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North Myrtle Beach Makes The Top 10 on 2021’s List of Best Beach Towns

Author Alexis Zarycki

According to the 2020 census, Florida, North Carolina and Maine were some of the states where people moved most. (The traffic is proof too!) One thing about all three of those states is that they all have large coastlines. Many people don’t just want the beach experience for a week or two, though – they long to live on the waterfront.

There is no doubt that beachside communities represent a relaxed and luxurious lifestyle. Unfortunately, some people do not pursue their dream of living on the coast due to the mistaken belief that beach towns are expensive and less livable than landlocked ones. Although many beach towns are known for their tourist appeal, they are very practical for everyday life and also easy on the wallet.

Thanks to Wallethub, the 2021 rankings of best beach towns have been released. In order to determine the beach communities that are ideal for making one’s permanent home, WalletHub compared 191 cities across 62 key indicators of livability. Here were the results. Who made the list? Well, North Myrtle Beach took the spot at #5 best beach town to live in. Also on the list is Wilmington ranking at number 32 and Port Royal, South Carolina at number 94.

Overall Rank  City Total Score  Affordability  Weather  Safety  Economy  Education & Health  Quality of Life 
1 Naples, FL 64.86 16 96 103 13 68 1
2 Laguna Beach, CA 63.63 83 53 20 10 24 19
3 Lahaina, HI 63.35 64 31 17 71 59 5
4 Newport Beach, CA 63.09 73 57 25 63 7 16
5 North Myrtle Beach, SC 62.93 20 9 92 7 10 18
6 Sarasota, FL 62.77 38 16 110 55 70 2
7 Kailua, HI 62.38 67 102 1 3 21 23
8 Boca Raton, FL 62.14 11 4 109 30 18 21
9 Destin, FL 61.58 6 109 98 65 15 11
10 Santa Monica, CA 61.26 123 38 72 57 49 3
11 Myrtle Beach, SC 60.60 50 8 112 88 58 4
12 Vero Beach, FL 60.21 49 34 68 76 93 8
13 Morro Bay, CA 60.17 96 54 5 74 3 50
14 Venice, FL 60.16 28 7 83 34 26 28
15 Santa Barbara, CA 60.03 118 78 7 69 92 10
16 Carlsbad, CA 60.02 27 79 24 43 17 38
17 Kihei, HI 59.65 52 31 17 47 27 25
18 Encinitas, CA 59.32 43 77 11 22 39 46
19 Santa Cruz, CA 59.13 135 70 50 60 64 7
20 San Clemente, CA 58.49 35 49 15 45 29 68
21 Hermosa Beach, CA 58.19 71 47 36 87 14 42
22 Jupiter, FL 57.98 3 21 108 9 43 63
23 San Mateo, CA 57.62 117 30 39 6 67 40
24 Jacksonville Beach, FL 57.56 13 48 124 2 5 51
25 Fernandina Beach, FL 57.37 37 43 63 56 91 26
26 Coronado, CA 57.37 33 81 10 93 13 77
27 Panama City Beach, FL 57.30 9 90 111 17 139 9
28 Satellite Beach, FL 57.29 1 59 102 118 9 91
29 Dana Point, CA 57.26 41 51 14 29 97 52
30 Goleta, CA 57.24 115 37 4 26 42 76
31 Redondo Beach, CA 57.03 95 69 31 73 37 35
32 Wilmington, NC 56.79 102 46 69 91 80 20
33 North Palm Beach, FL 56.57 5 39 104 95 4 115
34 Manhattan Beach, CA 56.55 98 67 28 27 25 64
35 Pensacola, FL 56.51 51 66 46 104 134 15
36 Alameda, CA 56.50 85 85 64 11 38 49
37 Gulf Shores, AL 56.26 19 139 71 5 30 30
38 Key West, FL 56.16 87 137 80 37 125 6
39 Half Moon Bay, CA 55.92 68 33 35 12 104 34
40 Westport, CT 55.86 15 99 52 8 19 120
41 Portland, ME 55.63 120 106 81 25 76 17
42 Seal Beach, CA 55.62 106 52 23 96 6 89
43 Monterey, CA 55.43 128 62 33 59 130 22
44 Benicia, CA 55.24 32 3 40 81 46 107
45 Stuart, FL 54.68 25 40 128 84 117 13
46 Rye, NY 54.56 99 92 37 77 1 117
47 Anacortes, WA 54.23 62 76 78 33 44 58
48 San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA 54.15 59 126 53 35 61 37
49 Cocoa Beach, FL 53.86 8 100 115 113 28 31
50 Carpinteria, CA 53.86 105 65 3 133 87 66
51 Dunedin, FL 53.72 54 104 88 82 35 47
52 Clearwater, FL 53.71 66 42 107 98 94 27
53 Edmonds, WA 53.62 56 10 85 19 66 82
54 Mount Sinai, NY 53.59 34 128 54 105 1 136
55 Malibu, CA 53.40 91 124 47 137 16 36
56 Key Biscayne, FL 53.26 12 75 130 121 11 61
57 South Portland, ME 53.16 107 106 77 14 51 62
58 Pacifica, CA 53.10 81 25 26 50 57 119
59 Ewa Beach, HI 53.04 110 23 42 42 39 90
60 St. Augustine, FL 52.81 86 35 125 109 53 14
61 Great Neck, NY 52.79 132 136 60 38 8 41
62 Fort Walton Beach, FL 52.49 29 103 82 85 121 33
63 Palos Verdes Estates, CA 52.43 14 123 12 127 34 141
64 Bonita Springs, FL 52.40 4 110 136 1 99 84
65 Newport, RI 52.32 136 115 22 79 115 32
66 Coral Gables, FL 52.31 42 15 139 58 41 39
67 Kapolei, HI 52.26 94 28 42 41 55 57
68 Kaneohe, HI 52.21 60 24 42 20 54 97
69 Hilo, HI 52.18 111 101 1 83 50 56
70 Tarpon Springs, FL 52.12 22 108 106 72 32 80
71 Marco Island, FL 52.10 7 142 93 23 31 69
72 Pacific Grove, CA 51.93 119 61 9 120 82 67
73 Marina, CA 51.85 137 6 13 48 138 98
74 Ormond Beach, FL 51.82 44 17 129 24 77 53
75 Delray Beach, FL 51.79 39 19 117 49 101 54
76 Boynton Beach, FL 51.69 47 5 122 44 84 71
77 Port Washington, NY 51.66 100 133 32 31 22 99
78 Lompoc, CA 51.62 76 29 21 111 131 110
79 Merritt Island, FL 51.51 2 55 121 40 69 116
80 Wailuku, HI 51.50 108 36 17 90 90 48
81 Daly City, CA 51.48 116 18 34 46 74 133
82 New Smyrna Beach, FL 51.46 24 56 123 16 128 44
83 Navarre, FL 51.33 17 91 16 67 60 143
84 Wantagh, NY 50.77 55 138 60 103 12 106
85 Miami Beach, FL 50.54 70 94 145 75 65 12
86 Massapequa, NY 50.49 69 140 60 39 20 94
87 Melbourne, FL 50.45 23 44 120 61 103 72
88 Shoreline, WA 50.07 61 82 73 18 45 132
89 Atlantic Beach, FL 49.36 18 13 114 112 79 104
90 Ocean City, NJ 49.32 90 111 100 52 142 24
91 Milford, CT 49.30 93 89 89 36 36 118
92 Swampscott, MA 49.18 79 120 74 32 71 130
93 Warwick, RI 49.09 104 114 8 117 75 113
94 Port Royal, SC 49.05 77 1 66 86 129 145
95 Jensen Beach, FL 48.92 30 93 140 15 52 85
96 Gulfport, FL 48.90 26 63 105 70 107 92
97 Newburyport, MA 48.90 84 125 75 28 73 105
98 Hollywood, FL 48.74 48 73 116 97 78 79
99 Westerly, RI 48.74 121 112 6 135 100 78
100 Stratford, CT 48.63 125 113 65 62 102 108
101 Ocean Springs, MS 48.46 36 105 87 107 123 83
102 Panama City, FL 48.42 57 60 96 126 116 60
103 Brunswick, ME 48.41 109 88 70 139 83 65
104 Eureka, CA 48.23 89 2 99 130 124 59
105 New Rochelle, NY 48.16 143 84 51 66 96 124
106 Cocoa, FL 47.76 40 45 132 106 135 73
107 Revere, MA 47.76 124 117 48 101 88 121
108 Watsonville, CA 47.66 140 27 27 123 120 109
109 Lake Worth, FL 47.58 65 19 133 102 113 81
110 Capitola, CA 47.52 145 86 37 131 119 55
111 Waianae, HI 47.36 82 22 42 143 95 100
112 Gloucester, MA 47.26 122 127 79 68 48 96
113 Burien, WA 47.26 113 82 86 99 81 86
114 Hampton, VA 47.13 103 50 41 140 108 126
115 Glen Cove, NY 47.02 139 135 29 54 85 131
116 Babylon, NY 46.69 92 141 54 51 63 93
117 South Yarmouth, MA 46.62 127 64 49 132 112 103
118 La Porte, TX 46.02 53 87 76 89 137 144
119 Hobe Sound, FL 45.85 31 26 140 141 47 111
120 Hampton Bays, NY 45.69 97 134 54 21 118 123
121 Salem, MA 45.58 141 122 84 108 105 75
122 Ventnor City, NJ 45.56 129 116 90 144 62 95
123 Lantana, FL 45.46 45 71 126 64 133 127
124 Biloxi, MS 45.46 58 118 113 78 136 87
125 Norwalk, CT 45.40 138 97 67 94 114 112
126 Long Beach, NY 45.37 114 145 30 53 23 129
127 Patchogue, NY 45.22 142 129 54 80 111 70
128 Lynn, MA 44.74 126 121 95 119 86 122
129 Stony Brook, NY 44.74 112 130 54 145 33 125
130 Richmond, CA 44.70 134 80 91 110 110 128
131 Hallandale Beach, FL 44.35 72 68 119 129 126 88
132 Fort Pierce, FL 44.25 74 14 137 128 140 74
133 Daytona Beach, FL 44.14 88 41 142 115 141 45
134 Essex, MD 44.12 131 11 131 114 98 139
135 Galveston, TX 43.95 101 144 118 100 132 29
136 Dania Beach, FL 43.87 78 74 127 122 72 114
137 Asbury Park, NJ 43.50 144 132 97 138 122 43
138 East Haven, CT 42.85 133 58 94 124 109 135
139 Hull, MA 42.63 75 143 101 92 56 140
140 Apollo Beach, FL 42.48 10 119 144 4 89 137
141 Shirley, NY 42.38 130 131 54 134 106 142
142 Port Lavaca, TX 42.36 21 12 143 125 145 102
143 Hudson, FL 42.15 63 98 134 116 143 101
144 Riviera Beach, FL 40.49 46 71 138 136 127 134
145 Holiday, FL 38.22 80 95 134 142 144 138

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that town, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

 

 

Alexis Zarycki is your average girl with the hopes of leaving an everlasting impact on the world. Follow her on Instagram @official_lexpaige

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