America's 50 Most Expensive Small Towns 2011

 

America's 50 Most Expensive Small Towns 2011

No. 31 Most Expensive Small Town: Sea Girt, N.J.

Median home value: $1,311,368
YOY price change: -6.1%
Population: 2,116
2010 Rank: 40

The boardwalk and beaches in Sea Girt, a coastal community near expensive New Jersey town Spring Lake, attract many vacationers. It is also home to a historic lighthouse that opened in 1896. The town is served by the Sea Girt Elementary School, the Brookside School, and Manasquan High School, according to the borough website.

No. 30 Most Expensive Small Town: Saddle River, N.J.

Median home value: $1,317,400
YOY price change: -9.3%
Population: 3,197
2010 Rank: 2

Saddle River, in northern New Jersey near the New York border, has been home to President Richard Nixon (1981 to 1990) and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. One of the town's major recreation facilities is Rindlaub Park, which has baseball diamonds, tennis courts, a nature trail, playground, and summer concerts.

No. 29 Most Expensive Small Town: Yarrow Point, Wash.

Median home value: $1,337,207
YOY price change: -2.2%
Population: 997
2010 Rank: 38

Yarrow Point, a half-crescent peninsula that covers about 231 acres, is bordered on three sides by the eastern shoreline of Lake Washington. It is near expensive towns Clyde Hill and Medina One attraction is the Wetherill Nature Preserve, between Yarrow Point and Hunts Point, which has walking trails and is popular for bird watching, according to the town's website

No. 28 Most Expensive Small Town: Chilmark, Mass.

Median home value: $1,357,917
YOY price change: -6.1%
Population: 953
2010 Rank: NA

Chilmark, a rural beach town on the western end of the island of Martha's Vineyard, has many vacation properties and seasonal visitors. A fishing village in Chilmark called Menemsha has a small yacht marina and a commercial pier where fishing vessels tie up. In August 2010, President Barack Obama and his family vacationed there, renting Blue Heron Farm.

No. 27 Most Expensive Small Town: Stinson Beach, Calif.

Median home value: $1,364,180
YOY price change: +6.0%
Population: 751
2010 Rank: NA

A beach town 20 miles north of San Francisco, Stinson Beach is located along a scenic shoreline route on Highway One. Residents have many options for outdoor recreation nearby, including Stinson Beach Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Muir Woods, Red Rock Beach, and Marin Headlands, according to the town's website.

No. 26 Most Expensive Small Town: Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,400,535
YOY price change: -12.9%
Population: 3,760
2010 Rank: 20

Many homes in the North Shore's Lloyd Harbor have water vistas and private docks, according to pipingrockrealestate.com. Residents can access fields, rocky coastal areas, woods, and miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails in Caumsett State Historic Park. Lloyd Harbor has been home to aviator Charles Lindbergh, talk show host Sean Hannity, and musician Billy Joel. Median household income is $221,667, according to U.S. Census data.

No. 25 Most Expensive Small Town: Tiburon, Calif.

Median home value: $1,400,603
YOY price change: -7.3%
Population: 8,707
2010 Rank: 27

Tiburon, north of San Francisco near the expensive town of Belvedere, is a commuter town and popular destination for visitors. It has marinas, yacht clubs, tennis courts, and swimming facilities, according to goodlifemarin.com. Opportunities for outdoor activity and observing wildlife are available through Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve and Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary.

No. 24 Most Expensive Small Town: Laurel Hollow, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,401,126
YOY price change: -0.2%
Population: 1,923
2010 Rank: 37

Louis Comfort Tiffany, the stained-glass artisan who later became design director for Tiffany & Co., was among the first wealthy New Yorkers to move to Laurel Hollow in the early 1900s. The village, about 30 miles from Manhattan, is hilly and offers views of the harbor. The posh community is home to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a nonprofit with research programs focusing on cancer, neurobiology, plant genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics.

No. 23 Most Expensive Small Town: Amagansett, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,419,438
YOY price change: -14.5%
Population: 1,164
2010 Rank: NA

An East Hampton beach town about 100 miles from Manhattan, Amagansett offers access to nearby sporting facilities, a golf club, fishing, sailing, and biking. The resort location also has a village square with restaurants and shops. It has been home to musician Paul McCartney, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

No. 22 Most Expensive Small Town: Muttontown, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,425,461
YOY price change: -1.2%
Population: 3,413
2010 Rank: 34

A village in Oyster Bay about 30 miles from Manhattan, Muttontown was originally settled in the 1600s and primarily served as an area for sheep grazing. Today it is well-known for large estates, nature preserves, and miles of horse trails. Celebrities such as musician Alicia Keys and former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington have lived in Muttontown. With a median household income above $250,000, it is one of the wealthiest towns in the U.S.

No. 21 Most Expensive Small Town: Plandome, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,530,309
YOY price change: +4.8%
Population: 1,264
2010 Rank: 33

The wealthy village of Plandome in North Hempstead is about 20 miles east of Manhattan and accessible by mass transit. One of the area's attractions is the Plandome Country Club, which offers golf, swimming, and dining. The Census Bureau estimates median household income is $241,667

No. 20 Most Expensive Small Town: Oyster Bay Cove, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,533,168
YOY price change: -0.3%
Population: 2,252
2010 Rank: 28

Although Oyster Bay Cove is one of the wealthiest towns in the country, with median household income above $250,000, according to the Census Bureau, the area is known to be less glitzy than the nearby Hamptons. The village, which covers 4.3 square miles, has been home to President Theodore Roosevelt, former Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, fashion designer Oleg Cassini, and banker Mortimer Schiff (who owned Northwood, once a 900-acre estate).

No. 19 Most Expensive Small Town: Upper Brookville, N.Y.

Median home value: $1,560,938
YOY price change: -2.3%
Population: 1,826
2010 Rank: 25

Long Island's Upper Brookville in Oyster Bay is surrounded by expensive towns Muttontown, Oyster Bay Cove Old Brookville, and Brookville It is near the Mill River Club, Muttontown Country Club, and Hoffman Center Nature Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary.

No. 18 Most Expensive Small Town: Monte Sereno, Calif.

Median home value: $1,596,355
YOY price change: -4.4%
Population: 3,478
2010 Rank: Unchanged

Monte Sereno, 10 miles southwest of San Jose and minutes from Silicon Valley, is known for its rural atmosphere, wooded hillsides, and large estates, and is home to many Silicon Valley executives. Author John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men at a house in the town

No. 17 Most Expensive Small Town: Loyola, Calif.

Median home value: $1,647,484
YOY price change: -0.6%
Population: 3,525
2010 Rank: 21

Loyola, near Los Altos Hills and tech centers Mountain View and Cupertino, is a small town that covers about 1.7 square miles. It is near Los Altos Golf and Country Club, as well as other amenities such as public parks and the 3,800-acre Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve.