The Towns On The Gulf Coast Where Retirees Are Actually Moving To

Six in ten people in Venice, Florida are already past 65, and the retirees still showing up are picky about where they land. Census figures from 2020 through 2024 keep pointing to the same handful of towns down the Gulf Coast, from Florida into Alabama and Mississippi. The gaps between them are bigger than you’d think. A typical house in Fairhope runs about $168,000 more than one an hour inland in Foley. These are the six towns, and what the money actually buys once you’re there.

Venice, Florida

Venice puts a Gulf beach at the western end of its downtown avenue, close enough to combine shopping with a walk beside the water. Centennial Park adds free outdoor concerts, and the paved Venetian Waterway Park follows the Intracoastal Waterway for walking and cycling.

The 2020 through 2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates identified about 820 residents aged 65 or older who had lived in another state a year earlier. People aged 65 and older make up roughly 61 percent of the population. Zillow's September 2026 typical home value was about $380,000. Location changes that budget considerably: its estimate for The Island neighborhood was roughly $516,000. Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice provides full-service hospital care on Laurel Road near Interstate 75, away from the beachside downtown.

Englewood, Florida

Dearborn Street supplies Englewood with a small downtown of restaurants and shops on the mainland. At nearby Lemon Bay Park, paths and benches overlook the bay, with a kayak launch providing access to the water. Indian Mound Park has another boat ramp, while Englewood Beach lies across the water on Manasota Key.

This puts Gulf beach access within reach at a lower typical housing cost than neighboring Venice. Zillow placed Englewood's typical home value near $324,000 in September 2026, approximately $57,000 below Venice. The Census estimates put arrivals aged 65 or older from other states at about 510, each having moved within the previous year.

HCA Florida Englewood Hospital provides local emergency care. Sarasota County's Breeze OnDemand serves a defined Venice/Englewood zone, so its coverage map matters when choosing an address in this two-county community.

Punta Gorda, Florida

Punta Gorda shifts the waterfront routine toward Charlotte Harbor. The city's 2.5-mile Harborwalk connects shoreline parks with Fishermen's Village, putting long waterside walks alongside places to eat. Ponce de Leon Park adds a fishing pier beside its boat ramp. On Sundays, the farmers market at History Park provides another regular outing away from the harborfront. The Census estimates identify about 270 residents aged 65 or older who had moved from another state within the previous year.

With a September 2026 typical home value around $335,000, Punta Gorda sits much closer to Englewood's price level than Venice's. Healthcare requires a more careful look. The former ShorePoint hospital in Punta Gorda permanently closed after damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. AdventHealth Port Charlotte operates across the Peace River. Anyone considering a canal-front home should test that hospital journey alongside the drive to groceries, especially if crossing the river would become a frequent necessity.

Foley, Alabama

Foley makes a practical trade: live inland and drive south when a beach day is worth the trip. Graham Creek Nature Preserve has a kayak launch with a floating dock, plus rustic walking trails. The Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market gives residents a place to shop for local food, while Heritage Park hosts downtown events. Baldwin Health's hospital is in Foley, providing inpatient and emergency care.

Around 270 residents aged 65 or older had arrived from another state within the previous year, according to the 2020 through 2024 Census estimates. The September 2026 typical home value was about $303,000, below the three Florida communities above. BRATS offers bookable public transportation in Baldwin County. Beach-bound traffic on Alabama Highway 59 is worth experiencing before committing to a neighborhood along that corridor.

Fairhope, Alabama

Fairhope's municipal pier reaches into Mobile Bay below downtown, beside a rose garden and shoreline paths. The bayfront is part of town here, while Foley's Gulf beach trips require a drive south. Fairhope's Arts and Crafts Festival fills downtown streets each spring, extending a year-round interest in galleries and local shops. The James P. Nix Senior Center provides rooms for card games and crafts, giving newcomers another place to meet people.

About 250 residents aged 65 or older had moved in from another state within the preceding year in the Census estimates. Housing costs considerably more than in Foley: Zillow's September 2026 typical value was approximately $471,000, a difference of about $168,000. Thomas Hospital stands on Morphy Avenue within Fairhope and provides cardiac rehabilitation as well as emergency care.

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

At the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, the adjoining Ocean Springs Community Center contains 3,000 square feet of the artist's murals. Nearby Shearwater Pottery continues the family's ceramic tradition, with pieces available in its showroom. Art is a year-round reason to spend time downtown, alongside the annual Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival.

This Mississippi town also has a much lower typical home value than Fairhope: about $273,000 in September 2026, almost $198,000 less. Census estimates put its interstate newcomers aged 65 or older at roughly 90, each having arrived within the preceding year.

Ocean Springs Hospital supplies local hospital and emergency services. Coast Transit Authority's Route 7 connects downtown with shopping farther across town, including Walmart. Its published schedule has no Sunday service, so residents relying on the bus need another arrangement that day.

Even within Venice, choosing a neighborhood can change the housing calculation by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Zillow's September 2026 typical value for East Venice Avenue was about $279,000, compared with roughly $516,000 for The Island. That difference exceeds the gap between Foley and Fairhope. A buyer comparing Venice with nearby Englewood therefore has another comparison to make inside Venice itself. Moving closer to the water also means comparing insurance costs for the specific property. This applies to homes near Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbor. Most homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, so the purchase budget needs an address-specific insurance quote. Compare coverage and deductibles alongside any homeowners association charges, and check the property's evacuation zone before committing to a waterfront address.