Aspen & Snowmass
Four ski mountains, the Maroon Bells, and Colorado's priciest market.
- County
- Pitkin
- Elevation
- 7,908 ft in Aspen, 8,309 ft in Snowmass Village
- Population
- About 6,500 in Aspen (2025 est.) and 3,096 in Snowmass Village (2020)
- Denver
- About 200 mi via I-70 and Glenwood Springs ยท about 3.5 to 4 hr
- Airport
- Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE), about 3 mi from downtown Aspen
- Ski areas
- Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, Snowmass
Drive times are typical and change with traffic and weather.
Living in Aspen & Snowmass
What it's like to live in Aspen & Snowmass
Aspen and Snowmass Village sit a short drive apart in the upper Roaring Fork Valley, with four ski mountains on one pass. Aspen is the old silver town and county seat, with a real downtown, a hospital, and an airport three miles away. Snowmass Village grew up around its ski area in the late 1960s and is quieter, more spread out, and built around the slopes. Summer is just as busy as winter, with the Maroon Bells, the Music Festival, and miles of trails.
This is the most expensive market I cover. The Aspen Times, citing local sales data in April 2026, put 2025 median prices at $17.5 million for an Aspen single-family home and $3.175 million for an Aspen condo. In Snowmass Village the medians were $8.25 million for a home and $2.09 million for a condo. Deed-restricted workforce housing is a big part of the picture too: Aspen Journalism reported in late 2023 that about 70% of Aspen's occupied homes carry a deed restriction.
The tradeoffs are real. Independence Pass closes every winter, so the drive from Denver runs through Glenwood Springs and takes close to four hours. Aspen, Pitkin County, and Snowmass Village each have their own short-term rental rules, and Aspen and Snowmass also charge a real estate transfer tax at closing. Wildfire is a valley-wide risk; the 2018 Lake Christine Fire near Basalt burned more than 12,500 acres. I live on the Front Range, so for Aspen and Snowmass I team up with a local agent I trust and stay with you through the whole move.
The map
Every town in this guide
Hover a pin for a quick look. Click to open that town's guide.
Neighborhoods
Where to look in Aspen & Snowmass
Aspen
The county seat, with a walkable historic downtown, the West End, and the base of Aspen Mountain.
Snowmass Village
A resort town built around Snowmass ski area, with condos, townhomes, and slopeside homes.
Woody Creek
A rural area down valley from Aspen, with most homes on large acreage.
McLain Flats
A quiet mesa about 10 minutes from downtown Aspen, with big lots and open views.
Brush Creek Village
Large lots of 2 to 3 acres between Aspen and Snowmass Village.
Old Snowmass
Ranch and farm settings about 20 to 25 minutes from Aspen.
Get outside
Things to do in Aspen & Snowmass
- 01
Snowmass
The largest of the four mountains, with about 3,332 skiable acres and 4,406 feet of vertical.
- 02
Maroon Bells
Maroon Lake sits at 9,580 feet below the Bells; summer visits need a parking reservation or the shuttle from Aspen Highlands.
- 03
Independence Pass
Highway 82 tops out at 12,095 feet east of Aspen and is open roughly Memorial Day through fall.
- 04
Rio Grande Trail
A 42-mile trail from Aspen down the valley to Glenwood Springs.
- 05
Aspen Music Festival and School
Founded in 1949, with an eight-week summer season of more than 400 classical events.
- 06
Snowmass Rodeo
A summer rodeo on Wednesday nights that marked its 50th anniversary in 2024.
Know about Aspen & Snowmass homes before everyone else does.
Listing alerts for Aspen & Snowmass and nearby mountain towns. Free, and you can stop anytime.
Latest from Aspen & Snowmass
Articles
FAQ
Aspen & Snowmass questions, answered
How far is Aspen from Denver?
About 200 miles via I-70 and Glenwood Springs, roughly 3.5 to 4 hours. In summer, Independence Pass cuts the trip to about 160 miles, but the pass closes from fall until about Memorial Day.
Can I rent my place short term?
It depends on where the property sits. The City of Aspen caps permits in many residential zones and added a 10% short-term rental tax in 2023. Unincorporated Pitkin County limits permits to homes with past rental history and caps rentals at 120 nights. Snowmass Village requires a business license and a permit. Confirm the current rules with the town or county.
Are there extra costs at closing?
Yes. The City of Aspen charges a real estate transfer tax of about 1.5% paid by the buyer, Snowmass Village charges 1.0%, and parts of Snowmass Base Village add another 1.0%. Confirm by address, since some Aspen addresses sit in the county.
Can you live in Aspen or Snowmass year-round?
Yes. Aspen has a hospital, schools, a library, free town buses, and an airport with daily flights to Denver. Housing is the hard part, and much of the local workforce lives in deed-restricted homes or down valley.
How high is the elevation?
Aspen sits at 7,908 feet and Snowmass Village at about 8,309 feet. Give yourself a few days to adjust.
What school district serves Aspen and Snowmass?
Aspen School District, which runs Aspen High School. Confirm the district for any specific address.