Deciding where to spend one’s golden years is a very personal and subjective decision, but there are criteria that make some U.S. cities objectively better for retirees than others.
With that in mind, researchers from personal finance site WalletHub studied more than 180 U.S. cities then ranked them according to metrics relating to quality of life, including health care services and recreational opportunities, for a new list of the best and worst places for retirees.
Given that many retirees live on fixed incomes and inflation is driving up the cost of living, affordability is a key metric to take into account when considering where to live out one’s golden years.
“A lot of retirees are living on fixed incomes, so the best states for retirees are taxpayer-friendly, and even have elder-friendly labor markets,” WalletHub’s Chip Lupo, author of the report on the best and worst places to retire, told CBS MoneyWatch.
Orlando, Florida, earned top marks on the tax front, landing it in the No.1 spot. Although the cost of living there is on the higher side, it’s a tax-friendly city located in a state with no estate, inheritance or income taxes. Half of the top 10 best cities on WalletHub’s list are in Florida, which has long been a popular state for retirees.
Homemaker and adult health care services in Orlando are also relatively affordable, according to Lupo, and the city offers older Americans access to top-notch health care services.
Orlando also gives seniors abundant opportunities for recreation, including music venues, fishing facilities, arts venues and volunteer activities, according to the ranking.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, took third place on the list, sandwiched between Miami and Tampa, Florida.
Minneapolis earned high marks for its plentiful opportunities for retirees to pick up paid work both for added income, and as a way to build community.
“It has a very strong, elder-friendly labor market, whether you want to work to supplement your income or to have something to do after you retire,” Lupo said. “Some people have to keep doing something to stay busy or as social network to get out there and mingle.”
Indeed, about half of middle-income Americans who are currently employed say they expect to work past age 65, according to a study from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and the Transamerica Institute.
Six of the 10 worst states in which to retire are located in California, according to WalletHub. With few senior-friendly activities and community centers, they all received low rankings in recreational opportunities. They were also dinged for their lack of access to high quality, affordable health care.
Best cities to retire
- Orlando, Fla.
- Miami, Fla.
- Minneapolis, Minn.
- Tampa, Fla.
- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Casper, Wyo.
- Atlanta, Ga.
Worst cities to retire
- San Bernardino, Calif.
- Stockton, Calif.
- Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Newark, N.J.
- Detroit, Mich.
- Fresno, Calif.
- Bridgeport, Conn.
- Wichita, Kan.
- Fontana, Calif.
