Where is the Best City to Retire in Your State?
Everyone has a unique dream of retirement and choosing the right place for you is imperative. The best cities to retire in the USA are almost as diverse as each individual’s vision for their golden years. To help narrow it down, we named the best city to retire in every state Redfin operates. Rankings were determined by common factors that make a good retirement destination regardless of geographic location.
Walk Score: Cities with good walkability scored higher on our list because a high Walk Score® ranking is correlated with good health, sustainability, and civic engagement.
State and local (non-federal) income tax rate: Many people retire on a fixed income, so cities with low taxes were considered ideal in our ranking
Average daily temperature: Since many retirees prefer moderate-warm weather, we considered cities with a warm average daily temperature close to 75° to be desirable.
Percentage of 65+ households: It’s nice to have a community of people who are roughly the same age, and a higher 65+ population indicates the city is popular among retirees who already live there. The data is based on the percentage of households headed by someone age 65+.
Percentage of “accessible” homes for sale on Redfin: “Accessible listings” include features like ramps, parking spaces, and ADA-compliant bathrooms. We interpret accessibility as a measure of retiree-friendliness.
We didn’t consider home prices as they vary widely within and across states and “affordability” is subjective. Each category was weighted equally, and the city with the highest combined score across the above categories was chosen as the best place to retire in that state.
Of course, it’s up to you to decide which factors are most important for your retirement. Take a look at the results to see which city ranked highest in your state, explore the best cities to retire nationwide, and learn about what makes these cities particularly great places to retire.
