The top 10 coastal commuter spots

We Brits do like to be beside the seaside, and the draw of the coast continues to grow. Perhaps once relegated in our minds to images of deserted arcades, grubby fish and chip shops, or impossible-to-park-on promenades, coastal towns and villages are actually somewhere we want to live in and not just visit on holiday, even if we have to work elsewhere.

Our most recent Housing Futures survey indicates that the coast is the most desired location based on responses comparing where people currently live and where they said they wanted to live. For those aged over 35, only 4% live on the coast but a staggering 1 in 5 want to live there. For those between 18 and 35, only 2% can say they live beside the sea, but 8% say they wanted to.

Despite Nationwide’s House Price Index showing a 3.5% annual fall in house prices to June 2023, our research shows that the average house price in coastal towns has grown almost 14% from the 2021 peak to the first half of this year, outstripping growth nationally.

For Kate Eales, head of regional agency at Strutt & Parker, the softening of the second-home market in recent months has highlighted the resilience of thriving shore-side hotspots despite the economic backdrop and soaring mortgage rates. What emerges are coastal towns that benefit from full-time residents, including those who have made the move there while being able to commute to their place of work. But what about in winter? Kate says winters don’t put off coastal dwellers, “After that first winter when they’re walking their dog on the beach in the spring sunshine, they’ve well and truly fallen in love and rarely look back. It’s about making the most of those weeks before any holidaymakers descend.”

With hybrid working here to stay, we looked at the commutable coastal spots around the country to create a top 10 list. These locations are based on a number of factors, including affordability, commutability, community and year-round amenities.

This research first featured in The Telegraph.