Florida has long been the default answer for Americans chasing an affordable coastal retirement, but the maths increasingly don't work. Analysts cited by The Independent suggest households earning under $75,000 a year may struggle with Florida's home prices and cost of living. The quieter answer, argue some, sits on the Jersey Shore: Somers Point, a small city on Great Egg Harbor Bay, roughly 17 miles from Atlantic City.
The numbers are the main selling point. Cost-of-living data from Best Places puts Somers Point 6.1% below the US national average and 21.6% below the New Jersey state average, once housing, food, healthcare, taxes and transport are factored in. A single person can live comfortably on about $48,400 a year — a far lower bar than Florida's coastal towns.
It doesn't come at the cost of waterfront life. William Morrow Beach, in the historic downtown, is a lifeguarded bayfront swimming spot that hosts summer concerts and family events, with a fishing pier and picnic tables on the sand. The calm bay water suits kayaking and paddleboarding better than surf does. Anglers have plenty to keep them busy too: the bay and surrounding waters yield black sea bass, summer flounder, striped bass and more, with multiple local marinas and a boat ramp at John F. Kennedy Park. Anyone aged 16 or over needs a New Jersey fishing licence, available online.
Entertainment is a short drive away. Atlantic City, about 20 minutes up the coast, has ten large casino resorts, including the Borgata, plus big-name concerts, comedy and boxing at the Hard Rock, and spas and dining at Ocean Casino Resort — no gambling required. Ocean City's beaches and boardwalk are five minutes across the water, and Margate City, home to seafood spots and 'America's Oldest Roadside Attraction', is 15 minutes away.
There are honest caveats. This is still the Northeast: summers feel genuinely coastal, but winters are cold, windy and wet, unlike Florida's year-round warmth. Beyond the walkable waterfront, you'll need a car or public transit, though locals 62 and over qualify for New Jersey's Reduced Fare Program at half price. Atlantic City International Airport is a 20-minute drive for visiting family or your own trips.
For travellers, Somers Point works both as a retirement prospect and a cheaper, calmer base for a Jersey Shore holiday — beach days, fishing and bay sunsets, with Atlantic City's casinos an easy night out. Budget-minded travellers and retirees priced out of the Sunshine State will find the trade-off worth a look. — Islands