America’s most affordable mountain towns revealed – including stunning east coast haven where visitors can ski all night

Three picturesque mountain towns are among the top 10 cities for buying luxury homes.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Asheville, North Carolina; and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho have skyrocketed in the Wall Street Journal x Realtor.com rankings this year.

Each quarter, real estate experts identify the most attractive metropolitan areas for purchasing luxury homes, based on the local economy, housing market and quality of life.

According to Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com, the three mountain towns featured this month offer “easy access to outdoor recreation” and “a high quality of life, far from the hustle and bustle of big cities and the coast.”

“With interest rates set to hover around 7% for most of 2024, there is a need for affordability even in the luxury housing segment,” he added.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts (pictured); Asheville, North Carolina; and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, skyrocketed in the Wall Street Journal x Realtor.com rankings this year

Located near Massachusetts’ western border with New York, Pittsfield offers the rare opportunity to ski at night at a 500-acre resort on Bousquet Mountain

Located near Massachusetts’ western border with New York, Pittsfield offers the unique opportunity to ski at night on a 500-acre resort on Bousquet Mountain.

The picturesque town in the Berkshires highlands rose from No. 25 on the luxury home rankings last quarter to No. 5 this quarter.

“It’s a nature lover’s paradise,” said Jennifer Glockner, the city’s director of cultural development. Makelaar.com.

“We also have two lakes, a state forest and numerous hiking trails.”

She added that the city also has dozens of restaurants and theaters within walking distance.

Although it’s only 150 miles from the hustle and bustle of New York City, it offers a sense of peace and quiet rarely found in the financial capital.

According to Pittsfield, homes have a median price of $308,010 Red fin – compared to $850,000 in the Big Apple.

Local real estate magnate Mark Fields has described Asheville (pictured) as both “the Switzerland of the United States” and “the Nashville of the East” thanks to its thriving live music scene

Asheville has an electric art scene that extends to the streets in the form of beautiful murals in the South Slope Cultural District

Pictured: Murals in the South Slope Cultural District of Asheville, North Carolina

The average sales price for homes in Asheville (pictured above) is $515,000 according to Redfin — a 4.6 percent decrease from last year

Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Asheville rose in the rankings from 19th last quarter to 8th this quarter.

The city has a vibrant arts scene, reflected in the beautiful murals in the cultural South Slope district.

Local real estate magnate Mark Fields described Asheville as “the Switzerland of the United States” to Realtor.com, calling the city “rolling hills, rivers, streams and waterfalls.”

He also called it the “Nashville of the East” because of its thriving live music scene.

According to Redfin, the median sales price for homes in Asheville is $515,000, down 4.6 percent from last year.

Coeur d’Alene (pictured) in northern Idaho, located on the shores of a beautiful, expansive lake, rose 12 spots in the rankings this quarter, from 21st to 9th.

Stacy Kirk, vice president of Interluxe Auctions, described Coeur d’Alene as “a sophisticated place” with all the charms of a small town

Located on the shores of a beautiful, expansive lake, Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho rose 12 spots in the rankings this quarter, from 21st to 9th.

Emily Beutler, a real estate agent with Century 21 Beutler & Associates, says the waterfront homes are increasingly attracting celebrities.

According to Mansion Global, these include George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey.

Stacy Kirk, vice president of Interluxe Auctions, described the city as “a sophisticated place” with all the charms of a small town.

“There are pedestrians and ice cream parlors. The pine trees make the air fresh, clean and fragrant,” she said Country house Global.

It offers an endless number of outdoor activities to feed the soul – from whitewater rafting to snowboarding and golf – as well as five-star restaurants and trendy boutiques.

But growing interest in the city has helped the median home price rise 10.9 percent over the past year to $560,000, according to a Redfin analysis.