Eagle County

Eagle County sits just south of Routt County in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. With its easy access to some of Colorado's best skiing, and its proximity to Denver as well as to Grand Junction, many residents feel that Eagle County has one of the best locations in Colorado.

With a range of outdoor activities and stunning scenery, Eagle County is a great option for homebuyers who can afford the high cost of living here. The average price of any residential dwelling, which includes homes, condos and townhouses, hits the $700,000 mark for the county. Average prices for single-family homes are closer to $1 million or $2 million.

Agriculture and mining, which used to be the primary drivers of Eagle County's economy, have been taken over by the tourism industry, which is focused on skiing and other winter activities.

The county is home to Vail, Colorado's largest ski resort. Although seemingly endless ski runs are the main enticement for many people moving to the area, resorts in Eagle County are now also offering four full seasons of recreation, with golfing, biking and fishing easily accessible in the summer months.

Most of the growth in the county is heading westward from Vail, with Edwards City and Eagle Town being the current hot spots.

Eagle County can be described as a valley of mountains, with the brilliant blue of the horizon often cut by immense, snow-covered peaks. But there are also acres of more open land and flatter meadows criss-crossed by streams and rivers.

Around 42,000 people called Eagle County home in 2000, a 90 percent increase from 1990. Cost of living in this county is fairly high, ranging from 27 percent above the national average in Eagle, to 132 percent above the national average in Vail.

Although there are a good number of second-home owners in the area, some Realtors suggest that more and more people are moving to the area to live year-round, which has helped improve schools and community programs.