10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Retirees — 6 Are in Florida

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Many people dream of relocating to a beach town for retirement. These same beach towns, with their temperate weather and endless outdoor activities to engage in, also tend to be popular with well-heeled retirees. You may find the perfect place but later discover the cost of living is simply too expensive to justify relocation.

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Fortunately, there are still many beach towns to match modest retirement budgets. Referencing several media outlets to find the top coastal cities, GOBankingRates pulled qualifying cities with at least 25% of the population ages 65 and over for this list. A full methodology can be found below further explaining key data, including each town’s livability score, analyzed in this study.

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Keep reading to find out which 10 coastal cities are ideal for retirees to spend an affordable retirement.

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1. Crystal River, Florida

Population ages 65+ (%): 46%

Average home value: $287,672

Total cost of living annually: $43,789

Livability: 66

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2. Hudson, Florida

Population ages 65+ (%): 48%

Average home value: $306,656

Total cost of living annually: $47,373

Livability: 73

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3. Long Beach, Washington

Population ages 65+ (%): 29%

Average home value: $386,467

Total cost of living annually: $47,924

Livability: 74

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4. Ocean Shores, Washington

Population ages 65+ (%): 47%

Average home value: $371,175

Total cost of living annually: $48,701

Livability: 61

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5. Englewood, Florida

Population ages 65+ (%): 59%

Average home value: $351,884

Total cost of living annually: $49,256

Livability: 72

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6. Chincoteague, Virginia

Population ages 65+ (%): 38%

Average home value: $375,795

Total cost of living annually: $49,288

Livability: 65

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7. Punta Gorda, Florida

Population ages 65+ (%): 54%

Average home value: $391,688

Total cost of living annually: $50,897

Livability: 76

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8. Vero Beach, Florida

Population ages 65+ (%): 28%

Average home value: $388,437

Total cost of living annually: $51,185

Livability: 79

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9. Calabash, North Carolina

Population ages 65+ (%): 27%

Average home value: $379,807

Total cost of living annually: $51,635

Livability: 62

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10. Cedar Key, Florida

Population ages 65+ (%): 55%

Average home value: $383,737

Total cost of living annually: $51,794

Livability: 73

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities located along the coast to find the most affordable places for retirees. GOBankingRates found coastal cities from Realtor.com, Travel + Leisure, U.S. News & World Report, Thrillist, and USA TODAY 10BEST. Population ages 65 and over was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The annual cost of living was sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. Home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for May 2025. To qualify for this study, the city had to have at least 25% of the population ages 65 and over, as well as all the data points available. The cities were then sorted to show the most affordable locations first. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 2, 2025.