24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Rising demand and limited supply have driven U.S. home prices up by nearly 4% so far in 2024.
- In many popular coastal areas, price increases have far exceeded the national average.
- In Texas, however, not all oceanfront housing markets align with the broader trend.
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Coastal communities are some of the most popular places to live in the United States. But while the U.S. has nearly 12,400 miles of coastline, more than all but seven other countries worldwide, the supply of available oceanfront real estate is inherently fixed.
Fewer than 8% of the more than 3,200 counties and county equivalents across the 50 states border an ocean, and over the last 50 years, these places have reported population growth of over 40 million, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. As of 2022, nearly 30% of the U.S. population lived in a county or parish that borders an ocean.
With rising demand and limited supply, many coastal communities are reporting skyrocketing home prices — a reflection of the nationwide housing shortage and ongoing affordability crisis.
Though home prices have fallen slightly in recent months, the housing market is still generally more expensive today than it was at the beginning of the year. According to data from Realtor.com, the typical American home was listed for $425,000 in September 2024, a $15,500, or 3.8%, increase from the median list price in January 2024.
In Texas, one of 23 U.S. states located along an ocean, home prices have climbed even faster than average. Among the 151,667 homes statewide that were on the market in September 2024, the median list price was $375,000, about 4.2% higher than in January. Notably, however, not all housing markets in coastal Texas have followed this trend.
Of the 250 counties in Texas with available housing market data, 16 border the Gulf of Mexico or an estuary. In some of these places, home prices have climbed by more than 15% in 2024. In other coastal counties, price increases have been far more modest — and in three, a typical home is cheaper now than it was at the beginning of the year. (Here is a look at the most affordable housing market in each state.)
It is important to note that median list prices vary between $218,475 to $429,113 in these counties as of September 2024, the most recent month of available data. And while some of these housing markets may be only modestly more expensive, or even cheaper, than they were at the beginning of the year, not all are necessarily affordable areas for a broad range of budgets. (Here is a look at the cities where most homes cost less than $125,000.)
These are the coastal counties in Texas where home prices have climbed or fallen the most in 2024. All 16 oceanfront counties in the state, with available data from Realtor.com, are ranked on the percent change in median list price from January to September 2024.
Why It Matters
In recent years, limited supply and rising demand have fueled a surge in home prices. This year alone, the list price of a typical American home has climbed by about 3.8%. In many popular coastal areas, the same supply and demand dynamics that led to the ongoing housing affordability crisis have been even more pronounced. In Texas, however, not all oceanfront housing markets have gotten more expensive in 2024.
16. Refugio County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +22.4% (+$43,850)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $196,050 ($163,895 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $239,900 ($135,100 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,649 square feet (365 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 34 (0.0% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 6,718
15. Kleberg County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +19.6% (+$35,850)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $182,625 ($177,320 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $218,475 ($156,525 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,590 square feet (424 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 93 (0.1% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 30,860
14. Jackson County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +17.1% (+$42,400)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $247,500 ($112,445 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $289,900 ($85,100 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,750 square feet (264 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 65 (0.0% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 15,010
13. Calhoun County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +14.0% (+$43,925)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $313,500 ($46,445 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $357,425 ($17,575 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,642 square feet (372 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 170 (0.1% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 20,127
12. Matagorda County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +9.7% (+$28,978)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $299,022 ($60,923 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $328,000 ($47,000 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,766 square feet (248 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 253 (0.2% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 36,251
11. Chambers County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +5.8% (+$21,870)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $376,125 ($16,180 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $397,995 ($22,995 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 2,345 square feet (331 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 384 (0.3% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 47,037
10. Victoria County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +4.6% (+$12,775)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $274,900 ($85,045 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $287,675 ($87,325 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,875 square feet (139 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 305 (0.2% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 91,209
9. Galveston County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +4.0% (+$16,000)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $399,000 ($39,055 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $415,000 ($40,000 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,717 square feet (297 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 3,652 (2.4% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 350,801
8. San Patricio County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +3.2% (+$9,053)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $280,897 ($79,048 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $289,950 ($85,050 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,763 square feet (251 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 417 (0.3% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 68,942
7. Nueces County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +2.2% (+$7,773)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $349,950 ($9,995 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $357,723 ($17,277 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,623 square feet (391 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 2,456 (1.6% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 353,245
6. Brazoria County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +2.0% (+$7,428)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $367,572 ($7,627 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $375,000 (in-line with statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 2,054 square feet (40 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 2,057 (1.4% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 374,600
5. Harris County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +1.4% (+$4,995)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $344,950 ($14,995 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $349,945 ($25,055 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 2,056 square feet (42 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 19,786 (13.0% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 4,726,177
4. Jefferson County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +0.6% (+$1,450)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $225,000 ($134,945 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $226,450 ($148,550 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,808 square feet (206 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 957 (0.6% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 254,942
3. Cameron County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -0.7% (-$2,100)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $307,850 ($52,095 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $305,750 ($69,250 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,643 square feet (371 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 1,862 (1.2% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 421,854
2. Aransas County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -2.4% (-$10,337)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $439,450 ($79,505 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $429,113 ($54,113 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,521 square feet (493 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 627 (0.4% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 24,048
1. Willacy County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -23.6% (-$72,552)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $307,500 ($52,445 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $234,948 ($140,052 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,611 square feet (403 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 54 (0.0% of all listed homes in Texas)
- Population: 20,308
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