In Tintagel, on the rugged coast of north Cornwall, 33 per cent work from home while in Porlock, Somerset and Hugh Town in the Isles of Scilly the proportion is 30 per cent.
Across England and Wales as a whole just over 10 per cent of the population work from home and in coastal towns as a whole, the proportion doing so is slightly lower than average.
But the study shows that within small seaside resorts and towns the proportion rises dramatically.
Tony Meakin, the mayor of Lynton, and his wife Linda, were drawn to the area when they moved back to the UK five years ago, after living in South Africa, because of the scenery and close community spirit.
He said the higher-than-average number of Bed and Breakfast establishments in the town boosted the number of people working from home but that the trend is reviving the fortunes of a range of other businesses.
The process likely to intensify after the arrival high-speed fibre optic broadband connections.
He said the Internet is undoubtedly boosting both traditional businesses such as builders or gardeners and enabling people to set up new ventures.
Although the area around Ilfracombe, just over 20 miles away, suffered economically from railway line closures in the Beeching cuts and the rise of package holidays, Lynton now has almost 80 per cent employment, well above the national average and one of the highest anywhere on the British coastline.
“If people were having to travel to get a job instead of being able to work from home I think we would have half the population here, in bad weather the journey is horrendous,” he said.
“So the Internet is having a huge impact.”
But as well as enabling existing residents to stay, the ability to work from home has also drawn new residents.
“I would guess that the majority of people who have moved here have come on holiday and just love the area,” he said.
“It is still traditional English village life with incredible community spirit.
“There are a lot of arty businesses here, pottery and people making silver jewellery, the old Methodist church has been turned into a craft centre, there are some beautiful things – those are all people working from home.”
Small coastal communities with highest proportions of home-workers:
Lynton, Devon (35 per cent)
Tintagel, Cornwall (33 per cent)
Porlock, Somerset (30 per cent)
Hugh Town, Isles of Scilly (30 per cent)
Southwold, Suffolk (29 per cent)
Overstrand, Norfolk (28 per cent)
Salcombe, Devon (28 per cent)
Charmouth, Dorset (27 per cent)
Rock, Cornwall (26 per cent)
Polperro, Cornwall (26 per cent)