiers everywhere. We spend a good chunk of time arguing over which bar has best après lager, where to dig into the tastiest cheeseburger, and where to jam out to amazing live music. And like most of you, we rarely ever agree.
So in the spirit of compromise, we put our heads together on a list of the 8 Best Ski Towns in North America—but you have to guess what they are. Below, we provide a photo of the closest ski resort, the town demographics, and a reader quote from 2025 SKI Magazine Reader Resort Survey. (Want to have a say in next year’s results? Take the 2026 Reader Resort Survey here.)
Also Read: Ski Area Challenge: Name The Resorts in These Images
How well do you know your ski towns? Let’s find out.
The 8 Best Ski Towns in North America
No. 1
Stats
- Population: 2,595
- Median Household Income: $97,330
- Male/Female Ratio: 56/44
- Median Home Price: $2.8 million
- Median Age: 42.4
“A great ski town! The mountain is fun with lots of terrain options! Views are spectacular. Restaurants and shopping in the village and town are abundant.”
No. 2
Stats
- Population: 8,305
- Median Household Income: $88,000 CAD
- Male/Female Ratio: 54/46
- Median Home Price: $950,000 CAD
- Median Age: 39.8
“It’s in a gorgeous location and it feels like you’re way up high in the alpine—most runs are above tree level. It’s got an almost surreal feel and is great for intermediates with lots of gentle rolling terrain and short runs.”
No. 3
Stats
- Population: 8,396
- Median Household Income: $140,875 (USD)
- Male/Female Ratio: 50/50
- Median Home Price: $1.5 million (USD)
- Median Age: 48.6
“Nowhere in the U.S. can compare to the amount of terrain here. It would be difficult to ski the entire mountain on a several day trip.”
No. 4
Stats
- Population: 6,355
- Median Household Income: $78,636 (USD)
- Male/Female Ratio: 51/49
- Median Home Price: $3.6 million (USD)
- Median Age: 41.7
“Challenging terrain, amazing food on-mountain and in town, great terrain variety and snow quality, plus far enough away to keep the crowds low. Home to savvy people who are passionate about skiing.”
No. 5
Stats
- Population: 1,662
- Median Household Income: $71,923 (USD)
- Male/Female Ratio: 51/49
- Median Home Price: $928,100 (USD)
- Median Age: 44.6
“Incredible resort! Easy to access from the regional airport. No lift lines on weekdays and signage on mountain is very good. Town is only three miles away via free shuttle and is full of a variety of restaurants, from casual to upscale. Ski-in/ski-out hotels made for a wonderful experience!”
No. 6
Stats
- Population: 5,261
- Median Household Income: $86,304 (USD)
- Male/Female Ratio: 47/53
- Median Home Price: $960,000 (USD)
- Median Age: 49.4
“It has a reputation of being the Vail of the East, but there are a lot of really dedicated and core skiers who call the mountain home.”
No. 7
Stats
- Population: 10,543
- Median Household Income: $112,609 (USD)
- Male/Female Ratio: 55/45
- Median Home Price: $2.4 million (USD)
- Median Age: 35
“It’s the whole package as far as being a fun ski resort with great après-ski and a great downtown, dining and nightlife. Plus there are really unique options for activities on non ski days.”
No. 8
Stats
- Population: 9,163
- Median Household Income (USD): $71,110
- Male/Female Ratio: 49/51
- Median Home Price: $1.3 million (USD)
- Median Age: 43.4
“Unexpectedly adorable and unique little ski town with great access to the slopes from the town through their bus system. Skiing was fantastic, lots of snow early season.”