One Of America's Most Affordable Beach Towns Is A Hidden New England Destination Perfect For Retirement

Imagine waking up to the sound of gulls and the sight of sailboats gliding across Nantucket Sound. In West Dennis, Massachusetts, mornings can begin with a stroll along the mile-long West Dennis Beach, where the sand is soft, the waves gentle, and the parking lot runs close to the beach for easy access. Retiring to a beach town appeals to many people looking for an easy, uncrowded, active way of life. Florida and Arizona are well-known retirement destinations, but they're not for everyone. You might think that a Cape Cod beach town is out of reach financially, but West Dennis has been ranked by FinanceBuzz as one of America's most affordable beach towns, with average rents well below the national coastal norm and home values lower than in many other waterfront communities.

Located in the Mid-Cape area, West Dennis uses the marketing tagline "Fun from the Bay to the Sound" referring to its spot between Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound at the bicep of the curled arm of Cape Cod, which juts into the Atlantic Ocean. The town is just 8 miles from Hyannis, where Cape Cod Gateway Airport is served by JetBlue, American, and Cape Air, and offers four rental car agencies. The underrated coastal town of Brewster is also 8 miles away, and 20 miles to the northeast in Eastham on the Outer Cape, Coast Guard Beach is consistently voted one of America's best beaches. The nearest big city is Boston, about an hour and a half from West Dennis with no traffic.

West Dennis marks the beginning of the quieter, less commercial part of Cape Cod, where you'll find stately sea captains' homes, weathered summer cottages, and two historic districts. Its population is about 2,600, nearly 40% of whom are 65 or older, creating an active community of retirees. The Dennis Center for Active Living offers everything from Zumba to ballroom dancing, billiards, and bridge, making it easy to connect and stay social. Other ways to be active include beach walks and swimming, cycling on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, or teeing off at two local golf courses and many more nearby. Other appealing amenities include town pickleball courts, a senior softball league, free and reduced public transportation, and excellent health care options. Residents can also pick their own blueberries at town patches and tend a community garden plot. With a median household income higher than the U.S. average — $93,958, according to Niche.com — the town is both stable and comfortable, and crime is basically non-existent. 

The average American couple receives about $3,100 a month in Social Security, which makes the average rent of $1,100 in West Dennis affordable. The average home value is $697,000, but there are more affordable options, with a median list price of $277,500, per the National Association of Realtors. For seniors who don't love searing temperatures but also don't fancy shoveling a driveway, West Dennis is a good choice. About 46% of the year, temperatures dip under 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's rare for the ground to be covered in snow.

The Dennis area also appeals to people who appreciate culture. The Cape Cod Center for the Arts is a campus that includes the Cape Cod Museum of Art, Cape Cinema, and the Cape Playhouse. The museum exhibits works by regional artists, the movie theater is an Art Deco gem, and the Playhouse –- whose tag line is "Where Broadway Goes to Summer Since 1927" – presents favorites like "Come from Away" and "Rent." The arts center is on historic and scenic Route 6A, a short stroll from the restaurants and shops in Dennis Village. If you're up for climbing winding stairs, the 30-foot Scargo Tower, built on the area's highest hill, offers an observation area with fabulous views.

For places to stay, a Tripadvisor bestseller is GuestLodge, at $84 a night as of this writing, and Pelham on Main is a 27-room property with a pool for around $200. Neither is on the water, but the latter is the sister property of the beachfront Pelham House Resort, where prices run more than $400. In the Yarmouth area, across the Bass River and 2 miles from West Dennis Beach, Ocean Club on Smuggler's Beach has 595 Tripadvisor reviews and a 4.5-star rating. It features an indoor pool in a sunlit atrium and nightly rates of around $183. While in the West Dennis area, take the advice of an insider and check off the best things to do on Cape Cod, too.