The 40 most populated coastal towns in England and Wales have been ranked by a range of factors including quality of life, cost of living, number of walking trails and the percentage of the population aged over 65.
The new study by Compare the Market used a range of data sources to determine the rankings.
Sunderland was identified as the top seaside resort to retire to, offering a low cost of living and high quality of life. The North East city has more than 20% of its population aged over 65. Retirees can also enjoy a lower cost of living there than in any other town in the top 10, with average costs at just £468 per month (excluding rent), as well as one of the cheapest average house prices (£160,230). The seaside location also has one of the highest number of GPs per 10,000 people (20.7), and a very high quality of life score (74 out of 100).
The second-best location to retire to, based on this study is Bournemouth, followed by Clacton-on-Sea, Scarborough, and Bognor Regis. The full top 10 can be found in the table below.
| Rank | Location | Number of GPs (per 10,000 people) | Percent of population over 65 (%) | Average house price (£) | Quality of life score (out of 100) | Cost of living per month (excl. rent) | Number of easy walking trails | Average annual rainfall (mm) | Total score (out of 10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | 20.7 | 20.40% | £160,230 | 74 | £468 | 12 | 718 | 5.79 |
| 2 | Bournemouth | 17.7 | 21.40% | £414,267 | 84 | £544 | 8 | 798 | 5.76 |
| 3 | Clacton-on-Sea | 10.4 | 29.80% | £267,807 | 70 | £500 | 6 | 778 | 5.53 |
| 4 | Scarborough | 23.1 | 27.30% | £194,039 | 63 | £498 | 19 | 844 | 5.50 |
| 5 | Bognor Regis | 15.2 | 27.70% | £384,497 | 72 | £499 | 9 | 928 | 5.36 |
| 6 | Bexhill | 0.2 | 34.50% | £331,849 | 70 | £528 | 7 | 914 | 5.29 |
| 7 | Grimsby | 25.6 | 17.80% | £145,702 | 68 | £500 | 14 | 703 | 5.06 |
| 8 | Hartlepool | 22.6 | 19.60% | £141,182 | 71 | £527 | 9 | 766 | 5.05 |
| 9 | Southport | 15.5 | 25.70% | £245,953 | 72 | £500 | 18 | 1,324 | 5.00 |
| 10 | Worthing | 24.9 | 22.10% | £374,136 | 72 | £525 | 9 | 912 | 4.98 |
Scarborough did top the list for the number of "easy walking trails" and has has the second lowest monthly cost of living in the top ten. But out of the top ten overall locations Scarborough ranked worst for quality of life.
Compare the Market also ranked the 40 coastal towns according to average house prices and monthly cost of living to find the most affordable, revealing Blackpool as the winner. The average price of a house in Blackpool is a very reasonable £164,884, and the cost of living is just £431 per month for one person – lower than any other town.
Scarborough was ranked 10th using this metric.
|
Rank |
Location |
Population |
Avg. house price |
Cost of living per month (one person, excl. rent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Blackpool |
145,446 |
£164,884 |
£431 |
|
2 |
Sunderland |
175,021 |
£160,230 |
£468 |
|
3 |
Barry |
57,420 |
£211,406 |
£446 |
|
4 |
Grimsby |
88,565 |
£145,702 |
£500 |
|
5 |
South Shields |
76,658 |
£149,097 |
£499 |
|
6 |
Llanelli |
44,940 |
£160,981 |
£499 |
|
7 |
Swansea |
185,166 |
£204,245 |
£488 |
|
8 |
Hartlepool |
89,744 |
£141,182 |
£527 |
|
9 |
Birkenhead |
145,039 |
£183,957 |
£503 |
|
10 |
Scarborough |
61,892 |
£194,039 |
£498 |
Anna McEntee, life insurance expert at Compare the Market, comments on the research:
“Retirement is an exciting time to start a new chapter, and escaping to the perfect seaside town can make all the difference. After spending the majority of our adult lives working hard, most of us dedicate our later years to getting some much-needed rest and relaxation – which is why retiring by the coast is such an attractive option.
“Whether you want to spend your retirement exploring the great outdoors and soaking up sea views, or simply need a change of scenery, coastal towns like Sunderland and Bournemouth are ideal locations. We encourage anyone planning for retirement to consider some of these seaside spots and explore their options to find the perfect place to enjoy their golden years."
You can find the full research here: https://www.comparethemarket.com/life-insurance/content/best-seaside-locations-to-retire-to/
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