Waterbury, Vermont

POPULATION: 5,064

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $288,000

MILES FROM A CHAIRLIFT: 17

Chuck Hughson was in his late-20s when he found his home in the mountains. He had worked for REI for seven years and had a job at Burton Snowboards in Burlington, Vermont. Rentals and real estate near his favorite resort, Stowe, were out of reach, so he found a place between the hill and his job: Waterbury.

Waterbury was just coming into its own. For years, it had been known as the home of a sprawling brick compound