35 Affordable Waterfront Retirement Towns: 2, #1

By Kris Kelley

UPDATED September, 2021, plus seven bonus towns added!   Want to retire near the water?   Doing so is a lifelong dream for many people. So when retirement time arrives, moving to a lakeside town, riverfront hamlet or seaside community is a natural inclination. The trick is to find a place to retire near the water that is reasonably priced.  

Here we have 35 towns (plus seven bonus towns) that sit next to a lake, have a lake within their boundaries or are along a river or a seacoast.   They have a cost of living that meets the national average or is below the national average, as primarily determined by housing prices.  

We also look at population, climate, home prices, percentage of residents age 45 or better, medical facilities, public transportation, crime rates, political leanings and more.  No place is perfect, however, so we point out each town's potential drawbacks.   Reviews are short and to the point for quick reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Webwerxx Inc
• Release date: Nov 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781536563597

Kris Kelley

Kris Kelley lives in beautiful Colorado has been finding and reviewing great places to retire since 2006. She is an avid traveler, always looking for that hidden gem of a town, whether it be along an ocean, in a desert or on a mountaintop.

Book preview

35 Affordable Waterfront Retirement Towns

(Plus 7 Bonus Towns)

Best U.S. Towns for an Affordable Retirement Along a Lake, River or Seacoast

Written and Edited by Kris Kelley

Copyright © 2015-2021 by Webwerxx, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without the express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc.

Notes

Great effort has been put into verifying the accuracy of the information in this book, but some information may have changed since publication.   This especially applies to the median home price and cost of living number in small towns as these are particularly sensitive to market changes.  As a result, Webwerxx, Inc. cannot guarantee the accuracy of the content contained within this publication. 

Cost of living numbers are primarily determined by housing prices but also include medical, transportation, food, utilities and taxes.  For simplicity’s sake, population numbers and home prices have been rounded off.

Cover Image: © leonello calvetti/123RF.COM

Table of Contents

Introduction

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Pell City, Alabama

Spanish Fort, Alabama

Fairfield Bay, Arkansas

Beverly Beach, Florida

Deerfield Beach, Florida

Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Gulfport, Florida

Lady Lake, Florida

Laguna Beach, Florida

Land O' Lakes, Florida

Mary Esther, Florida

Mount Dora, Florida

Palm Coast, Florida

Port Salerno, Florida

Ruskin, Florida

Tavares, Florida

Winter Haven, Florida

St. Marys, Georgia

Twin Falls, Idaho

Slidell, Louisiana

Canadian Lakes, Michigan

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Pass Christian, Mississippi

Beaufort, North Carolina

Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina

Oriental, North Carolina

Swansboro, North Carolina

Irmo, South Carolina

Northlake, South Carolina

Port Royal, South Carolina

Norris, Tennessee

Corpus Christi, Texas

Marble Falls, Texas

Colonial Beach, Virginia

Bonus Towns

Carrabelle, Florida

Cedar Key, Florida

Hudson, Florida

St. Marks, Florida

Little River, South Carolina

Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Galveston, Texas

Introduction

Living near the water is a lifelong dream for many people, so when retirement time arrives, moving to a lakeside, riverfront or seaside town is a natural inclination. The trick is to find such a town with reasonable prices.

Here we have 35 towns (plus seven bonus towns) that sit next to a lake, have a lake within their boundaries or are along a river or a seacoast.   They have a cost of living that meets the national average or is below the national average.

Costs are determined primarily by housing prices, which have increased greatly during the last year or two.

We also look at population, climate, home prices, percentage of residents age 45 or better, medical facilities, public transportation, political leanings and more.   No place is perfect, however, so we point out each town’s potential drawbacks. 

And when it comes to political leanings, it is worth noting that many of the towns in this book are in Southern sections of the country where lakes and rivers are plentiful.  Southern towns also tend to be conservative.

Alabama

Gulf Shores, Alabama

People come to Gulf Shores, tucked along Alabama's coast, for its relaxing atmosphere, beautiful beaches, nine outstanding golf courses and deep-sea fishing. In fact, tourists outnumber residents during the summer, and snowbirds come in droves during the winter.

The city surrounds a 10-mile-long long lagoon called Little Lagoon. The half mile wide stretch of sugar-white beach south of the lagoon that fronts the Gulf is known as West Beach and has beach houses, tall condominiums, free public parking and a long pier. North of the lagoon, part of Gulf Shores sits along Bon Secour Bay and part of it is completely inland.

The city has a lot of vacation condos, hotels and motels in all shapes and sizes, and private dwellings run from inexpensive apartment-style condos to elegant single-family homes in communities such as Martinique on the Gulf. A canal lined by homes on stilts runs through the center of Gulf Shores.

Downtown is a mix of government buildings, retailers and restaurants. Pelican Place is a mall with more than two dozen big and small retailers.

The National Shrimp Festival, the G-rated Mardi Gras Parade and the Hang Out Music Festival attract thousands and thousands of visitors each year.

The city has several beach access points. Gulf Shores Public Beach is full of activity, while Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach, 20 miles to the west, is a quiet spot for contemplation.

Population:  13,000 (city proper)

Percentage of Population Age 45 or Better: 53%

Cost of Living: 7% below the national average

Median Home Price: $345,000

Climate:  This area has a humid subtropical climate. Summers and early fall are hot and humid while late fall and winter are less humid and cooler. On average, the area receives 60 inches of rain per year.

At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but South Baldwin Regional Medical Center 10 miles away in Foley accepts Medicare patients.

At Least One Accredited by Joint Commission?  No, but South Baldwin Regional Medical Center 10 miles away in