Chicago/ iStock
Want to chill by the water without selling everything to afford it? Real estate investment management firm HomeUnion released a report highlighting the most bargain-friendly ZIP codes to live in if you want to live by a beach.
HomeUnion relied on several criteria for compiling the list. The firm looked at inventory levels and culled locations with significant inventory of single-family rentals while also comparing the ZIP’s median home prices and household incomes.
Second, it looked only at locations with below-average levels of crime. The company used its own internal data, as well information provided by F.B.I Crime Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Although most of the bargain beach towns in HomeUnion’s list were smaller communities or suburbs of bigger coastal cities, some of the larger metros also made the cut. Baltimore, Chicago and Long Beach all ranked as affordable towns by the water, with towns near the Bay Area, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Miami and New York City metros also showing up.
Best Bargain Beach Towns
ZIP code: 54241
City, State: Two Rivers, Wisconsin
County: Manitowoc
Average Rent: $835
Median Home Price/Median household Income: $85,300/$44,500
ZIP code: 14006
City, State: Angola, New York
County: Erie
Average rent: $1,180
Median Home Price/Median household Income: $107,400/$57,600
ZIP code: 34668
City, State: Bayonet Point, Florida
County: Pasco
Average rent: $1,199
Median home price/Median household income: $122,100/$35,100
ZIP code: 13634
City, State: Dexter, New York
County: Jefferson
Average rent: $1,294
Median home price/Median household income: $137,800/$53,600
Factoid: What is now known as Dexter used to be called Fish Island.
ZIP code: 11951
City, State: Mastic Beach, New York
County: Suffolk
Average rent: $1,333
Median home price/Median household income: $138,200/$69,100
Mastic Beach, NY/Flickr user Bemep
ZIP code: 32759
City, State: Oak Hill, Florida
County: Volusia
Average rent: $1,126
Median home price/Median household income: $152,800/$35,900
ZIP code: 21221
City, State: Baltimore, Maryland
County: Baltimore
Average rent: $1,479
Median home price/Median household income: $184,600/$52,800
ZIP code: 34957
City, State: Jensen Beach, Florida
County: Martin
Average rent: $2,137
Median home price/Median household income: $213,900/$44,500
ZIP code: 20625
City, State: Cobb Island, Maryland
County: Charles
Average rent: $1,583
Median home price/Median household income: $222,000/$66,400
ZIP code: 21811
City, State: Berlin, Maryland
County: Worcester
Average rent: $1,558
Median home price/Median household income: $236,200/$61,600
Berlin, Maryland/Flickr user
Preservation Maryland
ZIP code: 32226
City, State: Jacksonville, Florida
County: Duvall
Average rent: $1,455
Median home price/Median household income: $237,400/$69,700
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ZIP code: 08731
City, State: Forked River, New Jersey
County: Ocean
Average rent: $1,598
Median home price/Median household income: $242,400/$65,900
ZIP code: 32940
City, State: Palm Shores, Florida
County: Brevard
Average rent: $1,871
Median home price/Median household income: $272,500/$70,500
Zip code: 07732
City, State: Highlands, New Jersey
County: Monmouth
Average rent: $1,770
Median home price/Median household income: $294,500/$68,700
Zip code: 34223
City, State: Englewood, Florida
County: Sarasota
Average rent: $2,154
Median home price/Median household income: $298,500/$45,200
ZIP code: 98203
City, State: Everett, Washington
County: Snohomish
Average rent: $1,675
Median home price/Median household income: $307,100/$57,600
ZIP code: 23455
City, State: Virginia Beach, Virginia
County: Virginia Beach City
Average rent: $1,772
Median home price/Median household income: $309,400/$63,800
Virginia Beach/Flickr user Jason Pratt
ZIP code: 98260
City, State: Langley, Washington
County: Island
Average rent: $1,718
Median home price/Median household income: $338,400/$59,300
ZIP code: 08203
City, State: Brigantine, New Jersey
County: Atlantic
Average rent: $1,278
Median home price/Median household income: $373,300/$63,400
ZIP code: 92057
City, State: Oceanside, California
County: San Diego
Average rent: $2,191
Median home price/Median household income: $403,800/$64,000
ZIP code: 21012
City, State: Arnold, Maryland
County: Anne Arundel
Average rent: $1,901
Median home price/Median household income: $431,400/$103,300
ZIP code: 33431
City, State: Boca Raton, Florida
County: Palm Beach
Average rent: $3,406
Median home price/Median household income: $571,000/$69,000
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ZIP code: 93035
City, State: Oxnard, California
County: Ventura
Average rent: $2,454
Median home price/Median household income: $613,800/$78,700
ZIP code: 33019
City, State: Hollywood, Florida
County: Broward
Average rent: $3,635
Median home price/Median household income: $622,400/$67,400
ZIP code: 33051
City, State: Key Colony Beach, Florida
County: Monroe
Average rent: $3,111
Median home price/Median household income: $654,400/$47,500
ZIP code: 34217
City, State: Bradenton Beach, Florida
County: Manatee
Average rent: $3,561
Median home price/Median household income: $673,400/$47,500
ZIP code: 33957
City, State: Sanibel, Florida
County: Lee
Average rent: $4,616
Median home price/Median household income: $710,600/$97,300
ZIP code: 33133
City, State: Coconut Grove, Florida
County: Miami-Dade
Average rent: $3,606
Median home price/Median household income: $774,100/$53,600
Coconut Grove/Flickr user Bob. B Brown
ZIP code: 93117
City, State: Goleta, California
County: Santa Barbara
Average rent: $3,155
Median home price/Median household income: $802,400/$57,000
ZIP code: 29451
City, State: Dewees Island, South Carolina
County: Charleston
Average rent: $3,645
Median home price/Median household income: $808,100/$87,200
ZIP code: 34145
City, State: Marco Island, Florida
County: Collier
Average rent: $3,542
Median home price/Median household income: $813,700/$69,800
ZIP code: 08243
City, State: Sea Isle City, New Jersey
County: Cape May
Average rent: $1,863
Median home price/Median household income: $816,800/$56,000
Pacific Grove, California/Flickr user diana_robinson
ZIP code: 93950
City, State: Pacific Grove, California
County: Monterey
Average rent: $2,190
Median home price/Median household income: $873,100/$72,900
ZIP code: 92672
City, State: San Clemente, California
County: Orange
Average rent: $3,233
Median home price/Median household income: $952,900/$71,800
ZIP code: 60657
City, State: Chicago, Illinois
County: Cook
Average rent: $3,469
Median home price/Median household income: $984,700/$75,600
ZIP code: 90803
City, State: Long Beach, California
County: Los Angeles
Average rent: $3,609
Median home price/Median household income: $1,139,300/$72,000
