What is the cheapest coastal town to live in

If Labor Day weekend has you dreaming of a place of your own by the beach, but you feel your budget won’t allow it, you may be in luck. PropertyShark has put together a list of the top 25 most affordable beach towns for homebuyers, using the median price per square foot of area homes. In some cases you can snag a home near the shore for under $200,000 — though you need to factor in other risks and costs of beach property like hurricanes, insurance, flooding and more. (You can see the lowest mortgage rates you may qualify for here.)

Below, we choose six of the towns on the PropertyShark list for a variety of sizes, locations and local flavors for you to consider in your search.

Pascagoula, Mississippi

Median price per square foot: $66

Pascagoula, which is about 40 miles southwest of Mobile, has beautiful public beaches and is just about 10 miles south – by boat – to Horn Island, an uninhabited barrier island designated as a wilderness area. Yes, the area is very hurricane prone, but if you can get past the danger, you’ll discover lots of treasures in the small city, including a beautiful main street that offers outdoor dining and access to a pristine network of tidal wetlands that host a plethora of bird species. A budget of $200,000 will afford you plenty of options in the town, including this $130,000 three-bedroom with a fenced-in backyard, or this $89,000 bungalow with a screened-in front porch.

You can see the lowest mortgage rates you may qualify for here.

Port Richey, Florida

Median price per square foot: $104

A suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, Port Richey frequently holds events, including the Chasco Fiesta, a ten-day celebration for Native American tribes that includes a boat parade. Nearby attractions include the live mermaid show at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, which is about 20 miles from town, and the tangled mangroves, accessible by kayak, in the Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park. A budget of $200,000 will buy you this modest two-bedroom or this recently remodeled two bedroom.

Brunswick, Georgia

Median price per square foot: $105

Brunswick is the gateway to Georgia’s Golden Isles, which includes Jekyll Island and Sea Island. Known for thriving saltwater marshes that lead to sandy beaches where sea turtles breed along the Atlantic Ocean, Brunswick also includes a Victorian-era Old Town Historic District as well as the Lover’s Oak, a tree that is estimated to be over 900 years old. A budget of $200,000 will buy you this spacious three-bedroom brick home, as well as this three-bedroom in a quiet neighborhood.

You can see the lowest mortgage rates you may qualify for here.

Bowers, Delaware

Median price per square foot: $107

Billing itself as “Delaware’s best kept secret,” Bowers has all of the hallmarks of a classic east coast beach town, including jetties, sandy beaches, a wide variety of scoop shops, and great seafood restaurants. What sets Bowers apart is that it hosts an annual Buccaneer Bash, which invites pirates from near and far to engage in the occasional sword fight. Located about 40 miles north of Rehoboth Beach on the Delaware Bay, attractions in Bowers include the Air Mobility Command Museum, which houses a wide collection of old aircraft. For under $300,000 you can buy this $265,000 two-bedroom with a two tier deck or this $135,000 4,700-square-foot lot a block from the beach.

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Median price per square foot: $114

First established in the 1800s as a health resort, Atlantic City underwent a building boom during the Prohibition Era before falling into disrepair by the end of the 20th century. Lately, the city has been undergoing a renaissance, attracting new visitors with nine casinos, numerous hotels and a wide variety of nightclubs. The boardwalk offers plenty of entertainment during the day along with access to the beach, and it’s easily accessible from New York, which is about two hours and fifteen minutes north by car (without traffic). A budget of $200,000 will give you many options, including this recently renovated three-bedroom and this three-bedroom ranch replete with a white picket fence.

You can see the lowest mortgage rates you may qualify for here.

Aransas Pass, Texas

Median price per square foot: $134

Located about 26 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass is sheltered from the Gulf Ocean by Mustang Island, a barrier island that features 18 miles of white sand beaches. The town offers plenty of activities to do near the ocean, including fishing, parasailing, birding, kayaking and boating. Along with a community theater, the nearby area also boasts the Chapel on the Dunes, a structure commissioned by a former poet laureate of Texas, Aline Carter. A budget of only $150,000 or less will buy you this small well-kept three-bedroom bungalow or this two-story one-bedroom with a gracious open deck.

The advice, recommendations or rankings expressed in this article are those of MarketWatch Picks, and have not been reviewed or endorsed by our commercial partners.

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