In some American towns, almost every home is sitting empty for parts of the year. These seasonal homes, including beachside bungalows, mountainside chalets and lakeside estates, are usually owned by part-time residents. In most extreme cases, it accounts for more than 98% of all homes in the town.
From coastal escapes in Delaware to ski havens in Colorado, there are 10 US towns with the highest share of seasonal homes.
10 Most Seasonal Towns in America
Rank Location Seasonal Housing Share 1 Dewey Beach, Dewey Beach, 98.3% 2 Quarg, New York 97.9% 3 Board Head Island, NC 97.5% 4 Barnegut Light, New Jersey 97.2% 5 Frisco, CO 96.9% 96.4% 10 McCall, ID 96.1%
What is seasonal housing and what is happening in the market right now?
Seasonal homes are properties that only part of the year is used for holidays, recreational or occasional stays. They are usually located in popular escape destinations, but demand tends to decline and flow at affordable prices. Recently, high housing costs have made homes more difficult for holidaying.
In the era of ultra-low mortgage rates of the pandemic, second homes were more than twice as many purchases, some driven by investor activities. Since then, they have plunged into a new low, dealing with economic uncertainty and near-record housing costs. As a result, the holiday market is cooled slightly faster than in other parts of the country.
A recent Redfin analysis found that home sales in seasonal towns fell 3% in July compared to a 1% decline in non-seasonal towns. If the cost is high, people are more likely to dump or sell ski chalets and beach houses.
A good look at the most seasonal towns in America
1. Dewey Beach, de
Seasonal Housing Share: 98.3% Total Seasonal Housing Units: 1,376 Permanent Population: 328 Dewey Median Selling Price: $995,000
Along Delaware’s gorgeous Cape region, Dewey Beach is the most seasonal town in the United States, with over 98% of its homes used only part-time.
Dewey Beach is a coastal town filled with colonial architecture, sandy coastlines and family-run shops. Sussex County, including Dewey Beach, has grown rapidly since the turn of the century. Instead of farmland, vast residential areas and retirement communities appear, taking advantage of comfortable weather and untouched beachfront.
Dewey Beach has a very small population, but in the summer it brings tens of thousands of visitors into town.
Dewey Beach Home Sale | Dewey Beach House Rental | Dewey Beach Apartments for Rental
2. Quarg, New York
Seasonal housing share: 97.9% Total seasonal housing units: 1,376 Permanent population: 602 Quarterly sales price: $10,800,000
Pronounced “Kwog,” quag is a small Hampton town on the south coast of Long Island. That sets it apart from the richness of the rest of Hampton, which has a modest and realistic vibe, but I’m not saying it’s affordable.
The Hamptons have long been a summer shelter for ultra-targets, but their popularity exploded during the pandemic. The cost of living in the area has skyrocketed, with the two postcodes currently one of the most expensive in the country. Seasonal homeowners are often wealthy and have no problem giving some locals a $100 lobster salad or $400 melon. With relatively few homes sold each year, the median selling price can swing dramatically. This ranges from around $2 million to $12 million in recent years.
Quogue Homes for Sale |Quogue House for Rental |Quogue Apartments for Rental
3. Head Island, North Carolina
Formerly Smith Island, Bald Island is a small resort community one hour south of Wilmington. It is a relatively far-reaching town only accessible by ferry. In fact, cars are not permitted on the island. Instead, residents drive golf carts, bikes or walks, creating a very peaceful atmosphere.
Bald Island House Sale | Belp Island House House House | Bald Island Apartments for rent
4. New Jersey Barnegut Light
Barnegat Light is technically the fourth most seasonal town in the borough, located at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, full of beaches, lighthouses and miles of beaches. Island Beach State Park is located just north, along with a marine protected area that protects a unique ecosystem.
The Jersey Shore region is an iconic American holiday, which shows. In 2024, the coast saw almost 30% of the state’s nearly 124 million visitors.
Barnegat Light Homes for Sale | Barnegat light Houses for Rent | Light Apartments in Barnegat
5. Frisco, co
Seasonal Housing Share: 96.9% Total Seasonal Housing Units: 2,344 Permanent Population: 2,865 Frisco Median Selling Price: $1,095,000
Frisco is one of the many mountain towns in Colorado, close to famous ski resorts. Just a few miles south is Breckenridge, a legendary destination among skiers and mountaineers. Frisco’s Top Draw is a quaint downtown with family-run shops, 14ers and alpine lake views and a marina along Dillon Reservoir.
Outdoor recreation is the reason most people move to the area, but it’s extremely difficult to afford, as typical home prices exceed $1 million.
Frisco Homes for Sale | Frisco Rentals | Frisco Partment Rentals
6. Breckenridge, co
Breckenridge is synonymous with skiing and for good reason. It offers access to five peaks and nearly 3,000 acres of skiable terrain, as well as top tier powder. So it’s no surprise that you’ll buy a second home for easy access to thousands of people.
Mountain towns across the country have skyrocketed in home prices during the pandemic. Remote workers and wealthy buyers raced to steal homes with outdoor access and ample space. In Colorado, the jump sets prices for most locals, including towns like Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs and Frisco.
Bale, Telluride and Aspen (other high-end Colorado Ski Town) are slightly less seasonal with 86.8%, 82.8% and 75% residential stocks, respectively. Aspen, in particular, is known for its super-luxury homes, and recently broke the charts on the country’s most expensive list.
Breckenridge Homes For Sale | Breckenridge Houses for Rent | Apartments for Breckenridge Apartments
7. Lake Fontanaon Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Fontana on Geneva, known locally as “Fontana”, is a small village located in Lake Geneva (and of course) northeast of Chicago. It is a resort town that is popular primarily among water sports enthusiasts, with a yacht club and a marina.
Due to the natural beauty of the area and its proximity to Milwaukee and Chicago, it has long been a runaway for Midwest billionaires. Large estates line up in small sections of lakes owned by wealthy Chicagoans, such as the Sears and Wrigley families.
Fontana-on-Geneva Lake Homes For Sale | Fontana-on-Geneva Lake Houses for Rent | Fontana-on-Geneva Lake Apartments for Rent
8. Innsbruck, MO
The village of Innsbruck is almost entirely composed of Innsbruck Resorts and is a private gated community. Amenities include a full golf course, a stable building, seven natural trails and relaxation on the lakeside. The town is outside St. Louis for over an hour. Because of its exclusiveness, it is more expensive than in other parts of Missouri. Typical selling price is ~$600,000, with a statewide median of twice the statewide.
The Innsbruck name nods to the famous Tyrol region of Austria, where the original “Innsbruck” is located. Even the A-frame architecture is faithfully replicated.
Innsbruck Home for Sale | Renter’s Home Home | Innsbruck Apartments for Rentals
9. Longport, New Jersey
Seasonal housing share: 96.4% Total seasonal housing unit: 1,070 Permanent population: 897 Longport Median sales price: $2,825,000
Longport is located at the southern tip of Abcon Island, south of Atlantic City. With home prices along the Jersey Shore skyrocketing over the past 20 years, it is one of the most expensive places to live in the state. A typical home runs you over $2 million.
Longport Home for Sale | Longport House for Rental | Longport Apartments for Rental
10. McCall, Id
Seasonal Housing Share: 96.1% Total Seasonal Housing Units: 2,708 Permanent Population: 3,847 Median McCall Selling Price: $581,000
The last part of the list is the ID McCall. Here, 96% of the houses are used seasonally. McCall is a resort town on the shore of Lake Payette, two hours north of Boise, known for its alpine wilderness and outdoor recreation. The house is very expensive, especially in the Whitetail area, but it becomes pale compared to places like Aspen.
McCall Home Sales | McCall House Rental | McCall Apartments Rental
Methodology
Based on the original Redfin report. A seasonal town is defined as a town where more than 30% of its housing stock is used only seasonally. There are 288 seasonal towns in the United States, and are thought to be used seasonally only if it meets the US Census Bureau’s definition of seasonal, recreational, or occasional use. Housing market data is sourced from Redfin. Population data is from the US Census Bureau. All other data as of August 2025.
