Older adults aren’t just looking for the best place to stretch their dollar when considering relocating for retirement. They’re also looking for a safe place with access to quality healthcare, good weather and options for spending their leisure time.
That’s according to WalletHub, which compared the “retiree-friendliness” of 182 U.S. cities across 48 metrics, ranging from the cost of living to retired taxpayer friendliness to health infrastructure, for its Best & Worst States to Retire ranking.
Orlando, FL, scored the highest overall on the list. Charleston, SC; Scottsdale, AZ; Tampa, FL; and Minneapolis (No. 5) round out the top five list.
On the flip side, San Bernardino, CA, came in dead last in the rankings, with Newark, NJ; Bridgeport, CT; Spokane, WA; and Rancho Cucamonga, CA (No. 178), rounding out the bottom five.
For overall quality of life, the top cities were Fremont, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Honolulu; Madison, WI; and Glendale, CA. Cities scoring the worst in the quality of life category were Springfield, MO; Dover, DE; Indianapolis; Memphis, TN; and Wichita, KS.
Looking at lowest adjusted cost of living, Texas took the top three spots with Brownsville, Laredo and Amarillo, followed by Fort Smith, AR, and Huntington, WV. It was a six-way tie for the highest adjusted cost of living — New York; San Jose and San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and Honolulu and Pearl City, HI.
Ranked highest for healthcare were South Burlington, VT (No. 1); Burlington, VT: Sioux Falls, SD; Juneau, AK; and Columbia, MD.
Residents looking for a variety of options when it comes to recreation and senior centers will find a four-way tie for the top spot between Chicago, Philadelphia, Honolulu and Washington, D.C., with Los Angeles rounding out the top five. Alternatively, cities with the fewest recreation and senior centers were Madison, WI; North Las Vegas and Reno, NV; Gilbert, AZ; and Bakersfield, CA.
For older adults who value mingling with peers of the same age, cities with the highest percentage of population aged 65 and older were Scottsdale, ZA; Pearl City, HI; and Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie and Hialeah, FL. If mixing with a younger crowd is more appealing, check out Irving, TX; Fontana, CA; West Valley City, UT; Moreno Valley, CA; and Austin, TX.
Weather is a top priority for many retirees. Three California cities topped the list for best mild weather: Glendale, Riverside and Bakersfield. Scottsdale, AZ, and Henderson, NV, capped off the top five. States ranking worst for mild weather were Juneau, AK; Buffalo and Rochester, NY; and Warwick and Providence, RI.
Read more about the rankings and methodology here.
