40 Small U.S. Towns With Hunting and Fishing Nearby

Basin City, WA

Basin City is a small agricultural community in southeastern Washington’s Columbia Basin. Open country and regional wildlife areas may appeal, but housing choices and everyday services deserve a closer look before anyone starts packing.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,176
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $59,840
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): Not reported

Not reported means the Census did not publish a usable value for this measure; it does not mean zero. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Basin City, WA.

Check local access: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife: Columbia Basin. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Mattawa, WA

Mattawa is a small Columbia River community in central Washington, surrounded by irrigated farmland and dramatic dry-country landscapes. River recreation is part of the appeal, but anyone considering a move should compare real listings and local services rather than assume small means affordable.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 3,616
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $38,388
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): Not reported

Not reported means the Census did not publish a usable value for this measure; it does not mean zero. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Mattawa, WA.

Check local access: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife: public access. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Marine View, WA

Despite the name, Marine View is in Grant County in central Washington, not on Puget Sound. Think Columbia Basin farmland, wide-open views, and access to the wider Moses Lake recreation area, rather than a quiet coastal village.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 471
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $58,854
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $248,600

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Marine View, WA.

Check local access: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife: Potholes Reservoir Unit. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

King Cove, AK

King Cove is a working fishing community on the Alaska Peninsula, not a sleepy vacation subdivision. It delivers genuine remoteness, but getting in and out depends heavily on air and marine transportation, and housing options aren’t comparable to those in most Lower 48 towns.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,352
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $61,645
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $99,800

These Census figures describe the King Cove Alaska Native Village Statistical Area, which should not be treated as identical to the incorporated city for every statistic. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for King Cove, AK.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: King Cove and Izembek context. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Towner, ND

This McHenry County community is surrounded by the northern plains, with the Souris River country and prairie wetlands shaping the wider landscape. It’s an option for people who like open country and four distinct seasons, though winters here aren’t exactly an afterthought.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 467
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $49,500
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $78,400

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Towner, ND.

Spillertown, IL

Spillertown sits in southern Illinois, near the Marion area and the region’s lakes, woods, and public recreation land. The appeal is less about being completely isolated and more about having outdoor options without living in a major city.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 246
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $81,250
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $152,500

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Spillertown, IL.

West Frankfort, IL

West Frankfort offers a smaller-city base in southern Illinois, within reach of Rend Lake and the region’s wooded recreation areas. If fishing, birding, or spending a day outside beats another afternoon in traffic, the setting makes sense.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 7,118
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $47,898
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $81,200

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for West Frankfort, IL.

Check local access: Illinois DNR: Rend Lake. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Middle River, MN

Middle River is a tiny northwestern Minnesota community near Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, a landscape of wetlands, woods, and migrating birds. Some refuge areas permit regulated hunting, but fishing is prohibited on refuge lands and waters, so check the rules before planning either activity.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 319
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $76,250
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $101,900

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Middle River, MN.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Agassiz rules. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Rio Hondo, TX

Rio Hondo sits along the Arroyo Colorado in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Water, wetlands, and South Texas birdlife are part of the appeal here, although access and local conditions matter more than a broad promise about hunting or fishing.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,865
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $35,682
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $104,000

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Rio Hondo, TX.

Patrick, SC

Patrick is close to Sand Hills State Forest, which has ponds, trails, and managed hunting areas. It’s one of the clearer matches for people who actually want a smaller community near established outdoor recreation, rather than simply a low population count.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 331
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $34,773
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $51,900

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Patrick, SC.

Check local access: South Carolina Forestry Commission: Sand Hills State Forest. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

De Soto, IL

De Soto is in southern Illinois, where lakes, wooded public lands, and the Carbondale area are part of the broader landscape. You can get small-town surroundings without being completely cut off from services.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,654
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $62,813
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $94,700

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for De Soto, IL.

De Valls Bluff, AR

Set along the White River in Arkansas’s Delta region, De Valls Bluff is surrounded by lowlands and waterways. Fishing and wildlife watching are natural regional draws, but flooding and site-specific land access are worth investigating before shopping for property.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 553
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $27,361
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): Not reported

Not reported means the Census did not publish a usable value for this measure; it does not mean zero. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for De Valls Bluff, AR.

West Orange, TX

West Orange is in southeast Texas near the Louisiana border, not the ranch country most people picture when they hear ‘Texas.’ The Sabine River region offers a very different outdoors experience: more waterways and wetlands, with humidity and storm risk to match.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 3,420
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $60,323
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $110,700

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for West Orange, TX.

North Hartsville, SC

North Hartsville has a smaller-community setting in South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, with regional forests and public recreation areas within driving distance. It could suit someone who wants outdoor access without moving hours from everyday essentials.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 3,304
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $59,744
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $110,600

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for North Hartsville, SC.

Cotton Plant, AR

Cotton Plant lies in eastern Arkansas, where farmland and river-fed lowlands dominate the scenery. This is Delta country, with wildlife habitats across the region, but a low estimated home value tells you very little about the condition or availability of homes for sale.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 444
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $11,790
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $41,100

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Cotton Plant, AR.

Goreville, IL

Goreville is close to Ferne Clyffe State Park and other southern Illinois outdoor destinations. That’s a practical benefit if you want hiking, lakes, and wooded country nearby, although you’ll still want to verify where hunting is actually permitted.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,236
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $68,798
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $131,300

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Goreville, IL.

DeWitt, AR

DeWitt sits in the Arkansas Delta, a region known for agricultural landscapes and seasonal waterfowl activity. The setting has plenty of appeal for outdoor enthusiasts, but access often depends on specific public areas, leases, and the time of year.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 2,933
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $47,798
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $75,700

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for DeWitt, AR.

Thomson, IL

Thomson is a Mississippi River community in northwestern Illinois, near backwaters and river recreation. One caveat when comparing populations: Census estimates can include people living in group quarters, so the headline number doesn’t necessarily describe the size of the residential housing market.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,757
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $61,250
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $117,000

Population includes people counted in group quarters; do not use it as a proxy for the local housing market. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Thomson, IL.

Casa Colorada, NM

Casa Colorada lies in the Middle Rio Grande area south of Albuquerque, amid agricultural land and high-desert scenery. It’s a different kind of escape from forest-and-lake country, and the town’s very small sample makes housing estimates especially uncertain.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 351
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $47,310
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $235,400

The Census home-value estimate has an especially large margin of error, so it should not be treated as a realistic listing price. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Casa Colorada, NM.

Mount Carroll, IL

Mount Carroll is a historic small town in northwestern Illinois, not far from the Mississippi River corridor. It’s an option for someone who wants a quieter pace and regional access to trails and waterways, without pretending every nearby field is open to recreation.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,501
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $58,500
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $86,600

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Mount Carroll, IL.

Swan Quarter, NC

Swan Quarter sits in North Carolina’s coastal plain near Pamlico Sound and the Mattamuskeet and Swanquarter refuge areas. Wildlife viewing and fishing are big regional draws; for hunters, refuge permits and designated areas make the difference between ‘nearby’ and actually accessible.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 458
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $71,289
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $122,100

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Swan Quarter, NC.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Mattamuskeet Refuge. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Elaine, AR

Elaine is a small eastern Arkansas community in the Mississippi Delta. Rivers, fields, and wildlife habitat define the wider region, but anyone eyeing a home here should weigh services, property condition, and flood exposure along with the landscape.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 487
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $29,792
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $64,800

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Elaine, AR.

Johnston City, IL

Johnston City is close to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and the Marion-area lakes of southern Illinois. That’s useful access for fishing and outdoor days, though individual refuge waters and roads have seasonal restrictions.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 3,327
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $42,465
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $88,100

The household-income estimate has a large margin of error, as is common in small communities. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Johnston City, IL.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Crab Orchard fishing. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Holiday Beach, TX

Holiday Beach is a small coastal community near Rockport and Copano Bay. It’s better understood as a fishing-and-waterfront location than a bargain rural getaway; flood exposure, insurance, and storm planning are part of the equation here.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 427
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): Not reported
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $350,000

The home-value estimate has a very large margin of error; compare actual listings, insurance, and flood-zone maps. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Holiday Beach, TX.

Jet, OK

Jet is near Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, where wetlands, prairie, salt flats, and public recreation all come together. Hunting and fishing exist in designated areas, but the refuge has specific closures and fishing-season dates that visitors should check.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 208
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $56,531
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $83,400

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Jet, OK.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Salt Plains Refuge. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Savanna, IL

Savanna sits right along the Mississippi River, with Mississippi Palisades State Park nearby. The combination of river scenery and an established small-town center makes it a more concrete outdoor option than a place picked solely for having few residents.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 2,816
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $48,036
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $72,400

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Savanna, IL.

Bush, IL

Bush is a very small southern Illinois community in the region’s mix of farmland and wooded landscapes. You’re not far from larger towns and regional recreation areas, but that doesn’t mean public hunting access starts at the property line.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 354
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $55,357
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $78,000

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Bush, IL.

McBee, SC

McBee is close to Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge and Sand Hills State Forest. Those areas offer marked outdoor opportunities, including regulated hunting and fishing, making this one of the stronger entries for people who want to spend real time outside.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 818
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $63,125
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $89,300

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for McBee, SC.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Carolina Sandhills Refuge. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

De Soto, WI

De Soto is a small Mississippi River community in western Wisconsin, near the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. River recreation is the obvious attraction, with the usual caveat that water levels and refuge regulations can change what’s accessible.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 503
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $91,451
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $120,400

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for De Soto, WI.

Zeigler, IL

Zeigler is another southern Illinois town with access to the wider Rend Lake region. It’s a sensible place to look if you prefer a smaller community near forests and fishing waters, provided the housing stock fits your needs.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,267
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $41,553
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $57,300

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Zeigler, IL.

Check local access: Illinois DNR: Rend Lake. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Cherokee, OK

Cherokee is in north-central Oklahoma near the Salt Plains refuge and its unusual combination of prairie wetlands and salt flats. The area has designated hunting and fishing opportunities, plus plenty of birdwatching if you’d rather bring binoculars than gear.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,509
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $58,860
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $96,600

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Cherokee, OK.

Check local access: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Salt Plains Refuge. Rules, seasons, closures, and permits may vary.

Ridgecrest, LA

Ridgecrest sits in Concordia Parish, near Natchez and the Mississippi River corridor. The rivers and backwaters are more relevant to the local outdoor setting than the original slide’s unrelated fish photo suggested.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,007
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $41,910
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $57,500

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Ridgecrest, LA.

Reid Hope King, TX

Reid Hope King is a small community in the Brownsville area, surrounded by the heavily developed and agricultural landscape of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. There’s regional birding and coastal recreation, but the area isn’t as isolated as the original headline implied.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 932
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): Not reported
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $108,200

Not reported means the Census did not publish a usable value for this measure; it does not mean zero. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Reid Hope King, TX.

Royalton, IL

Royalton is in Franklin County in southern Illinois, within driving distance of Rend Lake and other public recreation areas. It has the smaller-town pace some buyers want, without promising that any particular hunting spot is open year-round.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 1,214
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $59,219
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $71,500

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Royalton, IL.

Brenda, AZ

Brenda sits in western Arizona’s desert near Quartzsite, with wide-open terrain and some serious summer heat. This is more of a desert-based outdoor lifestyle than a lakeside fishing retreat; services and travel distances deserve extra attention.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 780
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $53,125
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $66,700

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Brenda, AZ.

Holton, IN

Holton is a small southeastern Indiana community surrounded by rural roads and farmland. Nearby state parks and county recreation areas offer ways to get outside, but hunters still need to distinguish public-access land from private property.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 502
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $62,375
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $98,600

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Holton, IN.

Orient, IL

Orient is a small Franklin County community in the broader southern Illinois lake-and-forest region. It’s the sort of place where quiet streets may be easy to find, but home condition, services, and actual outdoor access still matter more than a population figure.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 417
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $39,750
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $49,800

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Orient, IL.

Gillett, AR

Gillett is in Arkansas County, in the state’s agricultural Delta. Waterfowl habitat and waterways feature prominently in the surrounding countryside, although public access and hunting rules vary considerably from one tract to another.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 378
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $67,321
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $88,300

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Gillett, AR.

Pine Ridge, SC

South Carolina has more than one community called Pine Ridge. This is the small census-designated place in the Pee Dee region, not the separate Lexington County town, so it’s worth double-checking the county when looking up homes or local recreation.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 637
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $61,192
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $113,300

Census geography: Pine Ridge census-designated place; not the town with the same name in Lexington County. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Pine Ridge, SC.

Tivoli, TX

Tivoli is near the lower Guadalupe River and the San Antonio Bay area on the Texas coast. Wetlands and coastal fishing are part of the region’s appeal; flood exposure and storm planning should be part of any serious relocation decision.

• Population (ACS 2020–2024): 433
• Median household income (ACS 2020–2024): $74,250
• Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024): $46,900

Home values are homeowner-reported estimates, not current asking prices. Source: 2020–2024 Census data for Tivoli, TX.