10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Retirees

Beach towns have long been popular destinations for retirees, but many have become unaffordable for those dealing with the financial realities of their after-work years. And not all coastal getaways are geared toward older people who want to live near health care providers or take advantage of lower tax rates. To pinpoint the best beach towns for retiree homebuyers, Realtor.com searched through U.S. Census Bureau data to find coastal areas with a large share of households where residents are 55 and older. Researchers also analyzed Realtor.com listing data from May for the places where properties sell for a low price per square foot. They then chose one city per metro area, focusing on zip codes with at least 20 listings. See the accompanying gallery for the 10 most affordable beach towns for retirees, according to Realtor.com. Population figures are as of 2022.