This Colorado Community Offers High-Life Living With a Little Less Altitude

Edwards (81632) has some of the area’s priciest real estate—even pricier than Vail. An unincorporated Rocky Mountain community in Eagle County, Edwards has a locals’ vibe with a busy downtown along the Eagle River.

Vail’s tourism industry is the economic driver in Colorado’s Vail Valley, but Edwards, ZIP Code 81632 and about 15 miles west of Vail, has the area’s priciest residential real estate as ranked by median listing price, according to Realtor.com. It is bested only by Woody Creek and Snowmass, both in the same area as Aspen, and Telluride. An unincorporated Rocky Mountain community in Eagle County, Edwards has a locals’ vibe with a busy downtown along the Eagle River. Driving Edwards’s real-estate market up are Cordillera, a 7,000-acre gated community with more than 800 homesites, and Arrowhead Village, with access to Beaver Creek Resort. Both high-end developments have member clubs, golf courses and restaurants. 

Membership to have
Several Vail Valley private clubs such as the Vail Mountain Club, in Vail Village near Gondola One, or the Arrowhead Alpine Club, at the base of Beaver Creek Resort’s Arrow Bahn Express Lift, provide members with year round benefits, including a range of ski-in and ski-out amenities, from heated parking to ski-valet services to on-mountain dining, depending on the club. 

Advice for the Buyer
Compared with Vail, Edwards has a lower altitude (leading to better breathing and sleeping for many people), a warmer temperature and days with more sunlight for longer, says Suzi Apple, founder and owner of Gateway Real Estate in Vail Valley. “The combination makes Edwards so appealing,” she says. Ms. Apple also notes that Edwards has more neighborhood communities and schools to choose from, and world-class golfing, too.

11,246— Population of Edwards, according to census data. By comparison, Vail has 4,835 full-time residents, and about the same number of part-time residents. 

Via @WSJ. This week, The Wall Street Journal’s Mansion section is rolling out stories from our ski and mountain homes issue.