Countless folks yearn to live by the beach. But many worry that the high price of properties near the water puts those dreams out of reach.
Fortunately, you can still get your piece of sea and sand if you know where to look. Recently, Realtor.com analyzed housing markets along the U.S. coastlines and identified 10 beach towns with homes that are downright affordable.
As of March, the median price of homes for sale in each of these municipalities was less than — and in some cases well under — the national median price of $424,900.
Realtor.com warns that some of the cities on this list qualified because of an abundance of relatively cheap condos that might come with steep monthly homeowners association fees. But other cities have plenty of reasonably priced single-family homes.
Following are the beach towns in the U.S. with the most affordable homes.
Ocean Shores, Washington
Median home list price: $425,000 as of March 2024
Population: 7,500 as of 2023
Ocean Shores is a quiet beach town that still offers plenty of fun activities. Go paddle boarding or kayaking in freshwater canals, golf at an 18-hole course or take a horseback ride on the sand.
Newport, Oregon
Median home list price: $399,950 as of March 2024
Population: 10,400 as of 2023
Located on Oregon’s central coast, Newport borders both the Pacific Ocean and Yaquina Bay. It is also home to Nye Beach, which features historic homes and architecture.
Grand Isle, Louisiana
Median home list price: $375,000 as of March 2024
Population: 1,000 as of 2020
Those who love fishing or birding will be enchanted with Grand Isle, Louisiana’s only inhabited barrier island. Grand Isle is also home to a robust shrimping, fishing and oyster industry.
Sunset Beach, North Carolina
Median home list price: $340,000 as of March 2024
Population: 4,200 as of 2020
The heart of Sunset Beach is Bird Island, an area made up of 1,200 acres of salt marsh and tidal creeks. Space nuts will love the Ingram Planetarium.
Corpus Christi, Texas
Median home list price: $315,000 as of March 2024
Population: 317,000 as of 2023
Corpus Christi is home to the Laguna Madre, one of only six hypersaline lagoons in the world. The water is saltier than what you will find in the ocean, so you will float a little easier.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Median home list price: $299,500 as of March 2024
Population: 40,000 as of 2023
In Myrtle Beach, you will find 60 miles of sand and a famous boardwalk. There is no shortage of things to do here: Discover thousands of restaurants, check out the aquarium or hit the links at one of the 90 golf courses in the area.
Dennis Port, Massachusetts
Median home list price: $277,500 as of March 2024
Population: 3,300
The Dennis Port area of Cape Cod is home to five villages. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking and biking, as well as fishing and boating.
Deerfield Beach, Florida
Median home list price: $239,950 as of March 2024
Population: 87,000 as of 2023
Deerfield Beach offers close proximity to three major cities: West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. It has a nearly 1,000-foot fishing pier and the longest cable ski courses in the U.S.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Median home list price: $239,000 as of March 2024
Population: 38,000 as of 2023
Atlantic City is home to both the world’s first boardwalk and the creation of salt-water taffy. If the names of the streets sound familiar, it’s because they were used in the iconic board game Monopoly.
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Median home list price: $164,900 as of March 2024
Population: 22,000 as of 2023
About an hour east of Biloxi, Pascagoula is home to nature trails and antebellum history. You will also want to check out Round Island Light House (pictured above). It dates back to 1859.
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