Living in a Florida beach town is the retirement dream of many people. There’s sun, there’s sand, and there’s plenty to do. The appeal of living in a lazy beach town is excellent, but prices have been climbing fairly steadily, and it’s getting harder to find affordable beach towns in Florida.
If you’re on a budget, you don’t have to give up on the dream of lazing away by the beach on a boardwalk. You just have to find somewhere affordable. Our list of the cheapest beach towns in Florida can help you find a new home.
Most Affordable Beach Towns in Florida
- Pensacola
- Daytona Beach
- Deerfield Beach
- Fort Walton Beach
- Vero Beach
- Clearwater
- Tarpon Springs
- Melbourne
- Lake Worth
- North Miami Beach
1. Pensacola
The most affordable beach town in Florida is Pensacola, although technically speaking, it’s a city, not a town. City living can be affordable, even with waterside living. Pensacola currently has a median home value of $235,000 in 2022. The median housing cost (for rent and mortgages) is $932 per month.
If you love the idea of having fun attractions and plenty of beachside living opportunities, this West Florida favorite will be a great home. Perhaps that’s why a lot of retirees enjoy living here!
2. Daytona Beach
Yep! That Daytona Beach—the one that you’re allowed to drive your car on and the one that became famous for its racing history. Believe it or not, this is a beach town (erm, city) that is fairly affordable for locals.
The median home price in Daytona Beach is only $271,000. That means that many people who wouldn’t be able to afford a house can afford to live here…and also enjoy some of the local amenities, too. Racing fans, you might want to consider getting a summer home here. You know you want to see those cars go down the track.
3. Deerfield Beach
A favorite among families who want to keep some fun in their lives, Deerfield Beach is a place that welcomes everyone with warm, sunny weather. This bouncin’ beach town is famous for having not one but two theme parks ready for families to enjoy.
People in Deerfield Beach are also fairly friendly, and employment has been on the rise in recent years. Per our sources, the current median home price is just $290,000. The median monthly housing cost rests at approximately $1,110.
4. Fort Walton Beach
Looking for a place that’s a convenient driving distance away from the Indian Temple Mound Museum and Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park? If so, you might like the large city-town of Fort Walton Beach.
Affordable enough for the average person to live there, yet luxurious enough to make you feel like a movie star, this place offers a lifestyle for just about every walk of life. You can find anything from houses to luxury apartments there. Fort Walton Beach’s median house cost is a mere $349,000.
5. Vero Beach
Vero Beach has become a traveler’s little secret as an affordable resort town—and yes, it’s affordable for the locals too. As of December 2022, the median home price in Vero Beach is $362,000, making it one of the cheapest beach towns in Florida.
Living in Vero Beach means enjoying a lot of the slices of life that are usually relegated to vacationers. You get sun, restaurants, good nightlife, and plenty of romantic spots to enjoy. Developers might choose Vero Beach for their next hotspot, so make sure to grab real estate while you can.
6. Clearwater
Clearwater is a major portion of Tampa Bay real estate that has become a beach town with a fairly unique reputation. You see, Clearwater is famous for being the headquarters of the Church of Scientology—and that might be a good thing for people who are devout followers of the organization.
This sleepy little Tampa town has other attractions, too, including good restaurants and pristine beaches. For a small median home price of $370,000, you can own a home in this elegant yet strange resort town. Who’d have thought it would be possible?
7. Tarpon Springs
Another popular tourist hotspot, Tarpon Springs, once was a beach town famous for having Green sponge sea divers and swordfishing. Even today, it’s easy to see some of the influences of the past—be it via local statues dedicated to divers, ample boating events, or even the local food hotspots.
The median rent here is only $932, making it one of the nicest towns you can afford for rent that’s so far below the national average. If you want affordability without sacrificing safety or entertainment, then Tarpon Springs is it.
8. Melbourne
Melbourne is another one of the most affordable beach towns in Florida. This small city is a beach town that has gorgeous views, but that’s not the only eye candy this place offers. It’s the home of a booming arts district.
This place might be a good choice for a starving artist. Why? Because the median home costs paid by people in the area is only $920, making it one of the cheapest places to live on this list!
9. Lake Worth
While it is a small city (or a very large town), it’s a good idea to include Lake Worth on this list. Lake Worth has a little bit of something for everyone. It has family-friendly beaches, romantic getaways, and a surprisingly robust amount of business.
People go to Lake Worth to forget about life or to find a new place to call home. With a median home price of $412,000, it’s easy to see why this place seems to attract a little bit of everyone. Who doesn’t love a bargain?
10. North Miami Beach
Technically, this is not a town. However, that hasn’t stopped it from being exceptionally popular for people who yearn to be adjacent to a beach. Fans of city living enjoy this region, especially when you factor in things like nightlife and the absolutely decadent cuisine.
Although North Miami Beach is still one of the cheapest beach towns in Florida, prices here are rising quickly. The average home price in town was $458,000 in 2022. That places it below the national average for beach towns. However, be careful here. North Miami Beach does have a serious crime problem.
