Merriam-Webster defines a community as “the people with common interests living in a particular area.” Islands are one of the best settings for a community as the close-knit neighborhoods and towns form close bonds. The lure of island living is strong, and I took a closer look at the nicest island communities in the U.S.
One of my favorite TV shows is a British-French gem titled “Death in Paradise.” I mention it as it’s set on the fictional island of Saint-Marie in the Caribbean with an island community I want to be part of. The island’s residents are so close they could be considered more of a family than neighbors. It’s that type of community I long for and wish I lived in. The food, the music, and the people bring Saint-Marie to life. I’d love to move there.
For me, the best island community is one where residents are friendly, don’t intrude, and are always there to lend a helping hand when you need it. Seafood is abundant, fresh produce grows well in the soil, and everything you could ask for for services and shops are close by. Where in the U.S. could a person find this kind of island community? Where can you go to live where townspeople are close and life is idyllic?
Join me as I look at the nicest island towns, the communities that make them so enjoyable, and how much a home costs. (Any island town comes with hazards, and hurricanes are one of the biggest possibilities. Learn more about staying safe by reading “ 10 Hurricane Survival Tips Everyone Needs to Know .”)
To determine the nicest island communities to live, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year data on median home value from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey . Cities, towns, boroughs, villages, and Census-designated places located on islands were ranked based on median home value for all owner-occupied housing units. Island status was determined using Census TIGER/Line place boundary definitions for 2022 and shapefile data from the Global Island Explorer database developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in partnership with Esri.
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- Median home value: $609,100
- Median household income: $69,570
- Total population: 1,165
- Area: Whidbey Island
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- Median home value: $622,800
- Median household income: $81,330
- Total population: 25,087
- Area: Aquidneck Island
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- Median home value: $625,000
- Median household income: $63,542
- Total population: 144
- Area: Long Key
Source: Alexandre Beaslay / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $631,300
- Median household income: $125,974
- Total population: 34,734
- Area: Long Beach
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- Median home value: $644,600
- Median household income: $70,313
- Total population: 9,789
- Area: Vaca Key & Boot Key
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- Median home value: $652,800
- Median household income: $88,424
- Total population: 1,020
- Area: Folly Island
Source: Spencer McDonald / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $659,200
- Median household income: $72,379
- Total population: 1,076
- Area: Whidbey Island
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Travis Isaacs - Median home value: $662,900
- Median household income: $94,545
- Total population: 3,076
- Area: Longboat Key & Anna Maria
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- Median home value: $666,100
- Median household income: $143,913
- Total population: 4,072
- Area: Mullet Key
Source: Susan Vineyard / Getty Images
- Median home value: $667,800
- Median household income: $95,086
- Total population: 2,238
- Area: Cudjoe Key
Vashon Island (
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Julian Graham - Median home value: $675,000
- Median household income: $103,222
- Total population: 10,939
- Area: Vashon Island
Source: Stubblefield Photography / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $726,100
- Median household income: $172,857
- Total population: 2,615
- Area: Long Beach
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- Median home value: $732,100
- Median household income: $76,607
- Total population: 8,622,467
- Area: New York City
Source: Jorge Moro / Getty Images
- Median home value: $733,900
- Median household income: $65,313
- Total population: 2,367
- Area: Martha’s Vineyard
Source: Thomas Northcut / Photodisc via Getty Images
- Median home value: $757,900
- Median household income: $117,386
- Total population: 2,062
- Area: John’s Island
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- Median home value: $783,700
- Median household income: $57,212
- Total population: 1,521
- Area: Martha’s Vineyard
Source: Bilanol / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $813,500
- Median household income: $193,281
- Total population: 3,120
- Area: North Hutchinson Island
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- Median home value: $814,200
- Median household income: $80,828
- Total population: 26,078
- Area: Key West
Source: Jrossphoto / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $817,300
- Median household income: $142,757
- Total population: 1,767
- Area: Long Beach
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- Median home value: $828,800
- Median household income: $103,096
- Total population: 650
- Area: Vaca Key & Boot Key
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- Median home value: $840,600
- Median household income: $93,750
- Total population: 7,044
- Area: Lower Matecumbe Key
Source: Vito Palmisano / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $844,500
- Median household income: $111,683
- Total population: 6,420
- Area: Sanibel Island
Source: Derek Robertson / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $850,900
- Median household income: $95,208
- Total population: 995
- Area: Long Beach Island
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- Median home value: $858,100
- Median household income: $84,688
- Total population: 753
- Area: San Juan Island
Source: Agiorgio / Wikimedia Commons
- Median home value: $859,600
- Median household income: $156,795
- Total population: 1,321
- Area: Long Beach Island
Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons
- Median home value: $876,200
- Median household income: $104,386
- Total population: 1,110
- Area: Long Beach Island
Source: Andrew F. Kazmierski / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $884,000
- Median household income: $110,750
- Total population: 1,325
- Area: Long Beach Island
Source: marcsanchez / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $903,800
- Median household income: $157,566
- Total population: 3,644
- Area: Fox Island
Source: Thomas De Wever / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $909,700
- Median household income: $141,250
- Total population: 7,479
- Area: Longboat Key & Anna Maria
Source: Cwieders / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $921,900
- Median household income: $93,958
- Total population: 435
- Area: Long Beach Island
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- Median home value: $940,300
- Median household income: $98,902
- Total population: 2,564
- Area: Shelter Island
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- Median home value: $960,300
- Median household income: $104,183
- Total population: 2,250
- Area: Long Beach Island
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Peter Bond - Median home value: $967,200
- Median household income: $81,463
- Total population: 1,056
- Area: Shelter Island
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- Median home value: $978,100
- Median household income: $89,131
- Total population: 3,441
- Area: Santa Catalina Island
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- Median home value: $985,400
- Median household income: $151,290
- Total population: 24,681
- Area: Bainbridge Island
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Michael Seeley - Median home value: $991,300
- Median household income: $153,242
- Total population: 4,266
- Area: North Hutchinson Island
Anna Maria Island, FL (
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Marcus O. Bst - Median home value: $1,022,700
- Median household income: $93,478
- Total population: 825
- Area: Longboat Key & Anna Maria
Duck Key, Marathon, Florida Ke… (
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Attie Heunis - Median home value: $1,052,700
- Median household income: $124,063
- Total population: 731
- Area: Duck Key
Source: Julie Atkins / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,065,500
- Median household income: $160,417
- Total population: 4,347
- Area: Isle of Palms
Source: phillyskater / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,109,400
- Median household income: $110,815
- Total population: 1,061
- Area: Long Beach Island
Source: Nicholas Leung / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $1,138,200
- Median household income: $125,313
- Total population: 479
- Area: Long Beach Island
Source: Justin Colella / Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $1,171,900
- Median household income: N/A
- Total population: 137
- Area: Cape Cod
Source: OlegAlbinsky / E+ via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,182,100
- Median household income: $131,736
- Total population: 10,479
- Area: Nantucket Island
Source: Tetra Images / Tetra images via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,241,100
- Median household income: N/A
- Total population: 115
- Area: Nantucket Island
Source: lucky-photographer / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,331,900
- Median household income: $173,015
- Total population: 14,572
- Area: Key Biscayne
Source: KathyKafka / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,423,900
- Median household income: $214,250
- Total population: 2,130
- Area: John’s Island
Source: John Santoro / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $1,639,400
- Median household income: $103,487
- Total population: 318
- Area: Nantucket Island
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- Median home value: $1,708,300
- Median household income: $159,688
- Total population: 537
- Area: North Hutchinson Island
Source: Dale Fornoff / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $2,000,000+
- Median household income: $137,500
- Total population: 70
- Area: Cape Cod
Source: digidreamgrafix / iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $2,000,000+
- Median household income: $171,838
- Total population: 2,317
- Area: Sullivan’s Island
The post Sullivan’s Island Tops List of America’s Most Expensive Island Communities appeared first on 24/7 Tempo .
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