Bargain beach houses: The nation’s most affordable seaside towns

Beaches houses on a budget

It turns out beach houses don’t have to break the bank. According to a new list, 10 American beach towns offer the best of both worlds — affordable housing and seaside views.

Gulfport takes the cake

Realtor.com recently ranked the nation’s top 10 most affordable beach towns, and Gulfport, Mississippi, came out on top. The city’s median home price is just $184,100 and homes on the water start at only $300,000.

As Realtor.com’s Lance Lambert put it, “In many parts of the Gulf Coast, buying a beachfront home is still out of reach for most ordinary mortals. Not here, though.”

Jacksonville, North Carolina, is the nation’s second-most affordable beach town, with a median price of just over $184K. With fishing piers, miles of endless shorelines and nearby hotspot Emerald Isle, it’s beachside homes are a steal at around $300,000.

The city with the most vacation homes and investment properties might surprise you

For views of the Pacific, head to Aberdeen, Washington, the country’s No. 3 most affordable beach town. The median list price in the area is just over $208,000, and water sports are a big draw in the area. Paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing are all local favorites.

Other bargain beach towns

Other cities to make the list included Atlantic City, New Jersey; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Corpus Christi, Texas; Palm Bay, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Coos Bay, Oregon; Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Condos in Port St. Lucie start at just $200,000, while those in Coos Bay are in the high $190,000s.

“That isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s not too bad considering how much oceanfront condos and single-family homes are going for in places such as Miami,” Lambert wrote.

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