Living by the beach is the ultimate dream for many Americans. After all, beachside communities often represent a relaxed and luxurious way of life. But few realize their dream of living by the water, precisely because of the misconception that beach towns are relatively more expensive and generally less livable than landlocked cities.

Contrary to popular belief, however, many beach towns are suitable to everyday life — and easy on the wallet. So in order to determine the beach communities that are ideal for making one’s permanent home, WalletHub compared 205 cities across 58 key indicators of livability. We split our comparison into two categories, towns located by the ocean and by lakes. Our data set ranges from housing costs to share of for-sale waterfront homes to quality of beach water.

Source: WalletHub

Best Beach Towns to Live in (Ocean)

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Affordability’ Rank	‘Weather’ Rank	‘Safety’ Rank	‘Economy’ Rank	‘Education & Health’ Rank	‘Quality of Life’ Rank
1	Lahaina, HI	64.90	4	24	1	1	120	10
2	Naples, FL	63.61	71	112	28	62	33	1
3	Sarasota, FL	61.09	31	30	109	85	27	4
4	Mill Valley, CA	60.74	35	49	5	2	41	31
5	St. Augustine, FL	60.66	90	36	103	79	24	3
6	Santa Monica, CA	60.26	157	38	64	20	149	2
7	Boca Raton, FL	59.07	42	13	85	44	49	18
8	Kihei, HI	59.02	9	25	26	47	122	12
9	Westport, CT	58.99	1	111	24	33	1	120
10	Key West, FL	58.31	98	154	54	19	47	5
11	Jupiter, FL	57.63	7	28	89	3	51	76
12	Portland, ME	57.19	85	121	70	52	13	22
13	Charleston, SC	57.08	81	82	82	14	110	15
14	Encinitas, CA	56.93	36	83	39	7	85	40
15	Venice, FL	56.90	52	10	71	38	23	55
16	Sonoma, CA*	56.68	82	9	41	54	42	33
17	Vero Beach, FL	56.57	103	35	55	118	34	14
18	Key Biscayne, FL	55.90	70	108	8	66	58	43
19	Carlsbad, CA	55.87	68	84	57	4	80	41
20	San Clemente, CA	55.83	34	58	45	21	124	53
21	Brunswick, ME	55.77	39	95	12	17	9	96
22	Benicia, CA	55.75	10	7	32	30	74	102
23	San Mateo, CA	55.73	57	29	44	10	100	60
24	Newport Beach, CA	55.72	147	68	52	39	115	16
25	Santa Barbara, CA	55.62	156	85	73	34	118	8
26	Santa Cruz, CA	55.13	158	79	112	72	75	6
27	Swampscott, MA	55.08	45	134	10	51	10	126
28	Atlantic Beach, FL	55.07	22	21	29	112	44	77
29	Fernandina Beach, FL	54.75	135	48	17	57	39	51
30	Shorewood, WI	54.71	107	93	4	145	18	80
31	Destin, FL	54.66	5	115	110	28	130	23
32	Lake Forest, CA*	54.61	97	32	36	45	126	61
33	Norwalk, CT	54.52	72	105	30	46	7	117
34	Coronado, CA	54.52	152	88	13	6	70	32
35	Monterey, CA	54.50	124	67	93	65	140	11
36	Ocean City, NJ	54.15	134	120	33	125	15	29
37	Alameda, CA	54.13	129	89	46	11	60	58
38	North Myrtle Beach, SC	54.12	25	8	140	50	139	17
39	Hermosa Beach, CA	54.04	108	53	18	9	146	39
40	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA	53.98	59	140	22	32	69	42
41	Edmonds, WA	53.98	101	16	75	16	29	114
42	Jacksonville Beach, FL	53.96	26	56	96	77	40	46
43	Palos Verdes Estates, CA	53.88	13	132	19	40	145	50
44	Satellite Beach, FL	53.85	3	72	60	98	67	101
45	Dana Point, CA	53.81	119	60	38	88	129	37
46	Laguna Beach, CA	53.75	155	62	86	53	116	19
47	Manhattan Beach, CA	53.62	131	74	34	5	143	54
48	Stuart, FL	53.61	54	44	100	81	137	26
49	Olympia, WA	53.42	122	11	117	82	28	36
50	Goleta, CA	53.41	86	43	47	13	108	91
51	Newburyport, MA	53.19	74	142	40	41	11	103
52	Daly City, CA	53.16	117	26	35	15	102	125
53	Seal Beach, CA	53.16	114	59	48	12	113	75
54	South Portland, ME	53.15	56	121	78	86	8	87
55	Anacortes, WA	53.11	91	78	37	36	82	89
56	Coral Gables, FL	53.11	50	117	62	22	62	45
57	Myrtle Beach, SC	52.84	89	5	151	74	144	7
58	North Palm Beach, FL	52.84	77	47	15	116	43	99
59	Redondo Beach, CA	52.81	132	73	27	25	147	57
60	Rye, NY	52.72	24	101	3	60	111	128
61	Half Moon Bay, CA	52.65	80	31	65	42	98	44
62	New Smyrna Beach, FL	52.53	12	69	106	35	117	63
63	Pensacola, FL	52.53	61	76	120	94	57	35
64	Milford, CT	52.47	32	87	42	115	4	137
65	Clearwater, FL	52.38	29	42	121	97	52	56
66	Stratford, CT	52.11	88	125	31	134	2	134
67	South Yarmouth, MA	52.04	109	75	14	133	6	109
68	Cocoa Beach, FL	51.96	2	113	133	123	78	30
69	Salem, MA	51.78	136	139	59	68	14	97
70	Port Royal, SC	51.73	47	1	99	84	55	158
71	Pacific Grove, CA	51.62	106	66	16	27	138	62
72	Carpinteria, CA	51.59	87	77	9	80	114	95
73	San Luis Obispo, CA*	51.59	160	6	95	106	91	21
74	Fort Walton Beach, FL	51.49	16	109	72	105	134	48
75	Miami Beach, FL	51.44	115	131	142	69	96	9
76	Pacifica, CA	51.38	58	27	51	24	97	136
77	Kailua, HI	51.14	76	104	81	90	160	13
78	Newport, RI	51.09	128	127	68	83	123	28
79	Marina, CA	51.02	37	4	66	92	141	127
80	East Haven, CT	51.00	104	71	43	132	5	155
81	Smyrna, DE*	50.96	63	54	50	144	32	111
82	Kapolei, HI	50.86	18	18	107	37	125	85
83	Marco Island, FL	50.77	17	158	25	93	35	74
84	Biddeford, ME	50.76	73	95	108	96	19	118
85	Gulfport, FL	50.61	15	61	97	150	48	83
86	Ormond Beach, FL	50.48	20	40	116	48	121	78
87	Fort Myers, FL*	50.46	78	103	147	56	38	25
88	Gloucester, MA	50.46	96	144	58	87	12	104
89	Port Washington, NY	50.44	33	148	6	64	68	129
90	Revere, MA	50.37	150	135	69	61	16	124
91	Dunedin, FL	50.16	44	138	84	107	46	72
92	Capitola, CA	50.06	115	91	88	59	82	67
93	Wailuku, HI	50.00	75	23	1	127	112	68
94	Shoreline, WA	49.97	125	98	63	43	31	110
95	Bellingham, WA	49.96	144	123	101	101	64	27
96	Tarpon Springs, FL	49.95	21	114	115	58	50	105
97	Delray Beach, FL	49.71	112	45	122	91	54	70
98	Lantana, FL	49.67	8	80	138	114	71	108
99	Great Neck, NY	49.37	142	149	79	31	65	47
100	Boynton Beach, FL	49.31	118	14	132	75	56	84
101	Hampton, VA	49.26	94	57	56	148	20	140
102	Beaufort, SC	48.98	30	1	146	142	72	69
103	Eureka, CA	48.64	65	3	129	104	107	98
104	Hollywood, FL	48.43	123	102	91	103	101	59
105	Panama City Beach, FL	48.40	60	116	150	23	156	20
106	Waianae, HI	48.32	38	18	80	108	133	122
107	Gulf Shores, AL	48.24	14	141	137	18	155	34
108	Melbourne, FL	48.20	49	50	139	95	84	100
109	Westerly, RI	48.16	120	124	76	122	30	82
110	Burien, WA	48.14	143	98	114	26	37	106
111	Savannah, GA*	48.02	137	39	119	137	142	38
112	New Rochelle, NY	47.93	154	92	23	70	128	147
113	Hudson, FL	47.84	69	107	156	49	79	123
114	Hobe Sound, FL	47.63	28	34	127	89	136	133
115	Lynn, MA	47.62	148	137	87	117	17	152
116	Morro Bay, CA	47.52	149	65	20	153	99	79
117	Daytona Beach, FL	47.41	23	41	148	121	135	52
118	New London, CT	47.33	145	126	83	147	3	121
119	Lompoc, CA	47.28	130	37	74	124	119	146
120	Glen Cove, NY	47.13	133	152	11	73	88	151
121	Bonita Springs, FL	47.01	41	155	161	8	36	92
122	Hull, MA	47.01	46	159	21	100	22	144
123	Ewa Beach, HI	46.95	62	17	105	63	131	138
124	Santa Fe Springs, CA*	46.87	43	52	131	120	152	64
125	Kaneohe, HI	46.86	67	18	128	29	127	116
126	Ventnor City, NJ	46.64	153	130	49	161	26	90
127	La Porte, TX	46.59	99	90	67	55	154	159
128	Jensen Beach, FL	46.26	27	100	152	109	132	88
129	Wantagh, NY	45.86	55	153	111	67	59	143
130	Merritt Island, FL	45.60	6	63	155	119	76	141
131	Fort Pierce, FL	45.51	127	22	130	139	63	112
132	Dover, DE	45.49	139	55	135	141	21	119
133	Watsonville, CA	45.35	146	33	61	138	93	145
134	Malibu, CA	45.20	159	136	98	149	148	24
135	Ocean Springs, MS	44.97	19	110	92	154	158	81
136	Richmond, CA	44.82	151	86	113	102	66	148
137	Warwick, RI	44.64	100	129	77	110	153	132
138	Hallandale Beach, FL	44.58	121	117	104	140	106	93
139	Dania Beach, FL	44.56	138	117	102	135	104	94
140	Lake Worth, FL	44.53	92	45	143	131	89	107
141	Apollo Beach, FL	44.51	11	128	156	71	73	154
142	Galveston, TX	44.47	95	160	90	78	151	71
143	Massapequa, NY	44.19	66	156	123	76	61	139
144	Spring Hill, FL	44.07	53	64	159	129	45	156
145	Port Lavaca, TX	43.98	110	12	94	160	150	153
146	Panama City, FL	43.76	105	70	136	128	156	66
147	Essex, MD	43.65	93	15	141	157	92	161
148	Long Beach, NY	43.62	84	161	7	126	77	142
149	Cocoa, FL	43.61	113	51	158	146	90	73
150	Navarre, FL	43.57	63	94	160	111	105	157
151	Riviera Beach, FL	42.89	83	80	145	143	53	150
152	Asbury Park, NJ	42.81	161	150	118	151	25	49
153	Hilo, HI	42.69	111	106	153	99	159	65
154	Babylon, NY	42.66	51	157	124	130	86	113
155	Stony Brook, NY	42.43	79	145	124	136	87	135
156	Patchogue, NY	42.42	141	146	53	155	103	86
157	Mount Sinai, NY	42.07	48	143	149	152	81	149
158	Biloxi, MS	41.88	40	133	126	113	161	115
159	Holiday, FL	40.53	126	97	154	159	94	130
160	Hampton Bays, NY	39.26	102	151	134	158	109	131
161	Shirley, NY	37.43	140	147	144	156	95	160

*Note: Fort Myers, FL, San Luis Obispo, CA, Sonoma, CA, Lake Forest, CA, Santa Fe Springs, CA, Smyrna, DE, Savannah, GA are not directly on the coast, but are within 20 miles of the coast and were therefore included in these rankings.