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Fishing is a favorite pastime for many American families. Casting a line and awaiting the perfect moment to reel in your catch... few things are more exhilarating than that. And to share that feeling with loved ones? Simply the best.
If you happen to be living in an urban setting or far from the water, it can be challenging to make the time to go enjoy this family hobby. However, if you have the means to consider purchasing a second home, or if you're looking to make a move to somewhere with plenty of fishing nearby, you'll be excited to explore this list of affordable fishing towns.
According to the 2024 Special Report on Fishing from the Outdoor Foundation and Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, over 43 million Americans aged 6 and over went freshwater fishing in 2024.. Overall, there was a 6% increase in total recreational fishing participation from 2022, reaching 57.7 million Americans in 2023. There was even a new milestone for fly fishing – 8 million people participated in fly fishing in 2023, which is the first time that number was reached.
Although the national participation rate for kids between 6 and 12 declined, the number of children between 13 and 17 who went fishing increased by 14%, from 4.9 million to 5.6 million.
Methodology
To determine the most affordable fishing towns, Moms Who Think reviewed five-year data on median household value and median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey. Cities, towns, and Census-designated places were ranked based on the ratio of median home value to median household income. Only places with at least 100 owner-occupied housing units and a federally recognized hunting area with fishing available within a 15-mile radius were included. Spatial data on hunting areas specified by available game is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This post was updated in July 2025 to include the most recent data on fishing statistics and median household income for some of the most affordable fishing towns.
50. Murphysboro, IL
- Median home value: $107,800–$130,000 (2025 estimate; 2.5–3 times income)
- Median household income: $42,367
- Total population: 7,101
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
49. Energy, IL
- Median home value: $173,600–$185,600 (2025 estimate; 2.5–2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $70,417 (2025)
- Total population: 1,227
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
48. Hamshire, TX
- Median home value: $214,500–$253,300 (2025 estimate; 1.9–2.2 times income)
- Median household income: $115,125 (2025)
- Total population: 1,568
- Nearest hunting area with fish: McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge
47. Hurst, IL
- Median home value: $71,700 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $34,113
- Total population: 769
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
46. Cassville, WI
- Median home value: $108,800 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $57,143
- Total population: 731
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
45. Oceanville, NJ
- Median home value: $302,000 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $158,967
- Total population: 826
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
44. Minorca, LA
- Median home value: $82,000 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $43,438
- Total population: 1,398
- Nearest hunting area with fish: St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge
43. Herrin, IL
- Median home value: $102,400 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $54,555
- Total population: 12,344
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
42. Camp Douglas, WI
- Median home value: $108,000 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $58,750
- Total population: 739
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
41. Brandon, WI
- Median home value: $145,400 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $79,688
- Total population: 842
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
40. Newellton, LA
- Median home value: $46,600 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $25,614
- Total population: 896
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge
39. Preston, IA
- Median home value: $147,900 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $81,542
- Total population: 1,005
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
38. Bridge City, TX
- Median home value: $172,200 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $95,688
- Total population: 9,461
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Sabine National Wildlife Refuge
37. Towner, ND
- Median home value: $90,300 (1.8 times income)
- Median household income: $51,500
- Total population: 456
- Nearest hunting area with fish: J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge
36. Spillertown, IL
- Median home value: $118,300 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $68,125
- Total population: 315
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
35. West Frankfort, IL
- Median home value: $71,700 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $41,974
- Total population: 7,168
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
34. Marine View, WA
- Median home value: $97,100 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $57,500
- Total population: 336
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Hanford Reach National Monument
33. Rio Hondo, TX
- Median home value: $97,700 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $58,487
- Total population: 2,295
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
32. Patrick, SC
- Median home value: $50,500 (1.7 times income)
- Median household income: $30,263
- Total population: 500
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
31. De Soto, IL
- Median home value: $86,300 (1.6 times income)
- Median household income: $53,188
- Total population: 1,684
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
30. De Valls Bluff, AR
- Median home value: $37,400 (1.6 times income)
- Median household income: $23,056
- Total population: 560
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Cache River National Wildlife Refuge
29. West Orange, TX
- Median home value: $98,200 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $63,409
- Total population: 3,444
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Sabine National Wildlife Refuge
28. North Hartsville, SC
- Median home value: $109,800 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $71,000
- Total population: 3,261
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
27. Cotton Plant, AR
- Median home value: $27,700 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $18,250
- Total population: 425
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Cache River National Wildlife Refuge
26. Goreville, IL
- Median home value: $110,400 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $73,523
- Total population: 1,146
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
25. DeWitt, AR
- Median home value: $70,500 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $47,147
- Total population: 3,017
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge
24. Thomson, IL
- Median home value: $100,700 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $67,500
- Total population: 1,284
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
23. Mount Carroll, IL
- Median home value: $95,200 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $63,992
- Total population: 1,560
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
22. Swan Quarter, NC
- Median home value: $97,500 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $65,806
- Total population: 293
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
21. King Cove, AK
- Median home value: $118,200 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $79,844
- Total population: 1,108
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Izembek National Wildlife Refuge
20. Elaine, AR
- Median home value: $57,800 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $39,196
- Total population: 544
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge
19. Johnston City, IL
- Median home value: $75,800 (1.5 times income)
- Median household income: $51,429
- Total population: 3,377
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
18. Holiday Beach, TX
- Median home value: $136,800 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $95,066
- Total population: 291
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
17. Jet, OK
- Median home value: $73,800 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $51,450
- Total population: 251
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge
16. Savanna, IL
- Median home value: $64,700 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $45,474
- Total population: 2,783
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
15. Bush, IL
- Median home value: $75,400 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $53,125
- Total population: 324
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
14. McBee, SC
- Median home value: $80,500 (1.4 times income)
- Median household income: $56,964
- Total population: 1,046
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
13. De Soto, WI
- Median home value: $114,600 (1.3 times income)
- Median household income: $86,996
- Total population: 539
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
12. Zeigler, IL
- Median home value: $53,700 (1.3 times income)
- Median household income: $41,518
- Total population: 1,503
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
11. Cherokee, OK
- Median home value: $96,500 (1.3 times income)
- Median household income: $75,547
- Total population: 1,556
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge
10. Ridgecrest, LA
- Median home value: $48,900 (1.3 times income)
- Median household income: $38,472
- Total population: 855
- Nearest hunting area with fish: St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge
9. Reid Hope King, TX
- Median home value: $100,200 (1.3 times income)
- Median household income: $79,894
- Total population: 926
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
8. Royalton, IL
- Median home value: $55,400 (1.3 times income)
- Median household income: $44,313
- Total population: 1,067
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
7. Holton, IN
- Median home value: $82,000 (1.2 times income)
- Median household income: $65,714
- Total population: 652
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge
6. Orient, IL
- Median home value: $46,700 (1.2 times income)
- Median household income: $37,938
- Total population: 311
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
5. Gillett, AR
- Median home value: $79,700 (1.2 times income)
- Median household income: $65,341
- Total population: 491
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge
4. Pine Ridge, SC
- Median home value: $56,900 (1.1 times income)
- Median household income: $49,545
- Total population: 640
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
3. Tivoli, TX
- Median home value: $48,900 (0.8 times income)
- Median household income: $63,636
- Total population: 628
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
2. Mattawa, WA
- Median home value: $32,400 (0.7 times income)
- Median household income: $45,500
- Total population: 3,506
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Hanford Reach National Monument
1. Basin City, WA
- Median home value: $40,800 (0.4 times income)
- Median household income: $104,025
- Total population: 1,570
- Nearest hunting area with fish: Hanford Reach National Monument
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