Beachfront property isn't always cheap, but there are some real estate details near the ocean.
GoBankingRates rounded up beach towns across the U.S. with the lowest housing costs, and you may be surprised at the average prices of these beach houses.
At the top of the list is Port Arthur, Texas, where the median cost of a home is $88,100. As of November 2023, the median home price across the country was $387,600, so a five-figure home is certainly a steal.
Port Arthur is along the Gulf of Mexico, so you can dip your toes in the Atlantic. And Houston is less than an hour and a half drive away. The bad news? Port Arthur is in a significant flood zone, and has suffered from extensive flood damage in recent home. Thus, the home you may be buying may be a bit of a project.
Also low in price for beach homes: Freeport, Texas, where the median home cost is the next lowest for a beach town, at $130,500, is still far less than the national average. Also on the Gulf of Mexico, Freeport has a population of about 11,000 people and is known for its scenic recreational beaches and waterfront activities. The area has also experienced some flooding, and the flood prognosis isn't great with the current rate of climate change.
Several more Texas cities made the top of the beachfront affordability list: Corpus Christi, Port Lavaca, Palacios, and Texas City, all have a median home price of $210,000 or below.
Outside of Texas, data shows that Waveland and Gulfport, Mississippi, with median home costs of $199,600 and $172,600, respectively, are also lower-priced beach communities. And yes, they're both on the Gulf of Mexico and susceptible to, you guessed it, flooding.
Want something a little less traditional? Algoma, Wisconsin, situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, has a median home cost of $197,900. Nearby, Port Washington, Wisconsin, has a median home cost of $273,800. Sure, Wisconsin beach season will only be in the warmer months, and Lake Michigan has been at record high levels since 2019, but there's certainly no hurricane risk.