What a Comfortable Retirement Costs in America’s Cheapest Beach Towns

A retirement plan that includes comfortably living in a beach town doesn’t have to be an unattainable dream. By choosing one of America’s cheaper coastal locales, you can enjoy the best of seaside living without compromising your financial stability or your nest egg. These towns offer affordable housing, reasonable daily expenses and a good quality of life, ensuring a relaxing and fulfilling retirement by the sea.

GOBankingRates conducted a study that evaluated the cost-of-living indexes and national average expenditure costs for retirees, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, to calculate the average expenditure cost in each city. Using the average mortgage and expenditure costs the average total cost of living for each city can be calculated. The cities were sorted to show the cheapest to the most expensive.

Here are some other key takeaways: 

• Of the cities found, Texas has 4 of the top 10 cheapest beach towns for retirees. 
• Westport, Washington, had the highest average home value on the list coming in around $297,761.77.
• Texas had the biggest city by population on this list with Corpus Christi which has about 317,804 residents, 45,963 of whom are of retirement age at 65 and over. 

Take a look at 25 cheap beach towns you can fit into your retirement goals, ranked from lowest to highest income needed to retire comfortably after Social Security is factored in. 

• Retirement age population (65 and up): 7,352
• Average mortgage cost: $629.65
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,361.35
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $993.65

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  3,308
• Average mortgage cost: $811.81
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,553.99
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $1,378.94

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  5,552
• Average mortgage cost: $979.04
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,608.85
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $1,488.67

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  1,299
• Average mortgage cost: $849.45
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,709.94
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $1,690.85

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  2,027
• Average mortgage cost: $1,063.03
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,801.88
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $1,874.72

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  723
• Average mortgage cost: $1,125.66
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,878.66
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,028.28

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  10,570
• Average mortgage cost: $1,141.12
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,885.66
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,042.29

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  166
• Average mortgage cost: $1,085.70
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,944.66
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,160.27

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  31,516
• Average mortgage cost: $1,145.03
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,991.74
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,254.44

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  775
• Average mortgage cost: $1,342.04
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,997.06
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,265.08

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  8,118
• Average mortgage cost: $1,293.68
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,037.44
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,345.84

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  7,415
• Average mortgage cost: $1,310.21
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,056.68
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,384.32

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  1,276
• Average mortgage cost: $1,254.29
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,062.18
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,395.32

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  33
• Average mortgage cost: $1,146.58
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,141.66
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,554.28

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  45,963
• Average mortgage cost: $1,337.76
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,167.45
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,605.86

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  2,711
• Average mortgage cost: $1,448.61
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,174.57
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,620.10

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  6,070
• Average mortgage cost: $1,408.71
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,225.49
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,721.94

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  3,427
• Average mortgage cost: $1,549.72
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,337.20
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,945.37

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  2,727
• Average mortgage cost: $1,563.26
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,356.36
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $2,983.67

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  10,927
• Average mortgage cost: $1,557.19
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,367.48
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $3,005.93

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  21,761
• Average mortgage cost: $1,602.44
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,470.16
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $3,211.27

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  6,176
• Average mortgage cost: $1,693.63
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,509.08
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $3,289.12

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  536
• Average mortgage cost: $1,772.13
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,510.13
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $3,291.21

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  6,701
• Average mortgage cost: $1,662.23
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,541.80
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $3,354.55

• Retirement age population (65 and up):  15,772
• Average mortgage cost: $1,768.03
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,570.83
• Income needed (after Social Security) for a comfortable retirement: $3,412.62

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed beach cities from across the country to find the cheapest place to retire comfortably in the cheapest beach towns. First GOBankingRates found almost 200 unique beach towns across the country as sourced from Far&Wide, Thrillist, Realtor, EnjoyTravel, and WSAZ3. For each city a number of factors were found including; the total population, population aged 65 and over both sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, the average single-family home value from April 2024 as sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index, the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and livability index as sourced from AreaVibes. The cost of living indexes were used with the national average expenditure costs for retired residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired residents, to calculate the average expenditure cost in each city. By assuming a 10% downpayment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost for each city can be calculated. Using the average mortgage cost and the average expenditure costs the average total cost of living for each city can be calculated. The cities were sorted to show the cheapest to the most expensive. To find the amount needed for a comfortable retirement, GOBankingRates used the 50/30/20 rule that states the needs should be half of the household income. To find the amount needed for a comfortable retirement, the total cost of living was doubled. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 24, 2024.