Love the beach? Don't make it a summertime-only destination. Move to one of the cheapest beach towns and live the good life.
Half the battle of finding a reasonably priced beach rental is simply knowing where to look. We've taken the legwork out of that for you, with the cheapest beach towns in 10 different states.
Before we dive into the list of the cheapest beach towns in detail, get a look at what's to come using this handy map. To land on these areas, we looked at cities in different states that have the best price per square footage near some type of water (ocean, river or lake).
Each city also has an inventory to choose from close to the beach. A couple of key things to note — many cities are in the South, where real estate is cheaper overall. Also, the larger average unit sizes are in the more expensive cities on the list.
Plus, to even the sandbox (if you will) a little more, we only selected one town per state.
So, get ready to dip your toes in the water in these 10 cheapest beach towns in America.
Right on the incomparably gorgeous banks of Puget Sound and Possession Sound is the first city on our list. The west Washington city of Everett averages $1,790 for an apartment. Units average only 0.48 miles to the beach.
Residents in this dog- and kid-friendly town love to pack a picnic to enjoy at Boxcar Beach or nosh at any of the local waterfront restaurants. Paddleboarding, whale-watching, fishing and kiteboarding are other popular pastimes.
Check the calendar for Music on the Marina, but take a sweater because the area gets chilly once the sun dips into the horizon.
The first (but not last) southern city on our list of the cheapest beach towns is in genteel South Carolina. An apartment (average square footage of 1,009) in this Beaufort (about 0.04 miles from the beach) comes in at $1,623 per month.
For beach-lovers, the price point is totally worth it, as the town features water-based fun, including kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing. Locals also love the charming downtown area, complete with everything from ice cream shops to bumping nightlife.
Let's move on up the east coast to the town of Bridgeport, CT, immortalized in so many artistic renderings of lighthouses. You can expect to pay an average of $1,468 for an apartment (about 742 square feet) in this quaint New England town, roughly 0.4 miles from the beach.
Smack on Long Island Sound, this is the largest city in an otherwise tiny state, and is a historic seaport. In addition to all of the beach-related activities, the friendly community boasts shopping at Harborview Market, a planetarium and a zoo! Definitely make a point to stop by Seaside Park on the regular, as this 325-acre park was spearheaded by none other than P.T. Barnum.
In this beach town, you'll definitely get more bang for your buck, at least compared with Bridgeport! A 1,227-square-foot average apartment in Absecon runs about $1,446. Plus, it's only about 0.14 miles from the shore!
The South Jersey Shore town is comparatively tiny, with under 9,000 residents. Only six miles from Atlantic City, Absecon is a surprisingly close-knit town, located on Absecon Bay. Locals are fiercely protective of the city's natural integrity, too, with 3,700 acres of protected marshlands that are ultra-popular for bird-watching and fishing.
The Gulf Coast is known for its pristine, sandy white beaches. At the heart of all that is the military town of Pensacola, home to multiple bases. $1,343 per month will land you a 967-square-foot apartment, merely 0.08 miles from the beach.
As the westernmost city located in the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola is one of those beach towns where it's easy to live, work and play. Locals love sailing, strolling the boardwalk and doing all of the other beachy things, of course.
Maritime Park, in particular, puts on an impressive slate of events, like the Blues on the Bay Concert Series, Movies in the Park and free yoga and pilates classes.
In the coastal town of Essex, MD, a renter can expect to pay an average of $1,155 for an 811-square-foot apartment 0.6 miles from the water. Located in the metro Baltimore area, Essex is on Back River, a tidal estuary. In fact, Delaware is just a hop, skip and boat ride across the Back River!
Locals are especially drawn to boating, as the Chesapeake Bay features some of the best sailing in the world. There's plenty of other stuff to do, though. Stop by Autobahn Speedway for their indoor racetrack, or hit any of the local trails for a run, walk or bike ride. Don't forget to fill up on oysters!
Jacksonville, NC, is home to the first rent rates under $1,000 for an apartment. The average square footage for such a unit is 1,071, especially awesome since they're only 0.01 miles away from the shore! This town, although not far from the ocean, is actually located on the banks of the New River. That said, it's pretty much in spitting distance from the Atlantic.
Jacksonville is probably best known as the home of the largest U.S. Marine Corps base in the East, Camp Lejeune. The city puts on events at least once a month, many centered not surprisingly around patriotism. That said, they also have a killer Oktoberfest and Fashion Week.
Newport News is another opportunity for a riverside residence. Situated on the banks of Hampton Roads Harbor, a 957-square-foot unit runs about $978 per month for a unit about 0.8 miles from the shore. There's water in just about every direction, from the James River to the York River to Virginia Beach, itself.
In addition to the obvious water-related activities, Newport News is rich in historic significance. The colonial cities of Williamsburg and Jamestown are just down the road. Or, if you're looking to sip on something strong, try out the Toast the Coast: Beer, Wine and Shine trail, which has spots in Newport News, Hampton, Smithfield and Williamsburg.
Can't decide between a lake or the ocean? Move to Port Arthur! This south Texas town is on Sabine Lake, but just a quick jaunt to the Gulf of Mexico. An $886 per month rental gets you access to 871-square-feet only 0.16 miles from the beach.
The area is a popular getaway for inland Texans because there's so much to do. The fishing on Sabine Lake is excellent, there's tons to do on Pleasure Island and Sea Rim State Park is a natural paradise. The Faith Trail is a spiritual experience for people learning about the rich array of religions that have peppered the area over the centuries.
Heading back over yonder, Gulfport, MS, is the cheapest beach town on our list. A 999-square-foot unit runs about $844 per month — ideally situated only 0.03 miles from the beach.
Just down the coast from the gambling town of Biloxi, Gulfport has plenty going for it in its own right. Locals and visitors love to engage with nature at one of the area's barrier islands, go out on a fishing charter or rent a paddleboard to traverse one of the blueways. There's also plenty of good-natured trouble to get into at any of the local nightspots or casinos.
The process of finding a beach unit is slightly different from a regular metro apartment. Fortunately, you don't have to fly blind. Here are some tips to help you find the beachy unit of your dreams.
Before you even start looking, make a list of what you want most out of a beach apartment. Being closer to the shore will probably equal less square footage, so know which one you're okay with making a sacrifice on.
Beach towns come with different variables than the standard metro area. If possible, take a few days to visit and get to know the various parts of town. Take note of how touristy it is and how much of that you're willing to put up with.
A local real estate agent is likely to know all of the dirt on a given area, like which parts of town are more prone to tourists, what the parking situation is like, the most commuter-friendly spots and so on. Engage the services of an agent (typically at no cost to you) to make the process of finding a beach apartment easier.
Beach apartments come with a higher risk of weather-related problems, like tropical storms and hurricanes. Before you sign any contract find out in detail what the terms are. Are your possessions covered, or do you need additional insurance? How about your car? What's the evacuation process like? Don't get caught with your swim trunks down on this one.
If you're nearly sold on a particular unit, take a stroll around the area and find some friendly-looking locals to query. Inquire about what the reputation of the complex is like, how management handles noise-related issues and things like that. Beach towns (like college towns) are notorious party areas, so find out if that's a potential regular problem and how it's dealt with.
Now that you know about some of the cheapest beach towns it's time to take action. Wherever you land, be sure to have a pull-out couch in the living room. Nothing attracts guests quite like beach proximity!
To find the cheapest beach towns, we looked at all cities within a mile of a shoreline (ocean, bay, river, etc.) and at least 10 available units in June 2021. We limited our results to just one location per state.
Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average of all unit types from Apartment Guide and Rent.com's multifamily rental property inventory as of June 2021. Our team uses a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets.
A freelance writer based out of the Atlanta area, Alia has penned articles during her decade+ career for such sites as HowStuffWorks, TLC, Animal Planet, Zillow and many more. Her favorite things to write about include fitness, nutrition, travel, healthcare and general lifestyle topics. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Alia’s an avid Dawg, but she also loves reading, sewing, eating all things chocolate and playing sports with her husband, three boys and beloved border collie, Flash.