UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#1. Amelia Island, FL
Median home value: $324,500
Your evening walks here will double as treasure hunts because the white sand beaches on this Atlantic Coast island are filled with shells and even shark’s teeth. Or perhaps you’d rather enjoy a happy hour in the historic city’s 50-block downtown? It’s your call.
Because Amelia Island is a popular tourist destination, there’s plenty of year-round entertainment that locals love, too, including a jazz festival in October; an annual book festival held each February and a shrimp festival in May that got its start in 1963 as a way to offer a blessing to the shrimp fleet. While not an actual prerequisite when moving to the island, you may want to learn how to play Pétanque, a lawn game similar to bocce that originated in France. The island hosts an annual Pétanque tournament in November, where players compete at the downtown marina. If you’d like to keep things more casual, no worries: you can find free pick-up games throughout the year.