One Of The Best Places For Retirees Is A Cute Town In North Carolina With A Boardwalk And Beaches

Many retirees love the idea of retiring to a coastal Carolina beach town, but they find themselves wondering if they can afford it. North Carolina waterfront towns can be expensive. There is an option within reach of many monthly retirement budgets in Sunset Beach, North Carolina that will not cost any more than other popular retirement spots further from the Carolina coast.

Sunset Beach is much smaller than nearby Wilmington, with a community feeling at a price point within reach of many retirees. The town offers a terrific boardwalk, numerous good beaches, and delicious seafood. For those who love the idea of an Irish pub doubling as a fish shack there is Fibber McGees. Sunset Beach has higher-class fare in The Boat Landing Restaurant with Intracoastal Waterway views and a dinner menu featuring catch-of-the-day fish tacos, shrimp po'boys, and fried oysters. Retirement here can be had for a cost of living of about $3,100 per month.

Sunset Beach delivers a beautiful North Carolina beachfront living experience. The beach itself is wide, flat, and famous for the shells and sand dollars that line the shore. The 900-foot-long Sunset Beach Pier provides an excellent place for fishing and taking in the sunset views. This pier boasts a restaurant, convenience store, and game room.

Walking or boating expeditions from Sunset Island to nearby Bird Island provide a natural retreat for retirees. The protected nature preserve island offers the chance to see many kinds of birds who inhabit the marshes, wetlands, and dunes. From May to August, Loggerhead turtles nest here and lay their eggs.

Outdoors activities abound in Sunset Beach. This includes three championship golf courses among the Sea Trail Golf Courses as well as the Tropical Adventure Mini Golf in neighboring Calabash. An open-air market opposite the Sunset Beach Pier provides the opportunity of shopping for locally produced crafts, art, jewelry, apparel, food, and fresh produce.

At first glance Sunset Beach seems like it might be an expensive place to live, but this is not really the case. With a population of only 4,600 residents, the median home listing price is $339,900. Retirees can live in Sunset Beach with a recommended yearly income (that includes housing) of $37,200 for an individual, Best Places reports.

This cost equates to $3,100 per month for a single individual, 35% less than the national average. The total cost of housing, utilities, food, transportation, taxes and healthcare ranks as 11.4% more than the North Carolina average, but far less than more expensive locales like California or New York. Because it's a small town, amenities are generally close by — saving the need (and the time) for long commutes. On the whole, this cute town an affordable choice where your wealth threshold does not have to be in the top 1% to live.