‘Tis the season for fictional film characters to travel home to their small towns where they’ll have a meet-cute that forever changes the trajectory of their lives. Yes, it’s Hallmark Christmas movie time again, and that means holiday dreamers everywhere will be fantasizing about shacking up in charming little cottages.
Sounds idyllic, right? Well, what if you could actually live in such a town? It turns out you can—if you know where to look. Lucky for you, we did the heavy lifting and found six real-life locations where Hallmark holiday movies were filmed that are not only adorable but also affordable.
But first, what are the traits that mark a typical Hallmark locale? Well, quaint, cozy, and rural come to mind. But it must also serve up a strong sense of community.
“A Hallmark movie town has no chain stores anywhere, which means that every coffee shop, every bookstore, every hardware store, every bakery, and every restaurant is staffed by friendly, apron-wearing locals who have either known the heroine her entire life or who make her feel completely at home despite the fact that she’s been in town for only two days,” film critic Alonso Duralde, author of “Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas,” explains to Realtor.com®.
“There’s a big tree in the town square, the lighting of which is always a major event. There’s a Christmas fair with lots of cozy crafts and steaming mugs of cocoa served in real ceramic mugs. And while there’s snow on the ground and everyone is wearing coats, you never see precipitation or anyone’s breath,” adds Duralde.
In other words, think picture-perfect winter wonderland. With that in mind, we went in search of the most reasonable Hallmark movie towns in the U.S. and came up with these winners where the average single person might actually be able to afford a house—and possibly snag a small-town happily ever after to boot.
Goshen, NY: ‘One December Night’
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Median home price: $729,000
If you’re looking for a quintessentially cute Hallmark movie town not too far from New York City, this little gem located about 60 miles northwest of the Big Apple fits the holiday profile perfectly. Located in the scenic Hudson Valley, Goshen is known for its historic and distinctive architecture, as well as its bustling downtown village with unique shops, restaurants, and businesses.
Thanks to its small-town appeal, Goshen was used as the location for the 2021 Hallmark holiday movie “One December Night,” starring Peter Gallagher and Brett Dalton. The Stagecoach Inn in Goshen, which dates to 1747, was transformed into Pineville Inn for the film, and many of the town’s residents got to serve as extras, which was apparently great for community spirit, former Goshen Mayor Scott Wohl told the Times Herald-Record.
“It’s such a cute little place,” says Jeremy Daniel, a professional photographer and holiday movie aficionado who lives 10 minutes from downtown Goshen. “A quick stroll through at Christmas, you’ll understand exactly why Hallmark used it.”
Chester, VT: ‘Moonlight and Mistletoe’
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Median home price: $514,194
If a quaint New England town is your vibe, then you’ll want to check out Chester, VT, which was the location used for Hallmark’s “Moonlight and Mistletoe” holiday movie. Filmed during an unseasonably warm summer in 2008 (crews had to spray pine trees with white foam and roll out white snow blankets over the green grass, according to the Sun Journal), this Christmas movie stars Hallmark favorite Candace Cameron Bure, along with Tom Arnold—and at least 100 locals, who would love to become your neighbors.
“Chester is a beautiful town. The village green is flanked by the large country inn and period architecture from the 1800s, all still standing and nicely maintained,” says Betty McEnaney, a longtime Vermont resident and local real estate agent with Diamond Realty.
“It has several good eateries, nice shops to visit, and lots to do in every season from biking, hiking, paddling, skiing, horseback riding, and more—think small-town feel with easy proximity to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.”
It’s also situated near several popular ski resort towns such as Killington, VT, and Stratton, VT, and though the Hugging Bear Inn featured in the film is no longer for sale (it changed hands in 2023 for $579,000), there are plenty of equally adorable and affordable homes still on the market in Chester.
Nevada City, CA: ‘The Christmas Card’
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Median home price: $699,000
A little historic mining town located in the Sierra Nevada foothills about 60 miles northeast of Sacramento, Nevada City, CA, fits the Hallmark holiday movie town description to a T. The entire downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places, and right now, it’s gearing up for its annual Nevada City Victorian Christmas celebration, which is just one of the many regular events happening for residents.
That bustling small-town vibe is probably why this town was chosen as the backdrop for Hallmark’s “The Christmas Card” in 2006. The film follows a soldier who receives an anonymous Christmas card while stationed in Afghanistan and, upon returning from his tour, traces the origin of the card to this tiny town and (unsurprisingly) his soulmate.
While we can’t guarantee the same romantic result for anyone choosing to move there, it does seem to possess ample opportunity for a delightful, slower-paced life at a much more reasonable price bracket for California.
Pigeon Forge, TN: ‘Christmas at Dollywood’
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Median home price: $601,975
Pretty much everyone agrees that Dolly Parton is a national treasure, so it makes sense that Hallmark would jump at the chance to film a holiday movie starring the icon while celebrating “Christmas at Dollywood.” And that’s just what happened in Pigeon Forge, TN—the home of Dollywood—in 2019.
Located near the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee, Pigeon Forge gives strong mountain-town vibes with just a touch of tiny-town twang. And while Dollywood is a focal point—especially during the holidays when it’s illuminated with more than 6 million twinkling lights—there are plenty of area attractions to give it flavor.
“Life in Pigeon Forge blends the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains with small-town living and big-time entertainment, all at a cost of living that’s far more attainable than many resort destinations,” says local real estate agent Jodi Spangler, of Wallace Real Estate.
“Whether you’re driving the Parkway or strolling the Winterfest Wonders of Light Walking Trail, it’s nearly impossible to go anywhere during the holidays without being surrounded by festive cheer that feels straight out of a Hallmark movie.”
Woodstock, CT: ‘One Royal Holiday’
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Median home price: $629,500
If you like your Hallmark holiday films with a side of Prince Charming, then you’ll fully buy into Hallmark’s “One Royal Holiday.” Shot in Woodstock, CT, the story features a nurse who houses some stranded strangers in her family’s adorable small-town inn, only to discover that they’re part of the royal family of (the fictional) Galwick. Of course, what happens next is a monarch-meets-normie love story complete with holiday carols thanks to a cast that includes real-life Broadway royalty.
Filmed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in summer 2020, the movie was credited with saving the owners of the Inn at Woodstock during a really tough time—which sounds like another holiday movie plot. Though most of the movie takes place at the inn, the town of Woodstock is equally charming, and there is even a real castle (which also appears in the movie as the home of the Galwick royal family).
Though it’s technically the second-largest town in Connecticut by area, its population is still small. This means lots of open space and picturesque scenery (which people often take in by hot-air balloon). There are also more dairy farms than in any other town in the state.
Tucked into the northeast “quiet” corner of Connecticut close to the Massachusetts border, rural and tranquil Woodstock may be the affordable small town of your Hallmark dreams.
Dahlonega, GA: ‘Christmas in Homestead’
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Median home price: $450,000
About an hour north of Atlanta in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is another Hallmark holiday gem of a town, Dahlonega, GA. Though its name means “yellow” in Cherokee—a reference to the area being the site of the first U.S. gold rush in the 1820s—today it’s more likely to be decked out in red and green thanks to its reputation as one of the best Christmas towns in the country.
Filmed in Dahlonega, the 2016 Hallmark holiday movie “Christmas in Homestead” centers around a famous actress shooting a movie in the Christmas-obsessed fictional town of Homestead, IA, who unexpectedly falls in love with the town’s local innkeeper (a dashing single dad). These days, the town’s residents are more likely to be gearing up for a full roster of events during the “Old Fashioned Christmas in Dahlonega” festivities.
It’s also been named the “Best Small Town in Georgia” by Southern Living—thanks to its historic architecture, sweet town square, and location in Georgia wine country—making it a real contender for anyone looking to relocate for a simpler, and possibly lusher, way of life.