I get the same question from buyers every week: “We have been looking at lots in Driggs and Victor. Where should we actually buy?” Here is what I tell them.
The honest answer: it depends on what you want from your build
Driggs and Victor are 30 minutes apart and feel like different worlds. The right choice depends on lot use, build budget, and what you want when you walk out the door in the morning.
Driggs in 2026
The county seat. More walkable downtown — coffee shops, restaurants, the Spud Drive-In, art galleries. Friday Farmers Market. The new Marriott just opened. Median Driggs lot price is creeping toward $400K-$650K for buildable acreage. Building permits are running 4 to 6 weeks. ADU rules are tightening — Driggs caps short-term rentals at 1 per property and is restricting workforce-housing requirements.
Best for: Buyers who want walkable lifestyle, the social fabric of a downtown, and proximity to the airport (Driggs/Reed Memorial is right in town for private aviation).
Victor in 2026
Smaller, quieter, closer to the Pass to Jackson Hole (15-20 minutes vs 35 from Driggs). More rural lots available. Median Victor lot price for buildable acreage runs $350K-$550K with more variability — some 5+ acre parcels still trade in the $700Ks. Building permits run similar 4-6 weeks. Less commercial activity. The Knotty Pine and a few other staples but you drive to Driggs or Jackson for the rest.
Best for: Buyers who want privacy, larger acreage, faster access to Jackson Hole skiing/dining/airport, and do not need a downtown out their front door.
What both share
- Snow load 70+ psf engineering required (90+ at higher elevations)
- Septic perc test before you close (some lots fail and need engineered systems at $40K-$80K extra)
- Well drilling at 150-400 feet, $25K-$50K typical
- Same Teton County impact fees and permitting timeline
- Same architect ecosystem (most firms work both sides)
The buyer mistake I see most often
Out-of-state buyers fall in love with a lot in one of these towns based on a 90-second drone video and a summer weekend visit. Then they discover the south-facing slope they thought was perfect actually catches 3 weeks of ice in November, or the easement on the access road floods every spring, or the well drilling estimate doubles because the geology is harder than the realtor mentioned.
Before you close on any lot in Teton Valley, run lot due diligence: survey, water rights check, septic perc test, wetlands review, easement research, geotech if your lot has any slope or stream nearby. This costs $3K-$8K. It saves $50K-$200K of surprises.
If you want my honest take on a specific lot
Send me the address. I will give you my honest read in 24 hours. No charge. I would rather tell you a lot is wrong before you spend $500K on it than try to build on a problem we both should have caught earlier.
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