MarkVanDykePhotography // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Hatteras, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 7.1 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $483,300
Best beach towns on the East Coast
Summer vacation is over across the U.S., with kids already headed back to school. But Americans were busy in the summer of 2024. On Memorial Day weekend, largely considered the unofficial start of summer, the Transportation Security Administration screened 10.6 million people, surpassing the numbers from 2023 and pre-pandemic levels. July 4th weekend also set travel records, according to AAA booking data, and Labor Day did the same. Domestic travel over Labor Day weekend in 2024 was up 9% compared to 2023, while the cost to travel domestically was down 2%.
Of course, beaches are some of the most popular places to visit in the summer. But it's never a bad time to visit some of the nation's best beach towns. If you're looking for an East Coast trip out of season, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina offer tons of options, making up 75% of the spots on this ranking. But there are quite a few beach towns in states further north like Maryland and New Jersey.
So what makes a good beach town? Access to a beach, of course, but also plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to keep kids entertained, warm weather, and a long beach season (the average number of days beaches are open for swimming).
Stacker determined rankings by several factors, giving the most weight to the number of beaches within a quarter mile of a city or town and the total shoreline of those beaches. Weather patterns and the duration of each beach's swim season affect town scores. The ranking also takes into account the prevalence of beach-related businesses, unemployment rates, and median home prices.
The EPA lists more than 350 beaches on the East Coast, totaling more than 450 miles of beach shoreline.
Correction
A previous version of this article contained multiple errors in data analysis that skewed the overall ranking of beach towns, including incorrectly identifying the number of beaches in some towns and mischaracterizing some municipalities as beach towns. The article has been updated to correct the errors.
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2 / 50#49. North Wildwood, New Jersey
- Number of beaches: 13
- Beach length: 5.72 miles
- Average swim season length: 99 days
- Average county summer temperature: 75.1 degrees
- Median home price: $386,700
Kyle J Little // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Rodanthe, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 6.11 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $325,900
StacieStauffSmith Photos // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Litchfield Beach, South Carolina
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 10.72 miles
- Average swim season length: 153 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.6 degrees
- Median home price: $296,000
AM Custom Aerials // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Holden Beach, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 10
- Beach length: 10.13 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.3 degrees
- Median home price: $446,300
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Michael A. Robert // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Brigantine, New Jersey
- Number of beaches: 21
- Beach length: 7.27 miles
- Average swim season length: 102 days
- Average county summer temperature: 75.3 degrees
- Median home price: $376,600
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7 / 50#44. Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
- Number of beaches: 16
- Beach length: 3.95 miles
- Average swim season length: 99 days
- Average county summer temperature: 75.1 degrees
- Median home price: $391,900
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8 / 50#43. Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 11
- Beach length: 6.16 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.8 degrees
- Median home price: $826,600
Ruth McNeill Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Kure Beach, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 8.31 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.8 degrees
- Median home price: $454,500
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10 / 50#41. Southern Shores, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 5.81 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $514,600
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Kyle J Little // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Frisco, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 7.53 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $301,900
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12 / 50#39. Wildwood, New Jersey
- Number of beaches: 14
- Beach length: 3.7 miles
- Average swim season length: 99 days
- Average county summer temperature: 75.1 degrees
- Median home price: $264,300
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13 / 50#38. Ocean City, Maryland
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 10.2 miles
- Average swim season length: 102 days
- Average county summer temperature: 77.3 degrees
- Median home price: $325,900
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14 / 50#37. St. Simons, Georgia
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 6.62 miles
- Average swim season length: 213 days
- Average county summer temperature: 81.8 degrees
- Median home price: $380,500
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15 / 50#36. Tybee Island, Georgia
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 8.56 miles
- Average swim season length: 208 days
- Average county summer temperature: 81.6 degrees
- Median home price: $589,600
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Kyle J Little // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Morehead City, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 10
- Beach length: 3.01 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $308,900
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17 / 50#34. Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 8.73 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $461,500
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18 / 50#33. New Smyrna Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 21.05 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.6 degrees
- Median home price: $299,900
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19 / 50#32. Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 8.06 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $465,600
Leonard Zhukovsky // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Riviera Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 3.82 miles
- Average swim season length: 122 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.1 degrees
- Median home price: $240,300
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Lacey Lin Photography // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Deerfield Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 4.74 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $245,500
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. St. Augustine Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 15.29 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.7 degrees
- Median home price: $464,100
FotosForTheFuture // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Long Branch, New Jersey
- Number of beaches: 19
- Beach length: 5.65 miles
- Average swim season length: 105 days
- Average county summer temperature: 76.6 degrees
- Median home price: $380,100
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24 / 50#27. St. Augustine, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 17.87 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.7 degrees
- Median home price: $314,000
Stephen B. Goodwin // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Buxton, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 9.4 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $333,500
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26 / 50#25. Pompano Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 5.31 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $259,900
Kip Robinson // Wikimedia Commons
27 / 50#24. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 7.29 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $373,200
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28 / 50#23. Salvo, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 8.09 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $325,900
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Jupiter Island, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 7.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 243 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $2,000,001
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Number of beaches: 4
- Beach length: 12.64 miles
- Average swim season length: 153 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.3 degrees
- Median home price: $298,900
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31 / 50#20. Hallandale Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 3
- Beach length: 2.81 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $248,700
Fernando Cruz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Carolina Beach, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 5.13 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.8 degrees
- Median home price: $409,400
Kyle J Little // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Norfolk, Virginia
- Number of beaches: 10
- Beach length: 7.37 miles
- Average swim season length: 136 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.6 degrees
- Median home price: $227,100
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34 / 50#17. Jacksonville, Florida
- Number of beaches: 4
- Beach length: 10.89 miles
- Average swim season length: 244 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.3 degrees
- Median home price: $215,700
Melissa M Janssens // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Ormond-By-The-Sea, Florida
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 13.22 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.6 degrees
- Median home price: $261,400
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MICHAEL HUBEL // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. North Topsail Beach, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 10
- Beach length: 13.38 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.7 degrees
- Median home price: $384,700
Kyle J Little // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Avon, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 2
- Beach length: 8.53 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $263,600
Francisco Blanco // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Miami Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 5
- Beach length: 9.46 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.6 degrees
- Median home price: $449,200
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39 / 50#12. Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Number of beaches: 43
- Beach length: 4.3 miles
- Average swim season length: 107 days
- Average county summer temperature: 75.3 degrees
- Median home price: $136,900
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40 / 50#11. Beaufort, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 2.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $234,300
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Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Number of beaches: 24
- Beach length: 33.49 miles
- Average swim season length: 144 days
- Average county summer temperature: 77.9 degrees
- Median home price: $294,100
JSvideos // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Jekyll Island, Georgia
- Number of beaches: 8
- Beach length: 9.66 miles
- Average swim season length: 213 days
- Average county summer temperature: 81.8 degrees
- Median home price: $430,900
Chansak Joe // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Ocracoke, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 4
- Beach length: 16.02 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.7 degrees
- Median home price: $371,400
digidreamgrafix // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Nags Head, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 9
- Beach length: 13.93 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $336,900
Jillian Cain Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Number of beaches: 7
- Beach length: 7.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 260 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $380,300
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Jill Lang // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Oak Island, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 14
- Beach length: 10.87 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 79.3 degrees
- Median home price: $283,500
Tony Quinn // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Emerald Isle, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 10
- Beach length: 17.69 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $441,900
Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Hollywood, Florida
- Number of beaches: 8
- Beach length: 8.17 miles
- Average swim season length: 258 days
- Average county summer temperature: 83.5 degrees
- Median home price: $306,500
Sherry V Smith // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
- Number of beaches: 8
- Beach length: 7.76 miles
- Average swim season length: 214 days
- Average county summer temperature: 78.9 degrees
- Median home price: $271,200
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Daytona Beach, Florida
- Number of beaches: 6
- Beach length: 15.75 miles
- Average swim season length: 364 days
- Average county summer temperature: 82.6 degrees
- Median home price: $194,200
Additional writing by Cu Fleshman.
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