The best beach towns in Florida to live in
We scored 40 Florida beach cities on four housing measures. The top five are Lake Worth Beach, Clearwater, New Smyrna Beach, Boca Raton and Daytona Beach. Three are on the Atlantic, one on the Gulf, and their typical values run from $252,622 in Daytona Beach to $576,824 in Boca Raton.
This ranking is about living there year-round, not a weekend trip. It favors places where homes and rent cost less than other beach towns, and where values held up or grew. Beauty, beach quality and nightlife are left to you, because no dataset measures them fairly.
How the beach towns were chosen and scored
Which towns: incorporated Florida cities with a public Gulf or Atlantic beach inside city limits, at least 5,000 residents (Census Bureau 2025 estimate) and Zillow value and rent data. That gave 40 cities. Unincorporated beach areas such as Siesta Key, Navarre and Santa Rosa Beach are left out because they have no city population estimate to compare.
Scoring: each city got a percentile rank against the other 39 on typical home value (lower is better), typical rent (lower is better), one-year value change and five-year value change (higher is better), all from Zillow for August 2026. The four were averaged into a score out of 100.
What is not scored: flood risk, insurance and condo rules. Those depend on the building and the street more than the city, so they are covered in the checklist further down.
All 40 Florida beach towns ranked
| # | City | County | Coast | Typical value | Typical rent | 1-yr | 5-yr | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Worth Beach | Palm Beach County | Atlantic | $442,534 | $2,370 | +0.5% | +30.7% | 67.2 |
| 2 | Clearwater | Pinellas County | Gulf | $342,820 | $1,963 | -0.6% | +14.0% | 63.1 |
| 3 | New Smyrna Beach | Volusia County | Atlantic | $452,191 | $2,299 | +0.4% | +19.8% | 60.0 |
| 4 | Boca Raton | Palm Beach County | Atlantic | $576,824 | $2,949 | +3.7% | +33.3% | 59.4 |
| 5 | Daytona Beach | Volusia County | Atlantic | $252,622 | $1,533 | -2.3% | +12.4% | 59.4 |
| 6 | Pompano Beach | Broward County | Atlantic | $351,953 | $2,355 | -1.9% | +22.9% | 58.8 |
| 7 | Indian Harbour Beach | Brevard County | Atlantic | $454,286 | $2,355 | +0.9% | +19.1% | 57.8 |
| 8 | Cape Canaveral | Brevard County | Atlantic | $316,658 | $1,957 | -1.8% | +9.9% | 57.5 |
| 9 | Neptune Beach | Duval County | Atlantic | $791,219 | $2,733 | +6.7% | +32.6% | 57.5 |
| 10 | Vero Beach | Indian River County | Atlantic | $362,300 | $2,160 | -1.9% | +18.6% | 56.6 |
| 11 | Fernandina Beach | Nassau County | Atlantic | $610,615 | $2,248 | -0.3% | +26.9% | 56.2 |
| 12 | Ormond Beach | Volusia County | Atlantic | $364,568 | $2,050 | -1.4% | +13.6% | 55.9 |
| 13 | Atlantic Beach | Duval County | Atlantic | $712,936 | $2,472 | +2.0% | +28.1% | 55.6 |
| 14 | Hollywood | Broward County | Atlantic | $444,268 | $2,341 | -2.3% | +25.8% | 55.0 |
| 15 | Delray Beach | Palm Beach County | Atlantic | $343,049 | $2,841 | +0.2% | +21.1% | 55.0 |
| 16 | Jacksonville Beach | Duval County | Atlantic | $638,241 | $2,436 | +2.6% | +21.3% | 55.0 |
| 17 | Panama City Beach | Bay County | Gulf | $414,475 | $1,748 | -1.4% | +12.1% | 53.4 |
| 18 | St. Augustine Beach | St. Johns County | Atlantic | $590,985 | $2,225 | +0.5% | +17.6% | 53.4 |
| 19 | Surfside | Miami-Dade County | Atlantic | $1,351,564 | $5,062 | +9.7% | +66.6% | 52.5 |
| 20 | Destin | Okaloosa County | Gulf | $612,080 | $2,110 | +1.3% | +12.3% | 51.9 |
| 21 | Flagler Beach | Flagler County | Atlantic | $456,370 | $2,013 | +0.2% | +9.8% | 51.9 |
| 22 | Daytona Beach Shores | Volusia County | Atlantic | $369,351 | $2,331 | +0.2% | +6.7% | 51.2 |
| 23 | Jupiter | Palm Beach County | Atlantic | $704,677 | $3,067 | +1.8% | +31.7% | 50.6 |
| 24 | Deerfield Beach | Broward County | Atlantic | $272,563 | $2,426 | -3.0% | +19.2% | 50.0 |
| 25 | Dania Beach | Broward County | Atlantic | $335,314 | $2,526 | -2.3% | +20.4% | 49.1 |
| 26 | Key Biscayne | Miami-Dade County | Atlantic | $1,708,156 | $7,162 | +6.5% | +37.5% | 48.8 |
| 27 | Cocoa Beach | Brevard County | Atlantic | $454,088 | $2,367 | -0.1% | +15.7% | 48.8 |
| 28 | Satellite Beach | Brevard County | Atlantic | $513,382 | $2,799 | +0.3% | +20.8% | 47.2 |
| 29 | Fort Lauderdale | Broward County | Atlantic | $511,473 | $2,736 | -1.3% | +23.9% | 46.9 |
| 30 | Palm Beach | Palm Beach County | Atlantic | $2,140,266 | $7,432 | +2.1% | +52.5% | 46.2 |
| 31 | Miami Beach | Miami-Dade County | Atlantic | $522,429 | $2,799 | +1.0% | +17.5% | 45.3 |
| 32 | Sarasota | Sarasota County | Gulf | $409,878 | $2,175 | -2.7% | +13.5% | 45.0 |
| 33 | Hallandale Beach | Broward County | Atlantic | $276,723 | $2,419 | -3.8% | +13.7% | 44.7 |
| 34 | Sunny Isles Beach | Miami-Dade County | Atlantic | $650,850 | $3,661 | +0.7% | +22.6% | 41.2 |
| 35 | Venice | Sarasota County | Gulf | $377,207 | $2,147 | -3.9% | +5.3% | 40.0 |
| 36 | Naples | Collier County | Gulf | $544,120 | $2,549 | -2.4% | +23.6% | 38.8 |
| 37 | Key West | Monroe County | Keys | $1,007,374 | $3,537 | -0.7% | +25.5% | 33.8 |
| 38 | Marco Island | Collier County | Gulf | $844,330 | $3,266 | +0.1% | +20.5% | 32.5 |
| 39 | Treasure Island | Pinellas County | Gulf | $526,231 | $2,526 | -2.2% | -0.2% | 25.9 |
| 40 | St. Pete Beach | Pinellas County | Gulf | $600,774 | $2,447 | -3.8% | +1.7% | 20.9 |
The top 18 beach towns, profiled
1. Lake Worth Beach (Atlantic coast)
Lake Worth Beach sits between West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach, with a city-run beach on the barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. It ranks first because values still rose over the year, after a five-year gain of more than 30%, and it is cheaper than every other Palm Beach County beach city on the list except Delray Beach.
Zillow typical value $442,534, typical rent $2,370, price change +0.5% over one year and +30.7% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,658 a month, before insurance.
2. Clearwater (Gulf coast)
Clearwater is the only Gulf coast city in the top 10. Clearwater Beach is part of the city, reached by the Memorial Causeway. Its typical value is the third-lowest of the 18.
Zillow typical value $342,820, typical rent $1,963, price change -0.6% over one year and +14.0% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,059 a month, before insurance. FDLE recorded 16.86 violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025.
3. New Smyrna Beach (Atlantic coast)
New Smyrna Beach is south of Daytona Beach in Volusia County, with a historic mainland downtown and a beach side across the Indian River. Its population grew by nearly 10% from 2020 to 2025.
Zillow typical value $452,191, typical rent $2,299, price change +0.4% over one year and +19.8% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,716 a month, before insurance.
4. Boca Raton (Atlantic coast)
Boca Raton is the priciest city in the top five, but it had the second-largest one-year gain in the top 18 (3.7%) and a five-year gain of 33%. City beach parks line its oceanfront. See our Boca Raton guide and Highland Beach profile.
Zillow typical value $576,824, typical rent $2,949, price change +3.7% over one year and +33.3% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $3,464 a month, before insurance. FDLE recorded 16.04 violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025.
5. Daytona Beach (Atlantic coast)
Daytona Beach has the lowest typical value and the lowest rent of all 40 beach towns we scored, by a wide margin. Prices fell 2.3% over the year and five-year growth is modest, which is why it isn't higher.
Zillow typical value $252,622, typical rent $1,533, price change -2.3% over one year and +12.4% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $1,517 a month, before insurance.
6. Pompano Beach (Atlantic coast)
Pompano Beach is in northern Broward County, with a fishing pier and beach on the Atlantic. At about $352,000 it is one of the lowest-priced beach cities in Broward.
Zillow typical value $351,953, typical rent $2,355, price change -1.9% over one year and +22.9% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,114 a month, before insurance.
7. Indian Harbour Beach (Atlantic coast)
Indian Harbour Beach is a small Brevard County city on the barrier island between Satellite Beach and Melbourne, on the Space Coast. Values rose slightly over the year.
Zillow typical value $454,286, typical rent $2,355, price change +0.9% over one year and +19.1% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,728 a month, before insurance.
8. Cape Canaveral (Atlantic coast)
Cape Canaveral is a small city on the barrier island next to Port Canaveral, north of Cocoa Beach. It is the second-cheapest beach town in the top 18 after Daytona Beach, with rent under $2,000.
Zillow typical value $316,658, typical rent $1,957, price change -1.8% over one year and +9.9% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $1,902 a month, before insurance.
9. Neptune Beach (Atlantic coast)
Neptune Beach is the smallest of Jacksonville's three beach cities, between Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach. It had the largest one-year value gain in the top 18, at 6.7%, but it is also the most expensive of the 18. Read more in our Jacksonville guide.
Zillow typical value $791,219, typical rent $2,733, price change +6.7% over one year and +32.6% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $4,752 a month, before insurance.
10. Vero Beach (Atlantic coast)
Vero Beach is the Indian River County seat on the Treasure Coast. Its population grew about 8% since 2020 and its typical value is just under the Florida figure.
Zillow typical value $362,300, typical rent $2,160, price change -1.9% over one year and +18.6% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,176 a month, before insurance.
11. Fernandina Beach (Atlantic coast)
Fernandina Beach is on Amelia Island at Florida's northeast corner, with a historic downtown on the Amelia River and beaches on the Atlantic side. See our Fernandina Beach guide.
Zillow typical value $610,615, typical rent $2,248, price change -0.3% over one year and +26.9% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $3,667 a month, before insurance. FDLE recorded 7.38 violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025.
12. Ormond Beach (Atlantic coast)
Ormond Beach is directly north of Daytona Beach in Volusia County. It costs more than Daytona but well under the South Florida beach cities, and rents are close to $2,000.
Zillow typical value $364,568, typical rent $2,050, price change -1.4% over one year and +13.6% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,190 a month, before insurance.
13. Atlantic Beach (Atlantic coast)
Atlantic Beach is the northernmost of Jacksonville's beach cities, next to Mayport. Its five-year gain of 28% is among the strongest in the top 18. Our Atlantic Beach guide covers the area.
Zillow typical value $712,936, typical rent $2,472, price change +2.0% over one year and +28.1% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $4,282 a month, before insurance. FDLE recorded 12.72 violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025.
14. Hollywood (Atlantic coast)
Hollywood is the largest city in the top 18, with about 157,000 residents, and its oceanfront Broadwalk runs along the beach. Prices fell 2.3% over the year.
Zillow typical value $444,268, typical rent $2,341, price change -2.3% over one year and +25.8% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,668 a month, before insurance.
15. Delray Beach (Atlantic coast)
Delray Beach is in southern Palm Beach County between Boynton Beach and Boca Raton, with a downtown that runs to the ocean along Atlantic Avenue. Its typical value is well below its neighbors'.
Zillow typical value $343,049, typical rent $2,841, price change +0.2% over one year and +21.1% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,060 a month, before insurance. FDLE recorded 25.40 violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025.
16. Jacksonville Beach (Atlantic coast)
Jacksonville Beach is the largest of the three Jacksonville beach cities, with a fishing pier and its own police department. See the Jacksonville Beach guide.
Zillow typical value $638,241, typical rent $2,436, price change +2.6% over one year and +21.3% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $3,833 a month, before insurance.
17. Panama City Beach (Gulf coast)
Panama City Beach is on the Gulf in Bay County, and one of the faster-growing beach towns, up almost 13% in population since 2020. Its typical rent is the second-lowest in the top 18.
Zillow typical value $414,475, typical rent $1,748, price change -1.4% over one year and +12.1% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $2,489 a month, before insurance.
18. St. Augustine Beach (Atlantic coast)
St. Augustine Beach is on Anastasia Island across the Matanzas River from St. Augustine. It is a small city with values that held steady over the year.
Zillow typical value $590,985, typical rent $2,225, price change +0.5% over one year and +17.6% over five. Principal and interest on the typical home at 10% down and 7.03%: about $3,549 a month, before insurance.
Atlantic, Gulf or Keys: how the coasts compare
Northeast Atlantic coast
From Fernandina Beach down to Flagler Beach, the Jacksonville and St. Augustine beach towns had some of the strongest five-year price growth, and several rose over the last year. Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach all gained 2% or more.
Central Atlantic coast
Volusia and Brevard counties have several of the lowest-priced beach towns in the state. Daytona Beach, Cape Canaveral and Ormond Beach are all under $370,000.
Southeast Florida
Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade have the most expensive beach cities, from Palm Beach and Key Biscayne above $1.7 million down to Deerfield Beach and Hallandale Beach under $280,000.
Gulf coast
Most Gulf beach towns lost value over the year, including Venice (-3.9%), St. Pete Beach (-3.8%) and Sarasota (-2.7%). Destin (+1.3%) and Marco Island (+0.1%) were the exceptions. That weakens their score but may give buyers more to negotiate with. Sarasota ranked 32nd of 40; see our Siesta Key and Lido Key guides for the barrier islands.
Florida Keys
Key West's typical value is just over $1 million and rent is $3,537, both among the highest on the list.
What to check before buying near the beach
Flood zone and elevation
Check whether the address is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone. Look it up on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, ask for the elevation certificate, and get a flood insurance quote early. Lenders require flood cover in high-risk zones.
Wind insurance
Homeowners insurance near the coast costs more and may exclude wind. Ask the seller for a wind mitigation report, which can lower the premium.
Condo inspections and reserves
Much beachfront housing is in condo buildings. Ask for the building's latest structural inspection report, its reserve study, the current budget and any planned special assessments before you buy. Our guide to buying a condo in Florida covers the documents.
Short-term rental rules
Beach cities and condo associations may limit rentals of less than a month or require a local license. If you plan to rent the home out, check the city code and the HOA documents first.
Evacuation zone
Barrier islands are often among the first areas ordered to evacuate. Look up the zone with your county emergency management office.
Affordable, underrated and close-to-the-beach options
What are the best and most affordable beach towns in Florida?
On price alone, Daytona Beach ($252,622), Deerfield Beach ($272,563), Hallandale Beach ($276,723) and Cape Canaveral ($316,658) had the lowest typical values of the 40. Daytona Beach and Cape Canaveral also rank in our top 10 overall.
Where is the best place to live in Florida close to the beach?
If you want lower prices and can live a short drive from the sand, look at the mainland cities next to the beach towns. Holly Hill and South Daytona, beside Daytona Beach, had typical values of about $203,000 and $249,000, and Palm Bay, inland from the Brevard beaches, about $304,000. Our cheapest places to live in Florida guide lists more.
What are some underrated beach towns in Florida?
Measured by value for money, New Smyrna Beach, Indian Harbour Beach and Cape Canaveral all rank in the top 10 on value for money. Their typical values are between $316,658 and $454,286.
Common questions
What is the best beach town to live in Florida?+
On our score of 40 Florida beach cities, Lake Worth Beach in Palm Beach County ranks first. Its Zillow typical value was $442,534 in August 2026, up 0.5% on the year and 30.7% over five years, with typical rent of $2,370. Clearwater and New Smyrna Beach were second and third.
What is the cheapest beach town in Florida?+
Among the 40 incorporated beach cities we scored, Daytona Beach had the lowest Zillow typical home value, $252,622 in August 2026, and the lowest typical rent at $1,533 a month. Deerfield Beach and Hallandale Beach were next on value.
Which Florida beach towns are losing value?+
Most Gulf coast beach towns fell over the year to August 2026: St. Pete Beach by 3.8%, Venice by 3.9%, Naples by 2.4% and Treasure Island by 2.2%, according to Zillow. On the Atlantic, Hallandale Beach fell 3.8% and Deerfield Beach 3.0%.
Is it better to live on the Gulf or Atlantic coast of Florida?+
Neither is better overall. On the data here, Atlantic beach towns held value better over the past year, while several Gulf towns fell, which can mean more room to negotiate. Water temperature, sunsets versus sunrises and hurricane history differ, so visit both before deciding.
Do I need flood insurance for a Florida beach home?+
If the home is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone and you have a federally backed mortgage, your lender will require it. Many barrier-island homes are in those zones. Even outside them, flood damage is not covered by standard homeowners policies, so get a quote for the specific address.
What is the most expensive beach town in Florida?+
Of the 40 beach cities we scored, the Town of Palm Beach had the highest Zillow typical value in August 2026 at $2,140,266, followed by Key Biscayne at $1,708,156 and Surfside at $1,351,564.