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Top 200 Towns
Affordable, thriving and perfectly wild towns in America. Outdoor Life presents the 2nd Annual Top 200 Towns for Sportsmen.
 After looking through the top 10 towns, you'll be able to view the full list of the 200 towns AND submit your own town for possible inclusion on next year's list!
As the country continues to sweat through its worst financial crisis in 80 years, a lot of Americans, including outdoorsmen, are taking this opportunity to start fresh in a new location. If you count yourself among these ranks, and are thinking about pulling up stakes and settling down in a new town that provides a generally higher quality of life, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve done all the legwork in determining the top U.S. towns for folks who love the outdoors but don’t want to sacrifice things like decent homes and schools, good-paying jobs and everyday amenities. In our second-annual survey of the best towns for hunters and fishermen, we’ve taken these factors into greater consideration in calculating the final scores. The towns you’ll read about on the following pages offer affordable housing, low unemployment rates and the potential to earn a decent living, all within a short drive of first-rate hunting and fishing.
Download the Excel spreadsheet here to see how we calculated our top 200 cities! AdvertisementRelated PhotosSUBMIT YOUR PHOTOSADVERTISEMENT |
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Photo Gallery Comments (23)
I just got this print issue in the mail yesterday! (5/27). It's great to see two Wyoming towns in the Top Ten. Rawlins is just down the road from me. (I have to get groceries there sometimes) I also saw that Saratoga made your list (Two for Carbon County! Woo Hoo!) It was great to see Wyoming well represented in the rest of the survey.
I would have to disagree with your top vote going to Lewiston Idaho. I've lived on the Clearwater now for the last 10 years, hunted much of the surrounding area, and though I've had good success, I wouldn't recommend others to spend their hard earned money to come here in the fall. Better off in a tree stand on a guided hunt back east, the Salmon and Snake river breaks are brutal on those new boots you bought at Cabela's..:)
i do like lewiston but id have to say that for me i would want to go a bit northern in idaho where i live i dont have to go far thiers a river nearby and plenty of creeks for fish and there will never be an ending to game in my hometown of clarkfork, Idaho but there where some damn good spots you guys found though.
# 20, Roseau Minnesota, is not only known for top notch hunting and fishing, but is also the biggest little hockey town in the US. A city of 2500 people and a high school enrollment of 320+, it has captured the Minnesota State Hockey Championship seven times. If you love sports of all kinds, this is the city for you.
consider more pennsylvania and other east coast areas... renovo, pa is in an area with more than 200 hunting camps around it
great towns sure wish i could see them all myself wow!
I think the top 200 list is severly flawed! As a resident of NYS most of my 55 years and a current resident of Gloversville, NY I must stae with fact Gloversville is in no way a contender for any spot on the list! It is the most deprived area in NYS with a current unemployment rate of 12%-14%! The hunting and fishing are mere mediocre to say the least. The cost of living bears the NYC mentality, utilities are out of site-$300 a month plus electric bills for a one bedroom apartment, $200 a month for cable,telephone, and internet service via Time Warner, rents $500 and up for apartments and $1000 plus for home rental.
It is a very deprived area and has no place on this list what-so-ever! Whom ever included it did little to no research what-so-ever! It is typical NYS living with high cost everything, the NYC viral mentality, and corrupt politics from the bottom straight to the top!
I would not recommend Gloversville or anywhere in NYS to my worst enemy! I am leaving this cesspool myself the end of July and have no intentions of ever looking back!
Where's Wheatland, Wyoming?
There is all kinds of hunting in the land around there. Including elk, deer, and antelope. Plus waterfowl and predators are everywhere in the winter. With less than an hour's drive gets you to the fishing for either walleye, bass, and panfish or trout. Wheatland is an outdoorsmen's paradise and i am very surprised that it has not been featured in Outdoor Life.
My daughter is in Carbondale Co working for the state forestry dept.She loves it there, kind of pricey though.
Rock Springs, Wyoming should definitely be on the list. It has the same perks as Rawlins and Green River. We are surrounded by public land. The Red Desert is the destination of the longest migration of ungulates in the Lower 48, the antelope that travel from the Tetons so here. We are also home to a unique herd of desert elk. The public land is also wide open for ATVs. I disagree with Bozeman and Missoula being on the list. They have grown tremendously and that has affected the hunting. Much of the land is private and the cost of living is high and does not keep up with the very low wages.
YEAH!! i live in marquette. and it is just as good as they say it is.
Grand Junction (number 78) is a horrible little town in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing to do or see. Please do not move here - you will hate it - there is nothing to be gained by moving here, you are better off in Cleveland or Flint or Compton, REALLY. Do not do any further research on the internet, you will find nothing more than what I have described here. Do not be scammed by pictures of the Colorado National Monument, the Grand Mesa with its 300 lakes, or fall for any of that other scenic beauty malarky. It's just a scam, Photo Shop pictures. Move to Idaho, they are number 1, I'm think about a move myself, REALLY!
Just about all of these towns are in the mid west. Does anyone have any reccomendations for the east coast ?
Rochester, Mn. in top-ten! What a joke. Ahead of places in Alaska and Montana and Wyoming. Double-joke. All I can say is that Rochester must have a great publicist. I live in a town nearby that is not only on the Mississippi River but is smack-dab in the middle of hundreds of miles of trout stream and wooded bluffs full of deer. But that's okay. Go to Rochester instead. They're all coming over here.
Pennsylvania, was a great state many years ago. Should be avoided like the plague. State government is trying to turn this state into an east coast liberalfornia. Hunting and guns laws get worse every year. Life log resident and will be moving west ASAP.
Glad I moved to Colorado this report's spreadsheet confirmed it. The spreadsheet is great I sorted by state and many other sorts. Horray Grand Junction CO at #77. Thanks for the great spreadsheet
Little known secret to the rest of the world. Idaho is hands down the greatest place in the world to hunt or fish. If you have not experienced it I would strongly caution you against it, the place is seriously more addictive than crack. I now live in the woeful state of Montana, however my home state of Idaho will for ever live in my heart.
Maaaan! I've been to Lewiston Idaho for my job. That place is desolate, treeless and vertical (and there's a gal behind every tree). You got to be part mountain goat to climb them hills. What is this ranking crap anyway. Is this just a once a year national chamber of commerce advertisement contest. Looks like Idaho chamber of commerce ponied up the most money this year. Good. All ya'll move to Idaho (if you can find level ground)! I'll keep Va. to myself!
cool. i live pretty close to bradford, pa, but i thinkmy shavertowns better
Bradford(McKean Co.) PA is a GREAT Little City! I Moved Here Almost 8 Years Ago from a BIG Eastcoast City & have Loved IT Ever Since! Fantastic Outdoor Activities YEARROUND!!! Close To Buffalo, Erie; Cleveland & Pittsburgh Not TOO Far! Quiet, Walkable, Historic Downtown, and CLOSE to the Allegheny National Forest & Kinzua Dam(Allegheny Reservoir) and Allegany State Park(Largest in NY)!!
hell yes! that is awsome to see Michigan in that top ten of something good for once.
I have lived in 4 of the top 10 and currently Live in the #1 Lewiston, ID. If you don't agree with the choice then maybe you should get out more and enjoy your surroundings!! It's wonderful here and I've never met people who were more hospitable and willing to lend a helping hand. Worth living here!!!!!
I live near Marquette,Mi. and your right on with the high rating it got. hunting, fishing, outdoors and friendly people with state land galore. what more could one ask for.
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I just got this print issue in the mail yesterday! (5/27). It's great to see two Wyoming towns in the Top Ten. Rawlins is just down the road from me. (I have to get groceries there sometimes) I also saw that Saratoga made your list (Two for Carbon County! Woo Hoo!) It was great to see Wyoming well represented in the rest of the survey.
I would have to disagree with your top vote going to Lewiston Idaho. I've lived on the Clearwater now for the last 10 years, hunted much of the surrounding area, and though I've had good success, I wouldn't recommend others to spend their hard earned money to come here in the fall. Better off in a tree stand on a guided hunt back east, the Salmon and Snake river breaks are brutal on those new boots you bought at Cabela's..:)
Where's Wheatland, Wyoming?
There is all kinds of hunting in the land around there. Including elk, deer, and antelope. Plus waterfowl and predators are everywhere in the winter. With less than an hour's drive gets you to the fishing for either walleye, bass, and panfish or trout. Wheatland is an outdoorsmen's paradise and i am very surprised that it has not been featured in Outdoor Life.
i do like lewiston but id have to say that for me i would want to go a bit northern in idaho where i live i dont have to go far thiers a river nearby and plenty of creeks for fish and there will never be an ending to game in my hometown of clarkfork, Idaho but there where some damn good spots you guys found though.
# 20, Roseau Minnesota, is not only known for top notch hunting and fishing, but is also the biggest little hockey town in the US. A city of 2500 people and a high school enrollment of 320+, it has captured the Minnesota State Hockey Championship seven times. If you love sports of all kinds, this is the city for you.
consider more pennsylvania and other east coast areas... renovo, pa is in an area with more than 200 hunting camps around it
great towns sure wish i could see them all myself wow!
My daughter is in Carbondale Co working for the state forestry dept.She loves it there, kind of pricey though.
Rock Springs, Wyoming should definitely be on the list. It has the same perks as Rawlins and Green River. We are surrounded by public land. The Red Desert is the destination of the longest migration of ungulates in the Lower 48, the antelope that travel from the Tetons so here. We are also home to a unique herd of desert elk. The public land is also wide open for ATVs. I disagree with Bozeman and Missoula being on the list. They have grown tremendously and that has affected the hunting. Much of the land is private and the cost of living is high and does not keep up with the very low wages.
YEAH!! i live in marquette. and it is just as good as they say it is.
Grand Junction (number 78) is a horrible little town in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing to do or see. Please do not move here - you will hate it - there is nothing to be gained by moving here, you are better off in Cleveland or Flint or Compton, REALLY. Do not do any further research on the internet, you will find nothing more than what I have described here. Do not be scammed by pictures of the Colorado National Monument, the Grand Mesa with its 300 lakes, or fall for any of that other scenic beauty malarky. It's just a scam, Photo Shop pictures. Move to Idaho, they are number 1, I'm think about a move myself, REALLY!
hell yes! that is awsome to see Michigan in that top ten of something good for once.
I live near Marquette,Mi. and your right on with the high rating it got. hunting, fishing, outdoors and friendly people with state land galore. what more could one ask for.
I think the top 200 list is severly flawed! As a resident of NYS most of my 55 years and a current resident of Gloversville, NY I must stae with fact Gloversville is in no way a contender for any spot on the list! It is the most deprived area in NYS with a current unemployment rate of 12%-14%! The hunting and fishing are mere mediocre to say the least. The cost of living bears the NYC mentality, utilities are out of site-$300 a month plus electric bills for a one bedroom apartment, $200 a month for cable,telephone, and internet service via Time Warner, rents $500 and up for apartments and $1000 plus for home rental.
It is a very deprived area and has no place on this list what-so-ever! Whom ever included it did little to no research what-so-ever! It is typical NYS living with high cost everything, the NYC viral mentality, and corrupt politics from the bottom straight to the top!
I would not recommend Gloversville or anywhere in NYS to my worst enemy! I am leaving this cesspool myself the end of July and have no intentions of ever looking back!
Just about all of these towns are in the mid west. Does anyone have any reccomendations for the east coast ?
Rochester, Mn. in top-ten! What a joke. Ahead of places in Alaska and Montana and Wyoming. Double-joke. All I can say is that Rochester must have a great publicist. I live in a town nearby that is not only on the Mississippi River but is smack-dab in the middle of hundreds of miles of trout stream and wooded bluffs full of deer. But that's okay. Go to Rochester instead. They're all coming over here.
Pennsylvania, was a great state many years ago. Should be avoided like the plague. State government is trying to turn this state into an east coast liberalfornia. Hunting and guns laws get worse every year. Life log resident and will be moving west ASAP.
Glad I moved to Colorado this report's spreadsheet confirmed it. The spreadsheet is great I sorted by state and many other sorts. Horray Grand Junction CO at #77. Thanks for the great spreadsheet
Maaaan! I've been to Lewiston Idaho for my job. That place is desolate, treeless and vertical (and there's a gal behind every tree). You got to be part mountain goat to climb them hills. What is this ranking crap anyway. Is this just a once a year national chamber of commerce advertisement contest. Looks like Idaho chamber of commerce ponied up the most money this year. Good. All ya'll move to Idaho (if you can find level ground)! I'll keep Va. to myself!
cool. i live pretty close to bradford, pa, but i thinkmy shavertowns better
Bradford(McKean Co.) PA is a GREAT Little City! I Moved Here Almost 8 Years Ago from a BIG Eastcoast City & have Loved IT Ever Since! Fantastic Outdoor Activities YEARROUND!!! Close To Buffalo, Erie; Cleveland & Pittsburgh Not TOO Far! Quiet, Walkable, Historic Downtown, and CLOSE to the Allegheny National Forest & Kinzua Dam(Allegheny Reservoir) and Allegany State Park(Largest in NY)!!
I have lived in 4 of the top 10 and currently Live in the #1 Lewiston, ID. If you don't agree with the choice then maybe you should get out more and enjoy your surroundings!! It's wonderful here and I've never met people who were more hospitable and willing to lend a helping hand. Worth living here!!!!!
Little known secret to the rest of the world. Idaho is hands down the greatest place in the world to hunt or fish. If you have not experienced it I would strongly caution you against it, the place is seriously more addictive than crack. I now live in the woeful state of Montana, however my home state of Idaho will for ever live in my heart.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)