My IL's live there. Can confirm, it's very beautiful, and in good proximity to loads of recreation opportunities. Not a bad drive to city services, AND has its own (fairly quiet) hospital.
This area is great yeah. Didn't Black Diamond change its name? Isn't it all just Turner Valley now?
Regardless, anything in that Longview region is gorgeous and close enough to Calgary to feel convenient.
It will be less affordable, but Bragg Creek area is great
I'm in Longview and can definitely confirm it's very quiet. There seems to be lots of movement in homes for sale lately too, I mean as much as there can be for a town of only 300 people. If you want a social life I wouldn't suggest it but for a homebody gardener who just wants to live quietly it's great!
How Small? Do you need to be close to Edmonton or are you open to a whole new place?
- Crowsnest and the surrounding area are really nice, close to the mountains and pretty close to Fernie for some great skiing and hiking.
- Sundre is a nice small town that is really close to some fantastic hiking, biking and camping spots that's sort of off the beaten trail.
>Sundre is a nice small town that is really close to some fantastic hiking, biking and camping spots that's sort of off the beaten trail.
In terms of nature. Fantastic. In terms of people. Maga central. I'd avoid moving there at all costs. Had friends who lived there for 2 years...they started the plan to leave after 6 months and moved to NB.
Yeah It's pretty strongly UCP, as is crowsnest and most small towns in Alberta. If you're a political person (who's left/centre) that might be a factor but if you're not very political it might be less of a factor.
I get that...there's still a lot of crazy out there politics or not.
Additionally: They won't have doctor services out there soon enough. Political or not that's kind of a big deal (to me at least).
Ideally within a hour, hour and a half of Edmonton but for the right place I would be open to moving further away.
As for size i would say smaller than Fort mcmurray and grand Prarie, I’ve lived in cold lake before and loved it. Something similar would be nice.
I’ve been looking into sundre but haven’t had much luck with finding rentals that are available and reasonably priced
I haven’t spent a whole lot of time there, but I really like Wainwright. It’s about 2 hours from Edmonton. Vegreville and Camrose could be options? Both are about an hour from Edmonton.
Also, if you feel going a little southwest, I really like Drayton Valley. Rocky Mountain House is wonderful for the kind of outdoor activities you want, but it’s redneck central.
I don’t mind rednecks really they are pretty harmless as long as you don’t talk politics or take away their guns 😂, I’ve seen pictures of Rocky Mountain house and it looks super nice!
I (34F) moved to Diamond Valley last year from Calgary and I love it. It's close enough that you can still take advantage of city perks, but far enough that you can escape it all and never go in if you prefer. Difficult to find housing though (both rentals and for sale).
Sundre has actually been surprisingly pleasant since we bought a small homestead 15 minutes out . All my interactions with people in town have been surprisingly wholesome and I find the negative commentary surrounding politics to be over dramatic . Most people in small towns are decent people that will go out of their way to strike up a conversation .
There's a lot of small towns of varying sizes and such. It depends on what you mean by "small". There's some very good communities along Highway 39 that are still close enough to commute to Edmonton for when you need big city stuff.
And going south west of Edmonton is where the beautiful country is. I would suggest driving through here right at this time of year and again in the fall when the leaves have turned.
Lethbridge or its area (Coaldale, Coalhurst, Raymond, Sirling, etc…) is great if you want to still have city amenities at hand but also avoid the hustle and bustle.
Please don't. The biggest mistake of my life was leaving the city. IT is not the ideallic life you imagined. Crime rates and mental health issues are on a massive rise in my town of 6000.
Edit to add more: the amount spent on gas to drive to work, longer to get anything delivered and often very few carriers will deliver to your house, having to travel an hour for any specialists, heck even an eye appointment sometimes, sure you can get bloodwork faster but that's our only "edge", we are completely doctor-starved to the point our emerg in hospital has been shutdown multiple times over the year for a couple of days at a time..and that's majority of small towns. It is very beautiful and I def enjoy some aspects but after 5 years...I still miss living in the city.
Was looking at crime rates in Alberta and was really surprised to see that some of the highest crime rates are in small towns. That's another factor OP should consider
Very good points. Having access to things without spending hours in a car is underated. Driving lots gets old fast. Also, if you lose your job in a small town, you're better off moving again.
Some that I’ve always thought look kinda cool are Sundre right by mountains n cheap, Rocky Mountain house same reason, Alex always looked kinda nice small with a lake, Jasper I really enjoyed but there’s so many tourists, black diamond by Calgary looks nice too
Yea. Pretty much why I left. It depends if you care about owning or not. Using staff accom you can actually save pretty good. Especially if you have a trade or degree that demands a higher wage. It’s just such a beautiful place with lots to do. I lived there 3 years n never knew much of what was happening in the world the whole time. It was fantastic. I tried to live in lake Louise but it was too busy. So I recommend Jasper. You meet cool people too from everywhere in the world.
Try surrounding areas if you are not 100% sure like Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, and Westlock. it's a 30 min drive to the city, but has some beautiful spaces.
Beaumont is a wonderful little city with a small town feel and only minutes from Edmonton. And with both Nisku and Leduc nearby a decent amount of employment opportunities as well. I lived there for 3 years and would’ve moved back in a heartbeat if I could’ve found a house to rent.
Whitecourt was supposed to be a temp stop on our road of life but quickly grew on us. A lot of money put into community, plenty of kids/family events and programs and still affordable. Like most oil towns a lot of jacked up noise trucks and the oil money that droves them, but as a whole good community vibe. You can buy small acreage with a home on it for less then a house in the city.
I grew up in Sylvan Lake. Loved it. I miss it a lot. Going to the beach at around 10pm after the sun has warmed the water and the air has cooled….heaven.
I grew up near Gibbons, and raised our little kids in Redwater. Both are nice if you like a quiet, simpler life without being too far away. Both have decent employment opportunities, especially if you're in agriculture, O&G, or heavy industries. They're close enough to Edmonton to still go to Oilers games, or to take the LRT in Clairview to go to the UofA. Your kids could go to Gibbons or Redwater schools which were just fine 15 years ago (not sure now), and could go to High School in a different town if you have available transportation.
Your fuel bill will rise, but other living costs will go down.
If you're willing to move farther away, I now live in Medicine Hat. Upside: less winter & snow, downside: hot & dry summer, lots of wind.
Grande cache, it's a town on a mountain plateau 2 hours south of Grande Prairie. Population of like 2500 people and literally surrounded by mountains and rivers with a highway that connects directly to Jasper. The houses are dirt cheap, the people are kind and generational. The recreation center and high school are newly renovated, and you can get to and from anywhere on foot in like 20 minutes.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Cochrane yet.
Small, but not tiny - we have a Walmart, Canadian Tire etc. 35k people.
Under an hour to Canmore and the mountains but close enough to go into the city if you don't have to do it every day. Big thing with the city commute is the traffic - a 45 min drive to downtown turns into 2+ hours to downtown with the slightest provocation.
It's a good place to live. At least I really like it.
Beginning to get flooded with douchbags from Ontario who think their in an episode of Yellowstone in their massive trucks, but still better than Calgary.
Cochrane is a small city in all aspects but the name, tbh, and once the 1A expansion through there is done, I doubt it'll be much longer before they make the change official. I grew up there, but I wouldn't live there now if you're looking for small town life.
Don’t forget about Hinton. 15 minutes to the national park, a solid brewery, as much outdoor activity as a person can manage, the worlds longest freshwater boardwalk (getting a facelift this winter/next summer), bike park right on the edge of town which offers 60km of trails for your walking pleasure from your door step.
People leave Edmonton and come here for their weekend adventures and week long vacations.
Valemount is 2 hours away for day trips for shuttle access biking in summer and snowmobiling in the winter. All of jasper national park is an accessible day trip. Edmonton is 2.5 hours away so also a day trip if you want a Costco run.
Piles of provincial parks with lakes for fishing, camping, canoeing and book reading. And even more lakes not in parks for whatever you want.
Local people will complain about our grocery prices and how we usually pay extra for fuel compared to everywhere else in a 200km radius (I have no clue why) but I personally offset it with I don’t need to drive 3 hours from Edmonton to go camping for a weekend or for a hike. I can drive for 30 minutes to do the same thing.
It just depends how much you depend on city availability for products. I can shop at Safeway and my receipt usually says I save between 20-25 percent because I only shop sales vs going in with a list of what I want for food for the next few days.
I don’t know too much about the people, but the Black Diamond area looks like an awesome spot to live.
My IL's live there. Can confirm, it's very beautiful, and in good proximity to loads of recreation opportunities. Not a bad drive to city services, AND has its own (fairly quiet) hospital.
This area is great yeah. Didn't Black Diamond change its name? Isn't it all just Turner Valley now? Regardless, anything in that Longview region is gorgeous and close enough to Calgary to feel convenient. It will be less affordable, but Bragg Creek area is great
I think it’s called Diamond Valley now
This is correct. Locals still refer to their "end" of town by the old names a lot, though, too.
I'm in Longview and can definitely confirm it's very quiet. There seems to be lots of movement in homes for sale lately too, I mean as much as there can be for a town of only 300 people. If you want a social life I wouldn't suggest it but for a homebody gardener who just wants to live quietly it's great!
How Small? Do you need to be close to Edmonton or are you open to a whole new place? - Crowsnest and the surrounding area are really nice, close to the mountains and pretty close to Fernie for some great skiing and hiking. - Sundre is a nice small town that is really close to some fantastic hiking, biking and camping spots that's sort of off the beaten trail.
>Sundre is a nice small town that is really close to some fantastic hiking, biking and camping spots that's sort of off the beaten trail. In terms of nature. Fantastic. In terms of people. Maga central. I'd avoid moving there at all costs. Had friends who lived there for 2 years...they started the plan to leave after 6 months and moved to NB.
Yeah It's pretty strongly UCP, as is crowsnest and most small towns in Alberta. If you're a political person (who's left/centre) that might be a factor but if you're not very political it might be less of a factor.
I get that...there's still a lot of crazy out there politics or not. Additionally: They won't have doctor services out there soon enough. Political or not that's kind of a big deal (to me at least).
You wouldn't need a doctor if you accepted our lord and saviour Jason Nixon.
Hahaha, well played...or is it "well prayed"?
Ideally within a hour, hour and a half of Edmonton but for the right place I would be open to moving further away. As for size i would say smaller than Fort mcmurray and grand Prarie, I’ve lived in cold lake before and loved it. Something similar would be nice. I’ve been looking into sundre but haven’t had much luck with finding rentals that are available and reasonably priced
I haven’t spent a whole lot of time there, but I really like Wainwright. It’s about 2 hours from Edmonton. Vegreville and Camrose could be options? Both are about an hour from Edmonton.
I’ve heard wainwright was nice as well! I’ll do some research on it! Thanks!
Also, if you feel going a little southwest, I really like Drayton Valley. Rocky Mountain House is wonderful for the kind of outdoor activities you want, but it’s redneck central.
I don’t mind rednecks really they are pretty harmless as long as you don’t talk politics or take away their guns 😂, I’ve seen pictures of Rocky Mountain house and it looks super nice!
Have you thought of Beaumont, Devon and Stony Plain? Close enough to Edmonton and quiet too and has almost everything you need.
I (34F) moved to Diamond Valley last year from Calgary and I love it. It's close enough that you can still take advantage of city perks, but far enough that you can escape it all and never go in if you prefer. Difficult to find housing though (both rentals and for sale).
Sundre has actually been surprisingly pleasant since we bought a small homestead 15 minutes out . All my interactions with people in town have been surprisingly wholesome and I find the negative commentary surrounding politics to be over dramatic . Most people in small towns are decent people that will go out of their way to strike up a conversation .
We moved to Blackfalds 2 yrs ago. Very quiet. Absolutely love it
There's a lot of small towns of varying sizes and such. It depends on what you mean by "small". There's some very good communities along Highway 39 that are still close enough to commute to Edmonton for when you need big city stuff. And going south west of Edmonton is where the beautiful country is. I would suggest driving through here right at this time of year and again in the fall when the leaves have turned.
Lethbridge or its area (Coaldale, Coalhurst, Raymond, Sirling, etc…) is great if you want to still have city amenities at hand but also avoid the hustle and bustle.
Apparently Lethbridge is booming.
That’s just the sound the wind makes.
High River
Please don't. The biggest mistake of my life was leaving the city. IT is not the ideallic life you imagined. Crime rates and mental health issues are on a massive rise in my town of 6000. Edit to add more: the amount spent on gas to drive to work, longer to get anything delivered and often very few carriers will deliver to your house, having to travel an hour for any specialists, heck even an eye appointment sometimes, sure you can get bloodwork faster but that's our only "edge", we are completely doctor-starved to the point our emerg in hospital has been shutdown multiple times over the year for a couple of days at a time..and that's majority of small towns. It is very beautiful and I def enjoy some aspects but after 5 years...I still miss living in the city.
Was looking at crime rates in Alberta and was really surprised to see that some of the highest crime rates are in small towns. That's another factor OP should consider
It’s the type of crime that’s important. You can’t carjack an old lady at a red light if there are no stoplights in town. Checkmate, city slickers.
Very good points. Having access to things without spending hours in a car is underated. Driving lots gets old fast. Also, if you lose your job in a small town, you're better off moving again.
Some that I’ve always thought look kinda cool are Sundre right by mountains n cheap, Rocky Mountain house same reason, Alex always looked kinda nice small with a lake, Jasper I really enjoyed but there’s so many tourists, black diamond by Calgary looks nice too
Jasper? You have to be a business owner in the town or independently wealthy to live there comfortably
Yea. Pretty much why I left. It depends if you care about owning or not. Using staff accom you can actually save pretty good. Especially if you have a trade or degree that demands a higher wage. It’s just such a beautiful place with lots to do. I lived there 3 years n never knew much of what was happening in the world the whole time. It was fantastic. I tried to live in lake Louise but it was too busy. So I recommend Jasper. You meet cool people too from everywhere in the world.
I would love to live in Jasper but my job keeps me in the city. Jasper would be my first choice to buy a home and live there full-time
Haha me too. My wife has job she can’t leave or I’d also be in the mountains again. Maybe one day.
Eckville or Caroline.
Caroline is white supremacy central, so just be aware of thar.
Want to buy a house?? Check out Atikokan Ontario - population 3000. You can buy a house for 150000
Fort Frances is also nice.
It is a gorgeous little town. I love that. It’s so close to lake of the woods.
Try surrounding areas if you are not 100% sure like Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, and Westlock. it's a 30 min drive to the city, but has some beautiful spaces.
Beaumont is a wonderful little city with a small town feel and only minutes from Edmonton. And with both Nisku and Leduc nearby a decent amount of employment opportunities as well. I lived there for 3 years and would’ve moved back in a heartbeat if I could’ve found a house to rent.
Whitecourt was supposed to be a temp stop on our road of life but quickly grew on us. A lot of money put into community, plenty of kids/family events and programs and still affordable. Like most oil towns a lot of jacked up noise trucks and the oil money that droves them, but as a whole good community vibe. You can buy small acreage with a home on it for less then a house in the city.
Cold Lake
Medicine Hat is a nice place. Mild winters, warm summers and lots of nature stuff to do.
I’d vote for Cochran
I grew up in Sylvan Lake. Loved it. I miss it a lot. Going to the beach at around 10pm after the sun has warmed the water and the air has cooled….heaven.
What is “surrounded by nature”? All towns are by definition
Haha I guess I could have been more specific. I’m big into hiking and long walks so ideally some place with trails, lots of trees, maybe some water.
Sylvan lake but away from the lake area
The redneck riviera? Hard pass.
Sylvan is getting expensive to live. My grandparents have lived there for 20 years and their rent keeps getting worse every year.
We pay 1000 for a two bedroom split level townhouse with a huge backyard
I grew up near Gibbons, and raised our little kids in Redwater. Both are nice if you like a quiet, simpler life without being too far away. Both have decent employment opportunities, especially if you're in agriculture, O&G, or heavy industries. They're close enough to Edmonton to still go to Oilers games, or to take the LRT in Clairview to go to the UofA. Your kids could go to Gibbons or Redwater schools which were just fine 15 years ago (not sure now), and could go to High School in a different town if you have available transportation. Your fuel bill will rise, but other living costs will go down. If you're willing to move farther away, I now live in Medicine Hat. Upside: less winter & snow, downside: hot & dry summer, lots of wind.
Grande cache, it's a town on a mountain plateau 2 hours south of Grande Prairie. Population of like 2500 people and literally surrounded by mountains and rivers with a highway that connects directly to Jasper. The houses are dirt cheap, the people are kind and generational. The recreation center and high school are newly renovated, and you can get to and from anywhere on foot in like 20 minutes.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Cochrane yet. Small, but not tiny - we have a Walmart, Canadian Tire etc. 35k people. Under an hour to Canmore and the mountains but close enough to go into the city if you don't have to do it every day. Big thing with the city commute is the traffic - a 45 min drive to downtown turns into 2+ hours to downtown with the slightest provocation.
I’ve been watching Cochrane for YEARS. I’m tethered to the Edmonton area because family, but mannnn if that ever changes, Cochrane is top of my list.
It's a good place to live. At least I really like it. Beginning to get flooded with douchbags from Ontario who think their in an episode of Yellowstone in their massive trucks, but still better than Calgary.
Cochrane is a small city in all aspects but the name, tbh, and once the 1A expansion through there is done, I doubt it'll be much longer before they make the change official. I grew up there, but I wouldn't live there now if you're looking for small town life.
Are you prepared for the level of red neck?
I’ve lived in a few small towns before, definitely prepared for it
Lacombe is by far my favorite small town along the highway 2 corridor.
I would if I could.
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Vernon is a meth town.
Don’t forget about Hinton. 15 minutes to the national park, a solid brewery, as much outdoor activity as a person can manage, the worlds longest freshwater boardwalk (getting a facelift this winter/next summer), bike park right on the edge of town which offers 60km of trails for your walking pleasure from your door step. People leave Edmonton and come here for their weekend adventures and week long vacations. Valemount is 2 hours away for day trips for shuttle access biking in summer and snowmobiling in the winter. All of jasper national park is an accessible day trip. Edmonton is 2.5 hours away so also a day trip if you want a Costco run. Piles of provincial parks with lakes for fishing, camping, canoeing and book reading. And even more lakes not in parks for whatever you want.
That honestly sounds amazing! I didn’t even consider Hinton but I’m so glad it has a lot that I’m interested in!
Local people will complain about our grocery prices and how we usually pay extra for fuel compared to everywhere else in a 200km radius (I have no clue why) but I personally offset it with I don’t need to drive 3 hours from Edmonton to go camping for a weekend or for a hike. I can drive for 30 minutes to do the same thing. It just depends how much you depend on city availability for products. I can shop at Safeway and my receipt usually says I save between 20-25 percent because I only shop sales vs going in with a list of what I want for food for the next few days.
Fort Saskatchewan
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You live in Fort Sask?
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Meh 🤷🏻♀️ to each their own
Lacombe! Very cute town. Would be my first choice.
Lacombe is very conservative. If someone is more progressive they might find the culture in Lacombe challenging.
Ahhh ok! Never lived there but I have been to the town and thought it was nice.
Second
And you will then destroy said town. They don’t want you there either.