35 Affordable Waterfront Retirement Towns

Best U.S. Towns for an Affordable Retirement Along a Lake, River or Seacoast

De: Kris Kelley

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

UPDATED September, 2025! Want to retire near the water? Doing so is a lifelong dream for many people. So when retirement time arrives, moving to a lakeside town, riverfront hamlet or seaside community is a natural inclination. The trick is to find a place to retire near the water that is reasonably priced.

Here we have 35 U.S. towns that sit next to a lake, have a lake within their boundaries or are along a river or a seacoast. They have a cost of living that is close to the national average (some have costs slightly above the national average, but most have costs below it).

We look at housing prices, population, median income, climate, percentage of residents age 45 or better, medical facilities, public transportation, political leanings and more. No place is perfect, however, so we also point out each town’s potential drawbacks.

Reviews are short and to the point for quick reading.