Jamestown, NY

Located in western New York near the Pennsylvania border, Jamestown sits right where the Chadakoin River meets the southern end of Chautauqua Lake. Once a booming hub for timber and furniture making, it has settled into an affordable, laid-back community of roughly 28,000 residents. The area gives you easy access to boating and fishing on the lake, with straightforward road connections to Erie, Buffalo, and surrounding small towns.

ATTRDr. Blazer / CC BY-SA 4.0

Jamestown is best known as the birthplace of Lucille Ball, which sparked the creation of downtown highlights like the Lucy Desi Museum and the interactive National Comedy Center. Day to day, newcomers will find historic homes, riverside parks, and SUNY Jamestown Community College right in town. Between the summer lake season, quiet neighborhood streets, and scenic hills nearby, it is a comfortable place to put down roots.