Realtors Predict These Colorado Mountain Towns Will Be Unaffordable by 2027

Most of Colorado's population lives in what is known as the Front Range Urban Corridor, but if you're hoping to enjoy the beauty of the Centennial State a bit further from the big cities, the state has plenty of stunning, quirky, and delightful mountain towns to choose from.

While their populations may be much lower than Boulder and Denver, some of these mountain towns are hot commodities, with home prices expected to see steep increases in the coming years.

If you're looking to make smart homeowner moves in the area, real estate experts predict these nine Colorado mountain towns will be unaffordable by 2027.

"We're seeing a notable trend among affluent buyers who are increasingly gravitating toward Telluride," Brian O'Neill, a local broker and director of Telluride Properties, says. "The appeal lies in Telluride's authenticity and intimacy — it offers a genuine mountain experience without the congestion and commercial feel of larger ski destinations."

Because of Telluride's remote location, demand can seriously outpace supply when it comes to home availability, which just might mean big paydays down the line for owners.

Carbondale is another quaint mountain town realtors tend to point to for rising prices. Located between Glenwood Springs and Aspen, Carbondale is a small town surrounded by the natural beauty of the Rockies, but it also offers a charming downtown for shopping and dining.

Though prices for current home listings range from $295,000 to $22.5 million, professionals expect the area to see big-time growth. Right now, Realtor.com puts the median sale price at $1.6 million.

"Steamboat Springs is expensive already, but its growth is poised to keep going full speed ahead due to massive, planned development," Fred Loguidice, real estate expert and founder of Sell My House Fast Salt Lake City, says.

The northwest Colorado gem is already a hotspot for skiing, tubing, and more, and planned development has real estate experts expecting solid price appreciation in the years to come.

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This delightful and artsy central Colorado mountain town is close enough to the Front Range, making driving to Denver and Colorado Springs quite manageable, while still maintaining a quaint and secluded feel.

"It's incredibly popular among Denver professionals seeking a mountain home base," Loguidice says. "We've seen appreciation percentages here reach well over 15% per year based on that combination of drive-time accessibility and actual lifestyle."

"Crested Butte is one of Colorado's remaining true ski towns — remote, historic, and strongly protected against sprawl," Loguidice says, noting that most inventory in the area is tightly held, leading to ever-rising prices.

Home sale prices in the area range from $69,000 to $25 million, according to Realtor.com. Because of the competition, Loguidice says that some would-be buyers are going to nearby Gunnison instead (which is also seeing price spikes).

Homes are already quite pricey in Breckenridge, and local realtor and founder of Great Colorado Homes, Andrew Fortune, predicts those price tags are only going to go up.

"It has so many features that draw people there," Fortune says. "The town gets busy all year from tourism and remote workers who want ski access plus mountain views. There's just not enough land for the new builds, and more buyers show up with cash every year."

Fortune says that Breckenridge is also still (relatively) attainable for some buyers, compared to other high-demand areas, like Aspen.

With that said, Aspen is one of those stunning mountain towns, perhaps the most well-known one in the state, where homes pretty much always retain value, Fortune says.

"Low inventory and global demand mean homes rarely last long on the market," he says. "It increases in value but is unattainable to most people."

According to Realtor.com, prices in Aspen really run the gamut, with home listings ranging from $15,000 to $300 million. If you can afford to invest in the area, there is a good chance you'll see quite a return.

Glenwood Springs is less in demand than many of the pricier mountain towns on this list, but it's starting to catch on, which could put it out of reach for many in the coming years, Fortune says.

It's "another town that is quieter but starting to catch up, thanks to new jobs and better roads," he says. "People talk about Glenwood Springs a lot now, so I know it's getting more attention … People see it as a spot where they can get mountain life at a lower price than Vail or Aspen.

Adam Hamilton, CEO of REI Hub, a property management software company, notes that several mountain towns around Colorado have experienced major home price spikes over the past decade, and he expects Snowmass Village to continue on that trajectory.

"While most other places have seen more modest appreciation because of the general state of the real estate market right now, Snowmass Village saw more significant growth this past year of 5.3%…this indicates it has a better chance at steeper growth," he says.

It can be difficult to adjust to Colorado mountain life because competition for homes is steep, and wintering in the Rockies can be a shock to the unprepared and unfamiliar.

But if you end up purchasing a gem in one of these stunning cities before prices skyrocket (or skyrocket even more), protect your home budget by carefully evaluating home insurance plans, as mountain weather can be unpredictable, too.