The best seaside towns to move to in England and Wales - which offer the best value for money?

Whether it’s escaping the hustle and bustle of city life or simply waking up to the crisp sea air each morning, coastal towns are an appealing place to call home.

Recent Rightmove data suggests demand for coastal living is holding firm, with several seaside towns recording stronger house price growth than the wider UK market in 2026.

The appeal is only heightened by the UK experiencing one of its hottest summers on record; it’s easy to see why so many are drawn to the relaxed coastal lifestyle.

To highlight the best beachside towns to move to, we analysed property data for 108 coastal towns across England and Wales, including average house prices and the number of available properties, the average maximum summer temperature, and how the region ranks for happiness and life satisfaction. These factors were combined to create an index score between 0-100 that reflects their balance of affordability and quality of life.

Key takeaways:

The best seaside towns to move to in England and Wales

Top 20 seaside locations across England and Wales

The South East seaside town of Ramsgate landed at the top of the list, with the location scoring reasonably on affordability, highly on maximum summer temperatures, and in the region with the highest happiness score among residents. Featuring the only Royal Harbour in the UK, the coastal hub was awarded the Blue Flag at Ramsgate Main Sands.

Neighbouring town Margate followed closely behind in the ranking. With the historic town attracting around 4.6 million tourists every year, its famous Harbour Arm is lined with an array of micro-bars and cafes amid views of the English Channel. While it scored almost on par with Ramsgate for temperature, happiness and life satisfaction, property prices were on average over £12,000 higher.

Many seaside towns across the South East followed the two neighbouring coastal favourites, with Sheerness, Eastbourne, Folkestone, Bognor Regis, Herne Bay, Hastings, Littlehampton and Whitstable ranking between third and tenth. The South East and the East of England dominated the rest of the top 20 spots, with the exception of Weston-super-Mare putting the South West on the map.

1. Ramsgate

2. Margate

3. Sheerness

4. Eastbourne

5. Folkestone

6. Bognor Regis

7. Herne Bay

8. Hastings

9. Littlehampton

10. Whitstable

11. Cowes

12. Bexhill

13. South Hayling

14. Great Yarmouth

15. Ryde

16. Worthing

17. East Cowes

18. Lowestoft

19. Weston-super-Mare

20. Broadstairs

Larger seaside towns fared more favourably

Out of the 108 coastal towns analysed, areas classified as “larger seaside towns” generally achieve higher overall scores across the factors studied.

In the wider dataset, the 51 larger seaside towns have a stronger average total score of 59.35, compared with 48.49 among the 56 smaller seaside towns.

This is reflected in the overall rankings, with only four of the top 20 towns classified as a “smaller seaside town”: Sheerness, Cowes, South Hayling and East Cowes.

This significant gap is primarily driven by the larger towns offering greater property availability, giving buyers more options when potentially moving to the area.

The best seaside towns to move to in Wales

Expanding beyond the broader top 20 seaside towns list, Wales is home to plenty of beautiful coastal towns worth exploring, with Barry coming out on top when looking at Welsh towns alone.

Famously known as the setting and filming location for the hit British comedy Gavin & Stacey, Barry and nearby Barry Island have become popular destinations for fans of the show, with many of its recognisable scenes filmed across the area.

Penarth followed in the ranking of Welsh towns, along with Llandudno and Prestatyn, and was rounded off by Porthcawl.

While average house prices ranged between £190k and £433k, limited property availability and lower life satisfaction ultimately held the towns back in the overall ranking.

Where are the most expensive places to live?

Unsurprisingly, London is the most expensive region according to Nationwide, where the average house price is a hefty £527,694. This is almost double the average price for the UK as a whole.

Property Investments UK recently uncovered which are the UK’s most expensive streets. Whistler Square in Belgravia, London, was the priciest, where the average property costs an eye-watering £29.9 million.

Outside of the capital Hollybusy Road, Cardiff is the most expensive street in Wales, with the average home setting you back a mere £1.4 million. At the top end of the scale, a property purchase in Cavendish Road in Weybridge – the most expensive street in the South East – would set you back £6.7 million.

The most affordable seaside towns

For potential homebuyers wanting to move to the coast but struggling to weigh up the costs, the average price of a home in the most affordable locations ranges between £147,000 and £193,000.

Fleetwood was named as the most affordable seaside town across England and Wales, with an average house price of £147,386. Withernsea ranked close behind with £148,191, while Blackpool landed the third spot at £155,915.

The more affordable coastal locations are largely found outside the South East, with the North, North West and Yorkshire featuring prominently among the cheapest locations. This highlights the significant regional variation in coastal property prices, with buyers willing to look further north potentially getting more for their money.

However, price isn’t the only consideration. While a lower purchase price can make a location more accessible, buyers should also consider property availability and local quality of life to determine where represents the best value for money.

The top five most affordable seaside towns

The premium hotspots by the coast

On the other end of the spectrum are the areas offering a premium price tag to live near the sea, with Budleigh Salterton in the South West boasting an average property cost of £553,945.

In East Wittering, properties also tipped over the £500k mark, with an average house price of £514,396. Other premium locations include St Ives in Cornwall and Penarth in Wales.

Interestingly, the majority of the most expensive seaside locations are made up of smaller towns, highlighting the expensive price tag that comes with living in smaller, more exclusive coastal areas.

The top five premium seaside towns

The UK's warmest seaside towns

Property price and availability are important factors to consider when moving to the coast, but the majority of buyers will be moving here for sea views and to take advantage of the beach and sea breeze on scorching summer days.

With the UK experiencing one of the hottest summers on record, the British seaside has seen a big boost in tourism, as people escape to the sea to enjoy the hot weather in comfort.

Using the Met Office’s average 30-year climate period (which includes overnight lows), Whitstable was named the warmest seaside town with a maximum average summer temperature of 22.24°C, with Felixstowe closely behind at 21.72°C. Southend-on-Sea and Sheerness tied at 21.49°C, while Christchurch rounds off the top five list at 21.46°C.

The five seaside towns topping the temperature charts

Where coastal residents report the highest wellbeing

Beyond property prices and temperatures, quality of life can also be a major factor when choosing where to live by the coast.

Looking at happiness and life satisfaction across different regions gives an idea of where residents feel they can enjoy the best quality of life.

Top five regions with coastal towns reporting high levels of happiness:

Top five regions with coastal towns reporting high life satisfaction:

The key considerations for buyers looking to move to the coast

Alistair Singer, Director at My Home Move Conveyancing, commented on the research:

“Our study shows that moving to the coast is about much more than simply finding a home by the sea. For some buyers, affordability may be the biggest priority, while for others, it may be for the warmer summers or a location where people report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

“With such wide variation in house prices and availability across coastal towns, it’s important for prospective buyers to do their research and consider what they’re really looking for from a move.

“Once you’ve found the right location and property, it’s equally important to make sure the practical side of the move is handled properly. Moving to a new part of the country can be a significant financial and lifestyle decision, and having the right conveyancing support can help to make the legal process as straightforward as possible.

“Whether you’re looking for an affordable first home by the sea, or a second property to get the fresh sea breeze, taking the time to plan and understand the buying process can help ensure your seaside dream gets off to the right start.”

Methodology

To identify the best seaside locations to move to, we analysed local property prices, the number of homes available to purchase, average maximum summer temperatures, and regional happiness and life satisfaction scores.

These factors were selected to highlight coastal locations offering the best balance of lifestyle, affordability, and value for money.

Each location was awarded a score out of 20 for each individual factor, with locations ranked from best to worst for each measure. The scores were then added together to create an overall score, with the highest-scoring locations identified as the best seaside places to move to.

All data is correct as of August 2026.