Surf's Up! Realtor.com® Announces the Most Affordable Beach Towns in America

Rhea-AI Summary

Realtor.com® has unveiled its list of the Most Affordable Beach Towns in America for 2024, where the dream of owning a waterfront home can be realized for under $450,000. Topping the list is Pascagoula, Mississippi, with a median list price of $164,900, followed by Atlantic City, NJ at $239,000, and Deerfield Beach, FL at $239,950. These towns offer a mix of outdoor activities and work opportunities, making them attractive places to live. The list includes towns from various regions, ensuring geographic diversity and adequate inventory.

Positive

• Pascagoula, MS: Median list price of $164,900, offering affordable waterfront living.
• Atlantic City, NJ: Median list price of $239,000, providing budget-friendly coastal homes.
• Deerfield Beach, FL: Median list price of $239,950, making Florida coastal living accessible.
• Diverse Locations: Listings include towns from the Northeast, Carolinas, and West Coast.
• Work Opportunities: Towns like Pascagoula feature major employers like Chevron and Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Negative

• Excludes Mobile Homes: Only single-family homes and condos were considered, possibly limiting options.
• Inventory Requirement: Only towns with at least 25 active listings were included, potentially excluding smaller markets.

With Median List Prices Under $450,000 these Beach-side Spots May Offer an Affordable Opportunity to Get Year-Round Vitamin Sea

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty-nine percent of Americans say they dream of owning a vacation home one day. While typical waterfront home prices may make this aspiration seem out of reach, Realtor.com^® just released its Most Affordable Beach Towns in America list where home buyers can buy into a beach-side lifestyle without breaking the bank. 

In rank order, the Most Affordable Beach Towns in America include:

1. Pascagoula, Miss. - Median List Price*: $164,900
2. Atlantic City, N.J. - Median List Price*: $239,000
3. Deerfield Beach, Fla. - Median List Price*: $239,950
4. Dennis Port, Mass. - Median List Price*: $277,500
5. Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Median List Price*: $299,500
6. Corpus Christi, Texas - Median List Price*: $315,000
7. Sunset Beach, N.C. - Median List Price*: $340,000
8. Grand Isle, La. - Median List Price*: $375,000
9. Newport, Ore. - Median List Price*: $399,950
10. Ocean Shores, Wash. - Median List Price*: $425,000

* Based on data as of March 2024

"Water lovers on a budget may want to check out No. 1 ranked Pascagoula, Miss. It's located off of two major waterways: the Gulf of Mexico and the Pascagoula River and offers a lot of fun outdoor activities from fishing off the pier, to kayaking in its unimpeded river system, to an annual summer music festival," said Keith Griffith, Journalist, Realtor.com^®. "Pascagoula is also home to Chevron's largest refinery and Ingalls Shipbuilding, which is Mississippi's largest manufacturing employer, indicating the great mix between work and play that makes the beach town an attractive place to live."

Over 80% of Americans have been on a vacation within the past 5 years, and more than one third enjoy looking at real estate listings while on vacation. Though not all vacations end up beach-side, for fifty-six percent of Americans, their ideal vacation home is by one, and this year's list of affordable beach towns offers them a combination of coastal living with access to a sandy public ocean beach, adequate inventory and affordable median home listing prices. 

The Price is Right 
The towns represented in this year's list of Most Affordable Beach Towns all have median home listing prices under $450,000, with options scattered across the country including spots in the northeast like Dennis Port, Mass. and Atlantic City, N.J., as well as the Carolinas, like the popular summer destination of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and the picturesque-named Sunset Beach, N.C.

A Sea of Options and Locations
The beach towns that made the ranking this year offer prospective buyers a number of options including plenty of condos, which are typically priced lower than single-family homes and contributed to the lower median list prices. While the list includes some usual suspects on the Gulf Shores like Pascagoula, Miss. and Grand Isle, La., for the first time the West coast made an appearance with not one, but two showings; Newport, Ore. and Ocean Shores, Wash., which took the #9 and #10 spots respectively. Cape-Cod enthusiasts may even find some luck in the village of Dennis Port, Mass., where small beach bungalows abound.

To read more on the Most Affordable Beach Towns visit Realtor.com^® News & Insights section to read all about it.

Methodology
Starting with a federal database of beaches and their locations, we created a list of coastal cities and towns. Then, we ranked them by median listing prices in March for single-family homes, including condominiums but excluding mobile homes. Only cities with at least 25 active listings for the month were included, to ensure adequate inventory. To make the final list, these beach towns had to include a sandy, public access ocean beach within the city limits. Cities on the coast of estuaries, such as inland bays and sounds, were excluded from this year's rankings.

Finally, to ensure geographic diversity, we have only included the single most affordable beach town per state in the top 10 ranking.

About Realtor.com^®
Realtor.com^® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com^® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com^® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com^® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com^® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com^®.

Media Contact
press@move.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/surfs-up-realtorcom-announces-the-most-affordable-beach-towns-in-america-302150653.html

SOURCE Realtor.com

FAQ

What are the most affordable beach towns in America in 2024?

The most affordable beach towns include Pascagoula, MS; Atlantic City, NJ; Deerfield Beach, FL; Dennis Port, MA; and Myrtle Beach, SC.

What is the median list price for homes in Pascagoula, MS?

The median list price for homes in Pascagoula, MS is $164,900.

Are there affordable beach towns on the West Coast?

Yes, affordable beach towns on the West Coast include Newport, OR and Ocean Shores, WA.

What criteria were used to rank the most affordable beach towns?

Towns were ranked based on median listing prices for single-family homes and condos, excluding mobile homes, with at least 25 active listings and a sandy, public access ocean beach.

Why is Pascagoula, MS considered an attractive place to live?

Pascagoula, MS offers affordable waterfront living, a mix of outdoor activities, and major employers like Chevron and Ingalls Shipbuilding.