10 best coastal cities in North America

Salt in the air, ferries on the commute, and a sea view from somewhere in your day.

Ranked by climate, cost of living, language access, safety, and lifestyle fit. Personalize this →

#1
New York, United States
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The city. Everything happens here, faster and pricier than anywhere else.
#2
San Francisco, United States
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Tech's hometown. Fog rolls in from the Pacific, and the highest salaries on earth roll in from the south.
#3
Los Angeles, United States
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Sprawl, sunshine, and the global capital of cinema. A car-dependent paradise — if you have a car.
#4
Seattle, United States
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Coffee, Amazon, Microsoft, and Mt. Rainier in the window. Grey winters that locals quietly love.
#5
Miami, United States
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Bilingual beach city. Latin energy, art deco, and a flood of crypto money in recent years.
#6
Boston, United States
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Old US city. Cobblestone streets, Harvard and MIT in the suburbs, brutal Atlantic winters.
#7
Toronto, Canada
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Canada's biggest city. Multicultural to the bone, lakeside, and the country's financial and tech engine.
#8
Vancouver, Canada
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Ocean on one side, mountains on the other. North America's most outdoor-friendly city.
#9
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
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Caribbean coast nomad hub. Cenotes, reefs, ruins, and 5th Avenue's endless taco strip.
#10
San Diego, United States
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Americas finest weather. Beaches, biotech, Mexican border twenty minutes south, perfect mild year-round.

New York, United States