Port St. Joe
The main draw of beach living for many is the relative peace and quiet you get to enjoy, coupled with gorgeous views and a generally laidback lifestyle. Of course, this is increasingly harder to come by with towns like Naples becoming so oversaturated. Port St. Joe is different - it offers the easy vibes of your average beach town at a lower cost.
Hollywood
No, not that Hollywood. This Hollywood is located in Florida, and is something of a hidden gem amongst America’s many, many beach towns. Not only does it enjoy gorgeous views courtesy of the nearby marinas and parks, but purchasing there makes for a great investment, given that the town is currently “on the rise”.
New Smyrna Beach
Orlando is a great tourist destination, but it’s not exactly the most ideal place to live. Still, if you want to be close to the action, check out New Smyrna Beach. It’s an artsy, community-focused town with plenty to offer, including excellent short-term rental opportunities.
Pompano Beach
Living in Miami is a dream for many, but the city’s high cost of living makes that an unlikely prospect for most. Pompano Beach, therefore, is a great alternative, with lower home prices and a concerted effort by the local government to improve its infrastructure in the coming years.
Space Coast Beaches
This one may be cheating, since the Space Coast encompasses numerous towns, but all are guaranteed to provide you with the beach lifestyle you desire. They include Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbor Beach, and Satellite Beach, which are especially popular with remote workers.
Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores is one of Alabama’s best-kept secrets, standing in contrast to most people’s ideas of what Alabama living looks like. It’s laidback, quiet, and offers great value for beachfront properties.
Navarre Beach
This list is shaping up to be “the Florida list”, but we promise that there are plenty of great beach towns all over the US. Navarre Beach deserves mention for its remoteness, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on what you’re looking for from a beach town. Peace and quiet? Navarre Beach has got you. Vibrant community? Maybe look elsewhere.
Hatteras Island
Located just off the coast of North Carolina, Hatteras Island offers the chance to enjoy the unique barrier island lifestyle. It’s relatively affordable considering its scenic views and easy beach access from anywhere on the island, and it also enjoys a strong tourism industry.
Palm Coast
Hey, it’s not our fault that Florida has so many gorgeous beaches! Palm Coast is a lot more affordable than many other Florida beach towns, and actually experienced a significant population boom in the 2000s. These days, it offers a great balance between traditional city or town living and scenic natural views.
Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular beach locations on this list, mostly due to its Grand Strand (a whopping 60-mile stretch of beaches). It’s a big tourist draw and thus experiences plenty of seasonal traffic. Still, if you can get past the extra crowds, it’s a charming place to live, and relatively affordable given its immense popularity.
Rockaway Beach
Not to be confused with the New York beach of the same name, Rockaway Beach is a peaceful and placid beach located in Oregon. It’s decidedly less crowded than many of the beaches on this list, and should heavily appeal to those looking for a calmer vibe with ocean views.
Sunset Beach
Compared to Hatteras Beach, also located in North Carolina, Sunset Beach is a much calmer environment, and doesn’t get nearly as many tourists as the former. It offers a more relaxed coastal vibe at the cost of slightly worse infrastructure than Hatteras, while remaining relatively cheap.
Pensacola
Pensacola is the only city in Escambia County, Florida. It’s a fairly busy spot while still being laidback enough for the average beach-enjoyer. That makes it ideal for those looking for a good balance between amenities, culture, community, and nature.
Fort Pierce
Also located in Florida, Fort Pierce is one of the state’s best-kept secrets, an “underappreciated” beach town that is slowly but surely coming up in popularity. Granted, the real estate market is slower than what can be found in Florida “hot spots”, but that pretty much guarantees you’ll be able to find a good deal.
Destin
Destin contrasts well with our previous entry. Where Fort Pierce is quiet and modest, Destin is bustling, crowded, and expensive. It’s a place that should appeal to those looking for all the hubbub of your average city with the added bonus of having a beach right there, but you’ll definitely need some extra capital to cover the cost of your move.
North Topsail Beach
North Topsail Beach is a small, quiet beach town located in North Carolina that enjoys seasonal popularity. During the “off” months, it’s relaxed and peaceful, but quickly surges in activity during the summer seasons.
Lake Anna
Lake Anna is one of the more niche spots on our list. It’s not an ocean beach town, but it still offers a waterfront lifestyle that should appeal to many. Located in Virginia, it doesn’t get nearly as much traffic as many of the other spots on this list, which should appeal to those looking for a quiet lifestyle.
Corpus Christi
Far from being the largest Texas city, Corpus Christi is nevertheless a lot more crowded than most of the beach towns on this list. Surprisingly, that hasn’t affected its cost of living too much, and the city has plenty of job opportunities, which enable a comfortable lifestyle. It’s a perfect mix of urban amenities and coastal attitudes.
Atlantic City
Atlantic City is one of the US’s most prominent gambling hotspots, and as such, attracts a very specific crowd. It’s probably not going to match your vibe if you’re not into the “casino resort” lifestyle - if you are, however, Atlantic City makes for an excellent spot to hitch your spurs if you can afford it.
Pascagoula
Pascagoula is definitely one of the more modest locales on this list. Located in Jackson County, Mississippi, it’s among the most affordable beach towns you’ll come across, with gorgeous natural waterways and a rapidly developing community.
Ocean Shores
Fans of Twin Peaks will want to look into investing in property in Ocean Shores, Washington. It’s a quiet beach town that doesn’t get as much summertime sunshine as the others on this list, but enjoys perhaps one of the most magnificent views of the Pacific on the eastern coast.
Newport
Largely detached from bigger hubs in the Oregon state area, Newport is already a great vacation spot, and should make for an even better place of permanent residence. It’s perfect for those who want to escape the worries and woes of big city living.
Biloxi
Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Biloxi is primarily known for its casinos but still has plenty to offer to residents looking for a slice of beach living. Many properties offer great value to retirees or those simply seeking cheap beach access.
Oxnard
California is among the most expensive places to live in the US, so Oxnard offers a welcome reprieve for those looking for a slice of sunshine living at a more affordable price. It’s the most populated town in Ventura County, and still has easy access to major hubs like Los Angeles and San Diego.
Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea
Even smaller than Oxnard but also ten times more expensive, Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea offers prestige, luxury living in an idyllic, placid location. It’s among the most stunning towns in the US, with fairy-tale cottages and scenic ocean views.
Long Beach
Not to be confused with the town of the same name in California, Long Beach is another Pacific Northwestern beach town with gorgeous views and a serene atmosphere that will please most people, even if the weather can be a bit more miserable than some other beach towns.
Virginia Beach
Famous for being the world’s longest pleasure beach, Virginia Beach in Virginia offers a great mix of amenities and natural charm. Of particular note is Sandbridge, which is even more tranquil than the rest of the town.
Surfside Beach
Located in South Carolina, Surfside Beach offers a welcoming “family” atmosphere, which stands in contrast to some of the busier beaches on this list. Cost of entry and living also tends to be pretty cheap.
Ocean Springs
Located just across from Biloxi in Mississippi, Ocean Springs makes for a much more relaxed environment overall, while still allowing visitors and residents to get a taste of the Gulf lifestyle.
Gulfport
Also in Mississippi is Gulfport, which consistently ranks as one of the most affordable beach towns in the US. It’s close to several beaches, with many properties close to the shore being modestly priced.
Port Lavaca
Port Lavaca is a quiet Texas town with plenty to offer visitors and new residents alike. It’s a lot less crowded than some of the major hubs in the state, and is also relatively affordable when compared to many other beach towns.
Ocean City
Well, you can’t get any more on the nose than “Ocean City”. Located in Maryland, this beach town is a popular tourist destination and tends to be very busy during the holiday seasons. It’s got plenty of amenities while still offering up gorgeous Atlantic views.
Cape Charles
For such a small town, Cape Charles sure has plenty of charm. It’s a quaint little place with historical significance, and should be a perfect fit for anyone looking for a quiet, relaxed lifestyle.
Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach serves up New England charm like no other, with its sandy beaches and coastal aesthetics. It’s a much cheaper place to live than many of its other Maine neighbors, and is sure to appeal to many.
Grand Isle
Grand Isle is a special place, a small, rustic town that promises a simple lifestyle to all those who move there. It’s not particularly glamorous, but those looking for solitude alongside some stunning views would be hard-pressed to find a place more suited to their preferences.
