… Westport.
No, not the one in Massachusetts. Or Washington state.
Yes, the one in Connecticut.
That’s not me talking.
It’s not the Westport (and Weston) Chamber of Commerce.
It’s WNBC. Channel 4.
Before you go all #FakeNews, read what the tri-state TV station had to say:
If you want beachfront property with oceans views, forget Florida or Hawaii — try Westport, Connecticut instead.
Yes, Westport.
The affluent Connecticut town actually ranks as the most affordable ocean-facing beach town in America, according to a new WalletHub survey released Wednesday.
This is the photo WNBC used to illustrate its story on Westport’s spectacular beach town ranking score. Based on the waves, it was not taken anywhere near Compo Beach.
The study compared 161 ocean-adjacent cities in 6 different categories, and Westport ranked 1st for affordability (calculated primarily by housing costs, household income and property taxes).
It also ranked 1st for education and health, which was based on the quality of the school system and local hospitals.
Overall the town ranked 9th, making it the only Top 10 city not located in California, Florida or Hawaii.
WNBC did not provide a link to the survey — unless you clicked on the one labeled “America’s Worst Ocean Beach Town To Live In Is In NY,”* which (with 1 more click) did lead to “Best Ocean Beach Towns.”
In addition to learning that we live on “the ocean,” the survey shows that our #9 score lands us just above Key West (!) in the overall rankings that combine affordability, weather, safety and economy.
But we are indeed the most affordable beach town — #1, Numero Uno, the Big Kahuna** — on the affordability index.
A typical home in the very affordable beach town of Westport. It was listed at a mere $8,850,000.
We lose points for the weather (duh). Perhaps that’s why we trail (in order, from #8 to #1) Kihei, Hawaii; Boca Raton, Florida; Santa Monica, California; St. Augustine Florida; Mill Valley, California; Sarasota, Florida; Naples, Florida, and the absolute bestest beach town in the entire USA, Lahaina, Hawaii.
Yeah, yeah. I know. Mill Valley is even less on “the ocean” than we are.
But who you gonna believe: National Geographic or WalletHub?
(Click here for the full survey. Then print it out and save it, for the next town budget discussion.)
*It’s Shirley, Long Island
**Appropriate, considering that 2 of the Top 10 Beach Towns are in Hawaii.
We do lose points for weather. (Photo/Samuel Wang)
(Hat tips: Rick Leonard and Hedi Lieberman)
Well, this gives us an whole new perspective in the affordable housing debate!
Nice, but Long Island Sound is not the Ocean!
Yes, I pointed that out a couple of times in my story.
If Westport is “affordable,” what would you call towns with generally lower-priced housing, such as: Fairfield, Norwalk, Stratford, those on the shoreline and, gasp — Bridgeport! Of course, Norwalk, Stratford and Bridgeport are cities, not “towns.”
What a hoot. For a while there I thought it was your April Fool’s Day post off schedule, Dan. Maybe they confused “Westport” with “West Palm.”
Laughable, especially when not a single town in beautiful Oregon rates.
Like polls, surveys are largely disingenuous/subjective bunk.
Loved this one Dan. Way to go! ❤️. Mike
Sent from my iPhone
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This study is about as delusional as they come.
Forward to Joe!
Absolute bullshit…most LIVABLE, perhaps. Most affordable is so easily disproven that it’s not worth the effort.