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These Budget-Friendly Island Towns Are Perfect for Families

These Budget-Friendly Island Towns Are Perfect for Families

These Budget-Friendly Island Towns Are Perfect for Families
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Herron Island, WA
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Crescent Beach, FL
© forestpath/Shutterstock.com
Sandwich, MA
© "Boardwalk at Sandwich, MA" by Andrewrabbott is licensed under BY-SA 3.0.
Coinjock, NC
© "U.S. Route 158 Crossing Canal Connecting North River with Currituck Sound (Intracoastal Waterway), Coinjock, North Carolina" by Ken Lund is licensed under BY-SA 2.0.
Upper Grand Lagoon, FL
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Wabasso Beach, FL
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Anderson Island, WA
© "Ferry 'Ocean City' Abandoned at Anderson Island #2" by Jan Pauw is licensed under BY 2.0.
Manteo, NC
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Panama City Beach, FL
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East Sandwich, MA
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Matlacha, FL
© Nadezda Murmakova/Shutterstock.com
Yarmouth Port, MA
© "File:Yarmouth Port, Yarmouth, MA 02675, USA - panoramio (12).jpg" by bynyalcin is licensed under BY 3.0.
Littlejohn Island, ME
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Big Coppitt Key, FL
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Tierra Verde, FL
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Pine Island Center, FL
© "Pine Island Beach, FL" by Garoutte0726 is licensed under BY 2.0.
St. Simons, GA
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Laguna Beach, FL
© "Greetings from Laguna Beach, Florida, Near Panama City, Florida - Large Letter Postcard" by Shook Photos is licensed under BY 2.0.
Lower Grand Lagoon, FL
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Pineland, FL
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Port Royal, SC
© "Port Royal SC Paris Avenue" by Thomson200 is licensed under CC0 1.0.
Lido Beach, NY
© "Lido Beach" by Michael LoCascio is licensed under BY-SA 3.0.
St. James City, FL
© "My Dream House - St. James City, FL" by LocoMotion Photography is licensed under BY-SA 2.0.
Bokeelia, FL
© "Marine shoreline of Cayo Costa Island (Pine Island Sound, Florida, USA) 2" by James St. John is licensed under BY 2.0.
Shell Point, SC
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Harkers Island, NC
© "Sunset on the Sound Harkers Island NC 6243" by bobistraveling is licensed under BY 2.0.
Laurel Bay, SC
© "South Carolina regions map" by Peter Fitzgerald is licensed under BY 3.0.
Mashpee Neck, MA
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Buxton, NC
© "Potential UXO in Buxton, NC 10-22-2020" by CapeHatterasNPS is licensed under PDM 1.0.
Akutan, AK
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Grandy, NC
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Cousins Island, ME
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Wanchese, NC
© "Flying Seagulls" by kppixelshot is licensed under BY 2.0.
Waves, NC
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Burton, SC
© "South Carolina Sunset" by pfarrell95 is licensed under BY-SA 2.0.
Barataria, LA
© Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com
Harbor Island, SC
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Daufuskie Island, SC
© Ursula Page/Shutterstock.com
These Budget-Friendly Island Towns Are Perfect for Families
Herron Island, WA
Crescent Beach, FL
Sandwich, MA
Coinjock, NC
Upper Grand Lagoon, FL
Wabasso Beach, FL
Anderson Island, WA
Manteo, NC
Panama City Beach, FL
East Sandwich, MA
Matlacha, FL
Yarmouth Port, MA
Littlejohn Island, ME
Big Coppitt Key, FL
Tierra Verde, FL
Pine Island Center, FL
St. Simons, GA
Laguna Beach, FL
Lower Grand Lagoon, FL
Pineland, FL
Port Royal, SC
Lido Beach, NY
St. James City, FL
Bokeelia, FL
Shell Point, SC
Harkers Island, NC
Laurel Bay, SC
Mashpee Neck, MA
Buxton, NC
Akutan, AK
Grandy, NC
Cousins Island, ME
Wanchese, NC
Waves, NC
Burton, SC
Barataria, LA
Harbor Island, SC
Daufuskie Island, SC

These Budget-Friendly Island Towns Are Perfect for Families

Island living is something many of us can only dream about. Escaping to a slower, more peaceful life by the ocean seems ideal, far from the hustle, bustle, and noise of city life. And while this certainly sounds appealing island homes aren’t always budget-friendly, especially for families. But island life may be more affordable than you think, and your island dreams may be within reach.

To determine some of the best island towns for families, Moms Who Think reviewed five-year data on median household value and median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey. Island cities, towns, and census-designated places were ranked based on the ratio of median home value to median household income.

Island status was determined using Census TIGER/Line place boundary definitions for 2022 and shapefile data from the Global Island Explorer database developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in partnership with Esri. Whether you prefer the North Coast, West Coast, Gulf Coast, or South Coast, there's a location perfect for you and your family.

This post was updated on May 8, 2025, to include data for each area from Niche.com to make the information more relevant for families and parents.

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