This Brunswick spot is listed among 10 most affordable beach towns in the US
A Brunswick County town near the South Carolina line, which recently was named one of the country's best beach towns, can boast another ranking.
Realtor.com has named Sunset Beach as one of America’s 10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Homebuyers in 2024. It came in seventh with a median list price of $340,000. Nearby Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is fifth at $299,500.
Pascagoula, Mississippi, topped the list with a median price of $164,900.
Originally named “Bald Beach,” Sunset Beach got its more attractive current name in the 1950s, from a developer who was impressed by the sunset views from the southeast-facing barrier island, according to Realtor.com.
The town of Sunset Beach encompasses both a mainland and an island, which began in 1955 a year after Hurricane Hazel struck the surrounding area. Mannon C. Gore purchased Bald Beach from the Brooks family, Gore was impressed by the beautiful sunsets and renamed the island Sunset Beach.
According to Realtor.com, most of the homes sitting directly on the sandy shore of Sunset Beach run upward of $1 million. But a short drive of a few minutes inland opens up a range of attainably priced single-family homes, and a number of condominium complexes.
Attractions in Sunset Beach include the Ingram Planetarium and a fishing pier. On Bird Island, hikers can enjoy the undeveloped nature preserve. The island is home to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox, a local oddity where passersby can leave their thoughts. The mysterious seaside mailbox was the inspiration for the Nicholas Spark novel “Every Breath,” according to Realtor.com.
Frank Nesmith and a former girlfriend placed the original "Kindred Spirit" mailbox in a remote location more than 35 years ago. They left a notebook inside, hoping people would leave messages. But they never dreamed it would be so successful.
Realtor.com rated coastal cities and towns by median list prices in March 2024 for single-family homes including condominiums but excluding mobile homes. To make the final list, the beach towns had to include a sandy, public-access ocean beach within the city limits. Cities on the coastline of estuaries, such as inland bays and sounds, were excluded. To ensure geographic diversity, Realtor.com included only one beach town per state in the top 10 rankings, excluding second or third entries from states already listed.
The other beach towns and their median list price:
Pascagoula, Mississippi, $164,900
Atlantic City, New Jersey, $239,000
Deerfield Beach, Florida, $239,950
Dennis Port, Massachusetts, $277,500
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, $299,500
Corpus Christi, Texas, $315,000
Grand Isle, Louisiana, $375,000
Newport, Oregon, $399,950
Ocean Shores, Washington, $425,000
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Realtor.com lists Sunset Beach, NC, among most affordable beach towns