The Most Expensive and Affordable U.S. National Parks to Live Near

Living near one of the country's 63 national parks may be a privilege, but it can also come at a serious premium. A 2021 study from nature and outdoor site Outforia showed that it can cost nearly 390% more to live near a U.S. national park than in other areas of the respective states.

Topping the list of greatest premiums for proximity is Grand Teton National Park, where the average home price in Moose is $1,353,588, which is 389.9% more than the rest of Wyoming's average of $276,278. In second place is Indiana Dunes National Park, with a $807,779 property average in Dune Acres, which is 328.5% more than Indiana's $188,505 average. Rounding out the top three is Glacier National Park, where $976,177 can get you a home in West Glacier, which is 166% more than Montana's $367,030 average.

The premium percentages then drop significantly for the remaining top 10: Living near Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio, for example, is 65.4% more, followed by Yellowstone in Montana at 52%, Acadia in Maine at 40.2%, Hot Springs in Arkansas at 29.2%, Rocky Mountain in Colorado at 20.2%, Channel Islands in California at 13%, and Haleakala in Hawaii at 8.8%.

"The luxury of living in some of the most pristine and jaw-dropping environments can understandably come with quite the price tag," the study said, adding that "not all national parks are more expensive than average, with some places offering a surprisingly affordable average property price."

On the other end of the scale, the average property value in International Falls near Voyageurs is $78,128, which is 74.4% less than Minnesota's average of $305,474. Next is Congaree, where Eastover's average is $67,192, which is 70.9% less than South Carolina's $230,901, and Petrified Forest, where Holbrook's average is $145,972, which is 60.2% less than Arizona's $366,343.

Other national parks where property prices are lower include Hawaii Volcanoes, which is 58.8% less, Canyonlands in Utah at 57.6% less, Mount Rainier in Washington at 57.1% less, Lassen Volcanic in California at 56% less, Kings Canyon in California at 54.2% less, Mesa Verde in Colorado at 53.5% less, and Joshua Tree at 50.9% less.

The study looked at 50 national parks, eliminating 13 where data was either unavailable or the nearest town was vague.