So you’ve always wanted to live at the beach, whether as a permanent resident or for frequent access to a vacation home. According to data from Realtor.com, you may be able to get your wish without spending a fortune if you can snag a home in one of the most affordable beach towns in the U.S.
Realtor.com compiled listings from the last year of homes located within a one-mile radius of federally defined beaches and ranked them based on the median price per square foot: The median price per square foot in the 10 most affordable beach towns ranges from $144 to $256.
(For comparison, the median price per square foot across the U.S. is $222.)
Note that while affordable in some places, living on or near the beach isn’t without risk or significant cost. Gulfport, Miss., and Grand Isle, La., both experienced major damage during Hurricane Ida in September 2021, and many Grand Isle residents hadn’t returned home even a year later. Atlantic City, N.J., was hard-hit by Hurricane Sandy, and North Beach, Md., by Hurricane Ian. Plus, while homes may be cheap, insurance costs in high-risk areas are often prohibitive.
The cheapest U.S. beach towns
These are the most affordable coastal areas for prospective beach homeowners:
1. Gulfport, Miss.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $224,900
Median price per square foot: $144
2. Newport News, Va.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $200,000
Median price per square foot: $150
3. New London, Conn.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $257,000
Median price per square foot: $175
4. Grand Isle, La.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $309,500
Median price per square foot: $190
5. Corpus Christi, Texas
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $289,948
Median price per square foot: $206
6. Atlantic City, N.J.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $185,000
Median price per square foot: $213
7. Navarre, Fla.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $442,500
Median price per square foot: $240
8. North Beach, Md.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $384,495
Median price per square foot: $245
9. Crescent City, Calif.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $329,000
Median price per square foot: $248
10. Shirley, N.Y.
Median home price within 1 mile of a beach: $414,990
Median price per square foot: $256
