Beach house hotspots

The best beach house locations in the USA

With summer upon us, many of us are dreaming of getting away to our favorite destinations and enjoying some well-earned vacation time. Beaches remain one of the most popular vacation destinations, and whether you go for the sun, sand, sea, or simply the fresh air, everyone loves a trip to the seaside.

With this in mind, we wanted to find out where in the country is the best place to get your seafront fix. We’ve considered factors from property prices and Airbnb rates, to air quality, rainfall, and the average temperature, all to find out which location is the best beach house hotspot.

Take a look below to check out our overall ranking, and find out which location came top for each factor.

The best coastal towns in the US

1

Galveston, TX

Topping the list as the number one beach house hotspot in the country is Galveston, Texas with a score of 7.64. This island city is reachable by car and is only a short drive from Houston. Galveston is home to numerous beautiful beaches, as well as several famous attractions including Galveston Island State Park, the animals of Moody Gardens, or the rides and restaurants found at the Historic Pleasure Pier.

Galveston scored very highly in terms of air quality and enjoys high temperatures without a great deal of rain. The average house price is $263,954 and house prices have increased by 14.7% in the last year, while the average daily rate for an Airbnb in the area is $247.

2

Orange beach, AL

Taking second place with an overall score of 7.52 is the city of Orange Beach, Alabama. A popular destination with many family-friendly attractions and activities such as hiking trails, ice skating, and a Ferris wheel on the wharf, Orange Beach has a lot to offer.

In the last year alone, property prices in the area have risen by a huge 21.9%, bringing the average price up to $381,555. There are also as many as 6,699 Airbnb rentals available in the city, with the average daily rate being $289.

3

Panama City Beach, FL

In third place, we have Panama City Beach, Florida, with a score of 7.45. This waterfront town is a hugely popular vacation spot in the northwest of the state and is packed with things to do. Whale watching, zoos, and a conservation park offer great activities for animal lovers, while the museums, wineries, and multiple theme parks will keep everyone else entertained. That’s without even mentioning the beach itself!

This hotspot hosts over 10,000 Airbnb rentals, with the average daily rate being $222. The average house price in the area is $347,974, while prices have increased by 7.3% in the last twelve months.

The best beach house locations in the USA

Rank Location State Average House Price House Price 1 Year Increase Airbnb Average Daily Rate Airbnb Active Rentals Average Annual Precipitation (in) Average High Temperature (˚F) Average Low Temperature (˚F) Air Quality Index score Beach Hotspot Score /10

Show more

Buying your beach house Renting out a beach house

Buying your beach house

Expensive vs affordable

We’ve broken down the data to take a look at the most affordable and most expensive locations to purchase a property. We’ve also found which beach house destinations are experiencing the biggest rise in property prices.

Most Affordable

Port Arthur, TX

The most affordable place to buy a beach house is Port Arthur, Texas, where the average property price is only $71,428! This small unassuming city sits on the Gulf coast and enjoys great weather with temperatures reaching 78.4(f) on average.

In addition to the beaches, there are plenty of nearby attractions including the Sea Rim State Park, the McFadden Wildlife Refuge, and the Museum of the Gulf Coast. This area is growing in popularity as house prices have grown by 13.8% in the last year alone.

Most Expensive

Malibu, CA

Malibu, California, takes the crown for the beach house location with the highest house prices, with property here costing $3,552,759 on average! In fact, it’s almost one million dollars more expensive than second place, Newport Beach, California.

As one of the most exclusive coastal locations out there, it should come as no surprise that Malibu has some of the most beautiful and idyllic shorelines, scattered with picturesque beaches and hidden coves. Malibu Pier is considered a must-visit location, providing a fantastic view of Malibu and the surrounding coast.

Biggest Price Increase

Orange Beach, AL

Orange Beach, Alabama, is the location where prices are rising the fastest, having grown by a huge 21.9% in one year. Orange Beach is growing in popularity, with a wealth of things to do and an almost endless choice of AirBnbs for the short-term visitor.

Having placed second in our overall ranking of the best beach house hotspots, it’s no wonder that properties in the area are rising in value!

Thinking of renting out your property as a holiday rental?

Or looking to rent an Airbnb yourself?

Here you can see which of our beach house hotspots has the highest and lowest Airbnb rates, as well as which areas have the most Airbnbs to choose from.

Cheapest place to stay

Port Arthur, TX

Port Arthur, Texas, again tops the list for affordability as on average an Airbnb in the area will only cost you $95 a day. However, there aren’t many Airbnbs to choose from so you’ll need to make sure you book ahead to secure yourself the best property.

Most expensive Airbnb area

Nantucket, MA

The exclusive island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, has the most expensive Airbnb rates of $808 per day on average. Located just off the East Coast, this peaceful island retreat has plenty to offer. Whether you’re here for the surf, the sand, the restaurants or the local museums, this charming destination has got you covered.

The location with the most Airbnbs

Panama City Beach, FL

Panama City Beach is the location with the most Airbnb rentals, home to as many as 10,533 active listings. This seaside getaway came third in our overall rankings, due to its combination of fantastic weather and good property offerings.

With as little as 55.8 inches of rainfall a year and average highs of 77˚F, it’s easy to see why so many people choose Panama City Beach as their vacation destination.

The beach locations with the best weather

You can also see which locations have the best weather, including average temperatures and rainfall, as well as which have the cleanest, freshest air.

| Hottest average temperatures | Warmest average lows| best air quality| Least Rainfall| most rainfall|

The location with the hottest average temperatures

Deerfield Beach,FL

With average highs of 85˚F, Deerfield Beach is the place to be if a hot holiday is what you’re after. The city is home to the award-winning “Blue Wave” beach which has been recognized by the Clean Beach Council for its water quality, beach conditions, public information, safety services, and habitat conservation policies.

The area is also popular for its watersports and is home to the Quiet Waters Park, so there are plenty of opportunities to cool off and escape the heat.

The beach house location with the warmest average lows

Key West,FL

Key West is definitely not a place you’re likely to catch a cold, as average low temperatures only fall as far 73.1˚F, so you can leave your coats and blankets at home. Situated on the Florida Keys archipelago, Key West is surrounded by the ocean but is still reachable via the Overseas Highway. With views like that, the drive itself is worth a visit!

The beach house hotspot with the best air quality

Galveston,TX

Our overall winner, Galveston, Texas, is also the place with the best air quality. In fact, the air is so fresh here that it scored a perfect score on the Air Quality Index, meaning that there was virtually no pollution present in the air.

If you’re looking to enjoy a pristine environment while having all the benefits of being in a buzzing and attraction-filled location, Galveston could be just what you’re looking for.

The location with the least amount of rainfall

Newport Beach,CA

Newport Beach, California, is the driest beach house hotspot on our list, receiving only 10.62 inches of rain each year. Being able to head to the beach without having to worry about the weather suddenly changing is reason enough to choose Newport Beach for your next beach vacation.

The location with the most rainfall

Kailua Kona,HI

The wettest beach destination is Kailua Kona, Hawaii, with an average yearly rainfall of 122.9 inches. Unlike most of our beach locations, Kailua Kona enjoys Hawaii’s more tropical climate, which in turn means you can expect heavy rains from time to time.

While this might not be ideal when you’re trying to work on your tan, the wetter climate helps to create the lush natural environment that the Hawaiian islands are known for.

Methodology

We wanted to find the best beach house hot spots in the USA. To do this, we first compiled a list of great locations for beach houses using a variety of online sources listed in the section below.

Next, we identified eight different factors against which we could measure these locations. We used information from Zillow to find the average house price and the average increase in property prices in each location. We also used data from AirDNA to find the average daily rate of an Airbnb and the total number of active Airbnb listings in each place.

Next, we looked at weather-related factors including the average yearly high temperature, the average yearly low temperature, and the amount of rainfall in each location. We took this data from Weatherbase and supplemented it with data from Wikipedia where any gaps occurred. Finally, we used data from IQAir to find the Air Quality Index score for each location.

We compiled all of these factors together, giving each area a normalized score out of ten for each factor, before taking an average across all eight factors.

Best beach location sources

housebeautiful.com americansky.co.uk thrillist.com vacasa.com housebeautiful.com eu.usatoday.com beachhouse.com Familyvacationcritic.com

Brought to you by

A subscription service that delivers air filters to your door for cleaner air - on time, every time!