Roaring Fork Valley

Thinking of Moving to Aspen?

Aspen is in a category of its own: a world-famous resort town where four ski mountains, a celebrated cultural calendar, and global wealth meet at the head of the Roaring Fork Valley.

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Elevation
~7,900 ft
Population
~7,000
County
Pitkin
Nearest airport
Aspen/Pitkin County (ASE) in town; Eagle County (EGE) ~1 hr
Home prices (approx.)
Among the highest in the U.S.. Medians in the multimillions, with luxury sales into the tens of millions

What it’s like to live in Aspen

Aspen offers an extraordinary concentration of skiing, dining, music, and ideas. From the Aspen Music Festival to the Ideas Festival, in a compact, walkable historic core. It's beautiful and rarefied: most of the workforce lives down-valley and commutes up Highway 82, because in-town housing is almost entirely a luxury and second-home market.

If your situation supports it, Aspen delivers amenities and access few mountain towns can match. For most relocating buyers, though, the practical move is to look down-valley and treat Aspen as the place you play.

The real estate reality

Aspen is one of the most expensive residential markets in the world, dominated by luxury and second-home demand, where even modest properties command millions. Inventory and pricing swing with the seasons and the top end of the market. A local broker who specializes in Aspen is essential at this price point.

Who Aspen is right for

Great for

High-net-worth buyers, second-home owners, and those who want world-class amenities and can meet the cost.

Be ready for

Extreme costs, a workforce-housing reality that pushes most employees down-valley, and seasonal crowds.

Aspen relocation FAQ

How expensive is Aspen real estate?

Aspen is among the most expensive markets in the U.S., with median prices in the multimillions and luxury sales reaching the tens of millions.

Do people live in Aspen year-round?

Yes, but the year-round workforce largely lives down-valley in Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs, since in-town housing is overwhelmingly a luxury market.

Cost-of-living and home-price figures are approximate and change constantly — your local broker has current numbers. Explore Colorado does not provide brokerage services; connections are made by the Explore Colorado team, a licensed Colorado real estate broker, who refers you to a local broker in her network (eXp). A referral fee arrangement applies between the brokers, at no added cost to you. Explore Colorado supports the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. Equal Housing Opportunity. We publish housing and economic facts only and do not provide neighborhood demographic information; official data is available from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado State Demography Office. School details: Colorado Dept. of Education. Full disclosure.

Free Connection

Talk to a Local Aspen Broker

Tell us a little about your plans and we’ll connect you with a trusted broker who works the Roaring Fork Valley market every day — someone who knows the neighborhoods, the seasons, and what it’s really like to live here.

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Colorado Essentials for Your Move

Get outside from day one
Colorado Parks & Wildlife — 43 state parks, camping reservations, and fishing and hunting licenses. When you register your vehicle, the low-cost Keep Colorado Wild Pass can be added right on the registration and covers state-park entry all year.
COtrip.org — live road and pass conditions, the tab every Coloradan keeps open in winter.
Set up your residency
Colorado DMV — new residents have 90 days to get a Colorado license and register vehicles.
GoVoteColorado.gov — voter registration.
Connect for Health Colorado — the state health-insurance marketplace, with a special enrollment window after a move.
Mountain-property homework
Colorado State Forest Service — wildfire preparedness and defensible-space guidance for forested lots.
Division of Water Resources — well permits and water rights, essential reading before any rural purchase.
Colorado Dept. of Education — school and district information.
Own a business here instead?
Some moves are funded by buying the shop, the lodge, or the outfitter. Established Colorado businesses change hands every year, and our sister brokerage handles both sides. How buying or selling a business works →