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Did you ever imagine affordable coastal living in Florida is possible? Waking up to the sound of waves breaking on the shore, watching seagulls, feeling a gentle cool breeze along your skin, and strolling along the shoreline are all dreams for many. Beach towns in Florida are expensive but here are cheaper beach alternative that offers budget-friendly attractions, standard quality of living and low-cost outdoor adventures.
These cheapest beach towns in Florida will offer endless idyllic days that will help you in relishing the charms of life and make you feel rejuvenated. Living life close to the sea has amazing health benefits for your mind, body, and soul.
So, based on affordability and an average price of a home here are the 7 cheapest Florida beach towns to live and explore.
1. Siesta Key
Population: 5,573
Crime rate: 6.40 (per 1,000 residents)
Medium home value: $970,739
Perfect for: Families with young children
Siesta Key is one of the best cities to live in Florida. Across the bridge from Sarasota Florida lies Siesta Key on the southwest coast of Florida which is half an hour south of St Petersburg and Tampa. The unique geography of Siesta Key offers you to access the best amenities of Bradenton, the Tampa Bay area, and Sarasota.
However, the unique powdery white quartz sand on Siesta Beach is one of the main and well-known attraction spots. You can build an epic sandcastle!
Siesta Key is an affordable beach town in Florida, where you can live a quality life at an inexpensive price and enjoy the “island lifestyle”. The city has a strong cultural scene and art and there is no chance you will ever get bored!
Siesta Key is a top growing Florida city that attracts IT companies and provides job opportunities to a lot of youth. The healthcare scene is also upgraded with the setting up of Sarasota Memorial Hospital. There are more than 30 public schools in the area offering quality education to the students.
Unbelievably affordable coastal living in Florida, Siesta Key is tempting with beautiful snorkeling spots with shallow water and limestone formations. This place is perfect to witness local fishes, marine life, snapper, snook, and sometimes gentle manatee. Siesta Key is known as the shelling capital, you can find horse conches, crown shells, or banded tulips.
Places to visit: Siesta Key Beaches, Siesta Key Village, Crescent Beach, Point of Rocks, Turtle Beach, Siesta Key Breeze Trolley, Sunset Point, Siesta Key Drum Circle, Beer Can Island, Anna Maria Island, Historic Bridge Street Pier, historic Ringling Bros, and many more.
2. Titusville
Population: 47,168
Crime rate: 6.05 (per 1,000 residents)
Medium home value: $256,709
Perfect for: Young professionals and retirees
Along the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County lies Titusville, a gateway to both nature and the space center. Titusville is also called “Space City, USA” because this is one of the centerpieces of Florida’s Space Coast which is a mile away from Kennedy Space Centre.
Titusville is the cheapest place to live on the Florida coast, famous for gorgeous beaches, memorable sunsets and rocket launching. With the perfect location, Titusville is connected by railroad from the small community Enterprise, and Daytona Beach. You can walk around the city and learn things from the American Space Museum and Walk of Fame.
Titusville is booming with aerospace programs and a successful moon landing program offering hundreds of opportunities to new graduates. Titusville got a nickname called “Miracle city”. From here you can assess Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, and local delicacy options.
Titusville, the cheapest beach town in Florida is gifted with an unspoiled natural landscape and 24 miles of protected coastline with gorgeous views. Playa Linda Beach is one of Florida's adult private beaches that beckon explorers of all ages. You can go hiking in Atlantic Coastal Ridge which is a designated wildlife sanctuary.
Places to visit: Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, Valiant Air Command Warbirds Museum, Maxwell C. King Center, Veterans Memorial of Titusville, Titusville Art League, and many more. I would recommend you to visit “The Cape” along the shoreline and sit peacefully and watch rocket launching.
3. Daytona Beach
Population: 70, 167
Crime rate: 9.99 (per 1,000 residents)
Medium home value: $242,213
Perfect for: Car enthusiasts, retirees, career professionals
Daytona Beach is 1 hour away from St. Augustine and 30 minutes away from West Volusia. Daytona Beach is one of the cheapest beach towns to visit in Florida to enjoy the white sand beaches for relaxing and playing. Interestingly, fishing and racing fast car is very popular quieter pastimes among the residents.
South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores, Indigo lakes, and Ortona Homes are preferred by retired people in Florida. The city is packed with professional drivers and IT and crew professionals. High-end boutiques and expansive mall outlets are making it perfect for career professionals.
NASCAR has its headquarters offering a large number of job opportunities to the youth. Other companies like Brown & Brown offer jobs to commerce students, Embrey-Riddle Aeronautical University offers jobs to teachers, and International Speedway Corporation offers jobs to automotive engineers and mechanics and many more. Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona is famous for offering quality education to students.
You can be part of plenty of outdoor activities like taking part in golf courses, dolphin watching along the Halifax River, visiting museums and art galleries or visiting the Deland Memorial Hospital Museum, or hiking to Buncombe hill interpretive trail, Manatee Island Loop and many more.
Places to visit: Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, Dunlawton Sugar Mill Garden, Daytona Lagoon and many more.
4. Fort Pierce
Population: 46,604
Crime rate: 5.37 (per 1,000 residents)
Medium home value: $256,617
Perfect for: Retirees and middle-aged people
Fort Pierce is located in St. Lucie County along the Treasure Coast of the east coast of Florida. The “Sunrise City” is approximately 29 square miles, diverse with heritage, culture and contemporary activities to perform. Fort Pierce is the most affordable place to live in Florida near the beach, offering gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University near Fort Pierce offers quality marine education to students. The Manatee Observation and Education Center offers environmental education and wildlife observation centers. There is the presence of several state parks, including Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, and many where you can relax and spend time.
Fort Pierce is famous for offering world class fishing, Farmers Market, and other ample things to do in peace. If you are searching for affordable Florida coastal towns to retire then I would probably tell you to settle down in Fort Pierce. The tranquil streets with a peaceful welcoming quiet environment and proximity to open spaces and nature is the dream of many.
5. Clearwater Beach
Population: 118, 812
Crime: 3.94 (per 1,000 residents)
Medium home value: $330,684
Perfect for: Retirees, career professionals, and kids
Clearwater Beach is a small city in Tampa-St. Petersburg with emerald waters and powdery sands. Clearwater Beach is a stunning casual beach town abuzz with good restaurants, good vibes and good opportunities. In 2021, Travel + Leisure’s released a list stating Clearwater Beach as one of the “14 best beaches in Florida”.
You can never regret moving to Florida because of what spot you will choose, you will always have ample opportunities to be near natural pristine beaches, playgrounds, technology sectors, good educational sector and many shopping centers. You can consider being part of the beach life community, Sand Key Estates for a great retirement space to cater to all the beach life desires.
Clearwater offers highly-ranked workplaces culture like Marketopia, Baycare Health System, Vology, Honeywell Aerospace and many more. There’s a certain charm and plenty of opportunities to be a part of the business that has grown within the city. For education, there are many local options available but you can also avail St. Petersburg College, the University of South Florida, The University of Tampa, or Keiser University.
Del Oro Groves, Northwood Estates, Charter Oaks, Eagle Estates, Morningside Meadows, and many more are the popular neighborhoods in Clearwater. Clearwater is an affordable place to live in Florida with plenty of entertainment options and family-friendly museums.
Places to visit: Sunsets at Pier 60 beach, Clearwater Beach, Caladesi Island, Fort De Soto Park, Pass-a-Grille Beach, Moccasin Lake Nature Park, Bilheimer Capital Theatre and many more.
In this article, we picked the top 5 but would like to share additional places that are worth mentioning for consideration as well.
Vero Beach
Pensacola
Cape Coral
Edgewater
Sebastian
Dunedin
Coconut Creek
With any advice please be certain to do your research. Each place offers different amenities and you want to make sure that wherever you move you are comfortable with the decision. Regardless of were you decide to move, If you are looking for sunny mornings and calms breezy afternoons one thing is certain, Florida offers plenty of places with breathtaking views and peaceful relaxation moments!
