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Top 10 US towns where vacation homes dominate the market

In some American towns, nearly every house sits empty for part of the year. Whether it’s a beachside bungalow, a mountainside chalet, or a lakeside estate, these seasonal homes are usually owned by part-time residents — and in the most extreme cases, they make up over 98% of all housing in town.

From coastal escapes in Delaware to ski havens in Colorado, shares the 10 U.S. towns with the highest share of seasonal homes.

10 Most Seasonal Towns in America

1. Dewey Beach, Delaware: 98.3% seasonal housing share
2. Quogue, New York: 97.9% seasonal housing share
3. Bald Head Island, North Carolina: 97.5% seasonal housing share
4. Barnegat Light, New Jersey: 97.2% seasonal housing share
5. Frisco, Colorado: 96.9% seasonal housing share
6. Breckenridge, Colorado: 96.7% seasonal housing share
7. Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin: 96.7% seasonal housing share
8. Innsbrook, Missouri: 96.4% seasonal housing share
9. Longport, New Jersey: 96.4% seasonal housing share
10. McCall, Idaho: 96.1% seasonal housing share

What is seasonal housing, and what’s happening in the market right now?

Seasonal homes are properties that are used only part of the year, often for vacations, recreation, or occasional stays. They’re typically located in popular getaway destinations, but demand tends to ebb and flow with affordability — and lately, high housing costs have made vacation homes harder to afford.

During the pandemic era of ultra-low mortgage rates, second-home purchases , driven in part by activity. Since then, they’ve to new lows in response to economic uncertainty and near-record housing costs. As a result, vacation markets are cooling slightly faster than other parts of the country.

A found that home sales in seasonal towns fell 3% in July, compared to a 1% drop in nonseasonal towns. When costs are high, people are more likely to forgo or sell their ski chalet or beach house.

Here is a closer look at America’s most seasonal towns.

1. Dewey Beach, Delaware

• Seasonal housing share: 98.3%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,376
• Permanent population: 328
• $995,000

Along Delaware’s gorgeous Cape Region, Dewey Beach is the most seasonal town in the U.S., with more than 98% of its homes used only part-time.

Dewey Beach is a coastal town full of colonial architecture, sandy shorelines, and family-owned shops. Sussex County, which includes Dewey Beach, has since the turn of the century. Vast housing tracts and retirement communities have popped up in place of farmland to take advantage of pleasant weather and pristine beachfront.

Dewey Beach has a very small year-round population, but summers bring tens of thousands of visitors to a town that’s otherwise quiet.

2. Quogue, New York

• Seasonal housing share: 97.9%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,376
• Permanent population: 602
• : $10,800,000

Pronounced “kwog,” Quogue is a small Hamptons town on the southern coast of Long Island. It sets itself apart from the affluence of the rest of the Hamptons with its low-key, down-to-earth atmosphere — although that’s not to say it’s affordable.

The Hamptons have long been a summer haven for the ultrawealthy, but it exploded in popularity during the pandemic. The cost of living in the area has skyrocketed, and two of its ZIP codes are now among the in the nation. Seasonal homeowners are often wealthy and have affording $100-a-pound lobster salad or $400 melons, to the chagrin of some locals. With relatively few homes selling each year, the median sale price can swing dramatically — ranging from about $2 million to $12 million in recent years.

3. Bald Head Island, North Carolina

• Seasonal housing share: 97.5%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,052
• Permanent population: 149
• : $2,292,500

Previously called Smith Island, Bald Head Island is a tiny resort community an hour south of Wilmington. It’s a relatively remote town that is only accessible by ferry — in fact, on the island. Residents instead drive golf carts, bike, or walk, which creates a very peaceful atmosphere.

4. Barnegat Light, New Jersey

• Seasonal housing share: 97.2%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,020
• Permanent population: 473
• : $1,490,000

Barnegat Light is the fourth-most seasonal town in the U.S. Technically a borough, it’s situated on the northern tip of Long Beach Island and is full of seaside homes, a lighthouse, and miles of beaches. Island Beach State Park lies just to the north, along with marine conservation zones that protect unique ecosystems.

The Jersey Shore region is an iconic American getaway, and it shows. In 2024, the Shore saw almost 30% of the state’s nearly .

5. Frisco, Colorado

• Seasonal housing share: 96.9%
• Total seasonal housing units: 2,344
• Permanent population: 2,865
• : $1,095,000

Frisco is one of many mountain towns in Colorado near renowned ski resorts. Just a few miles to the south is Breckenridge, a destination legendary among skiers and mountaineers. Frisco’s top draws are a quaint downtown with family-owned shops, views of 14ers and alpine lakes, and a marina along Dillon Reservoir.

Outdoor recreation is why most people move to the area, but with typical house prices topping $1 million, it’s very difficult to afford.

6. Breckenridge, Colorado

• Seasonal housing share: 96.7%
• Total seasonal housing units: 5,518
• Permanent population: 5,001
• : $1,107,000

Breckenridge is synonymous with skiing, and for good reason: It offers access to five peaks and nearly 3,000 acres of skiable terrain, plus top-tier powder. So, it’s no surprise that thousands of people would purchase a second home for easy access.

Mountain towns across the country saw house prices during the pandemic, as remote workers and wealthy buyers raced to snatch up homes with outdoor access and plenty of space. In Colorado, this jump has priced out most locals, including towns like Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs, and Frisco.

Vail, Telluride, and Aspen (other high-end Colorado ski towns) have slightly lower seasonality, with housing shares of 86.8%, 82.8%, and 75%, respectively. Aspen in particular is known for its ultra-luxury housing and recently topped the charts with the in the nation.

7. Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin

• Seasonal housing share: 96.7%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,651
• Permanent population: 1,633
• : $572,500

Locally known as just “Fontana,” Fontana-on-Geneva Lake is a small village northeast of Chicago situated (unsurprisingly) on Geneva Lake. It’s primarily a resort town popular among water sports enthusiasts, and has a yacht club and marina.

Because of the region’s natural beauty and proximity to Milwaukee and Chicago, it has a getaway for Midwestern millionaires. Large estates line small sections of the lake, owned by affluent Chicagoans like the Sears and Wrigley families.

8. Innsbrook, Missouri

• Seasonal housing share: 96.4%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,158
• Permanent population: 872
• : $582,500

The village of Innsbrook consists almost entirely of the Innsbrook Resort, which is a private, gated community. Amenities include a full golf course, stables, seven nature trails, and lakeside relaxation. The town is just over an hour outside of St. Louis. Because of its exclusivity, it’s expensive relative to the rest of Missouri: the typical sale price is around $600,000, double the statewide median.

Innsbrook’s name is a nod to Austria’s famous Tyrol region, where the original “Innsbruck” is located. Even the is faithfully replicated.

9. Longport, New Jersey

• Seasonal housing share: 96.4%
• Total seasonal housing units: 1,070
• Permanent population: 897
• : $2,825,000

Longport is located on the southern tip of Absecon Island, south of Atlantic City. It’s among the places to live in the state, as house prices along the Jersey Shore have skyrocketed in the last two decades. A typical house will run you $2 million or more.

10. McCall, Idaho

• Seasonal housing share: 96.1%
• Total seasonal housing units: 2,708
• Permanent population: 3,847
• : $581,000

Last on the list is McCall, Idaho, where 96% of homes are used seasonally. McCall is a resort town on the shores of Payette Lake, two hours north of Boise, known for its alpine wilderness and outdoor recreation. Homes can be , especially in the Whitetail area, but they pale in comparison to places like Aspen.

Methodology

This story is based on an original . Seasonal towns are defined as those where more than 30% of the housing stock is used only seasonally. There are 288 seasonal towns throughout the U.S. Housing stock is considered to be used only seasonally if it fits into the U.S. Census Bureau’s definition of seasonal, recreational, or occasional use. Housing market data is sourced from Redfin. Population data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. All other data is as of August 2025.

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