“There’s a small town in each of us.” This popular prairie saying certainly reminds us of the values of neighbourliness engendered in small town living, values that remain even if that small town grows up.

In the Calgary region, what used to be smaller municipalities like Airdrie and Cochrane are now getting much bigger, but the traditional small town is very much alive and still offering the coveted romantic prairie lifestyle of southern Alberta.

Communities like Beiseker, Lyalta, Langdon, and Didsbury are experiencing their own growth as more people look further afield from Calgary to find a relaxed, balanced and, yes, more affordable lifestyle.

“Living in a small town allows you to enjoy the way life was growing up. Where you know your neighbours and they lend you some sugar if you need it, or help shovel the walk,” says Heather Dougall. She moved from Calgary to the community of the Lakes of Muirfield in the tiny hamlet of Lyalta east of Calgary and has live there for about a decade. She’s loving every minute of it.

“Where else can you still experience raising a family where kids can be kid?” she asks. “Neighbour become friends, people know you by your name, and neighbours look out for each other.”

It’s this connection – to nature and to the community – that is the allure of the small town, and many are still just an hour or less away from Calgary’s city centre.

Beiseker

Beiseker is a about 70 kilometres northeast of Calgary. It is considered to be an outermost part of the Calgary Region and is included within Calgary’s Census Metropolitan Area (CMA). The village is surrounded by rural Rocky View County, and the closest neighbouring communities are Irricana and Acme.

It is very much an agricultural town still founded by the Calgary Colonization Company whose purpose was to promote settlement by demonstrating the grain-growing potential of the area and the rich black soil it has. The population stands at around 800 residents, but growth is on the horizon especially with the advent of the Junction new community development.

Located 44 minutes from Calgary International Airport and 50 minutes from Calgary Downtown, The Junction is a small development with larger lot sizes and design flexibility.

More families are discovering its charms and Jutine Hall of CreekWest Custom Homes says they turned over five new builds in The Junction in 2025. This year they are turning over two individual homes to a multi-generational family, one to a young couple and they will have two spec homes available for quick possession.

The Junction already has some of the most attractive home prices around, she adds, but they are also aiming to diversify and are “seeking to re-zone into some duplex housing to offer a wider range of price points for buyers of all ages and stages,” she adds. Go to thejunctionbeiseker.com for more information.

Didsbury

About a 45-minute-drive from the northern boundary of Calgary lies the town of Didsbury. It is part of what is known as the Mountain View Corridor that is midway between Red Deer and Calgary and includes the towns of Olds, Carstairs and Sundre.

Didsbury is a charming, historic town that is enjoying a surge in residential development and Calgary homebuilder, Trico Homes, is testing the waters here in the community of Valarosa.

Trico will be building six single-family 2-Storey front-garage & bungalow homes in Valarosa’s final phase. These are much larger homes and five of them will be 54 feet wide, and one is 64.5-feet-wide, says Trico Homes Marketing Director, Glenda Schwartz.

“These homesites are larger than what you typically see in the larger centres, and they back onto a pathway and greenspace,” she says. These homes are being built on spec and will be available for quick possessions.

“This move is part of Trico’s broader growth strategy – an opportunity to explore and test new markets. Trico is known for its high-quality homes, superior building materials and attention to detail.”

Valarosa has many existing amenities to make daily routines easier and weekend adventures better, boasting a quaint main street strip for people to stroll, and farmers market supported by local farms.

The vibrant town of Didsbury is located about an hour north of Calgary, offering that rare close-knit community feel with the added bonus of an easy access to Highway 2.

As the community has grown, popular franchises have also moved into the mix, and a full recreation complex (Didsbury Memorial Complex) hosts two ice arenas, an aquatic centre, and a curling rink. Services including a full K-12 public school system, Didsbury District Health Services, and 24/7 emergency care, have seen the area grow to further accommodate families.

“There is also an abundance of resources for active seniors, at locations like the church, Didsbury library, the museum, and the recreation complex. While Valarosa continues to grow, Didsbury stays grounded in its rich history – felt by the presence of intriguing heritage buildings lining downtown and brought to life through the stories and artifacts curated by the Didsbury Historical Society and showcased at the Didsbury Historical museum.” Find out more at tricohomes.com.

Langdon

Under the bright blue prairie skies, the hamlet of Langdon promises the lifestyle and values of a small town and a convenient, recreation-filled lifestyle that blends the best of rural and urban living. It’s only 20 minutes to Calgary, and 15 minutes to Chestermere, so residents get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Qualico Communities’ Painted Sky is one of the most active developments in this part of the Calgary region, as it offers larger homes from NuVista Homes, Broadview Homes, and Sterling Homes, and larger lots.

The future is bright in Painted Sky and Qualico Communities is preparing for a big community event this spring. But residents now already enjoy a new park/playground, and a commercial zone that promises even more convenience for the whole hamlet is well underway.

“Painted Sky is a haven for families looking for an alternative to city living,” says Qualico Communities Marketing Manager, Monica Bilyk. “The community offers larger lot sizes than those in the city and triple-car garages, which allows residents to park their recreational vehicles more easily throughout the year.”

Painted Sky is located just off of Glenmore Trail east of Calgary, which allows for quick access to work for those who commute to the city and to amenities found in East Calgary and Langdon.

Bilyk says they are seeing quite a few people from SE Calgary communities moving to Painted Sky for the great schools and the community’s walkability.

Bungalows start from the low $700s and Front Garage Homes start from the mid $700s. for more information, go to paintedskyinlangdon.com.

Lyalta

Only 22.5 kilometres east of Calgary, Lyalta is a hamlet of Wheatland County, it has a colourful past linked to the railroads that is still enshrined in the post office and one grain elevator that are still there.

The Community Centre is a beloved amenity consisting of a hall with capacity for 300, two baseball diamonds, new playground, and camping grounds.

Currently, The Lakes of Muirfield, a master-planned community currently with 267 homes with a maximum of 700 homes that includes lots with golf course or water feature views, is attracting much of the growth here.

“The lots are bigger than what you normally see in the city, and for less money,” says Dougall, who is a resident here and handles sales for Lakes of Muirfield and the Junction in Beiseker.

In both communities, residents enjoy “sunsets, and nature, not sirens and screeching tires.”

Lakes of Muirfield is only 22 minutes from Calgary and has good access to Highway 1, Country Hills Boulevard and McKnight Boulevard. “All of these connect to the Stoney Trail ring road, so accessibility isn’t a problem,” she adds. Go to liveinmuirfield.com for more information.