The 24 best places to retire in the US, where people are happier, taxes are lower, and life is relatively affordable
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- U.S. News and World Report released its annual list of the best places to retire in America.
- It scored 150 US cities on their happiness, affordability, taxes, healthcare, and more.
- Cities in the South and Midwest dominate, but some pricier metros residents love also made the list.
In 2020, as Daniel Mehalek started to think about life after his career in sales for Fortune 500 companies in the Chicago area, he bought a home in Bonita Springs, Florida.
Mehalek said that while homeowners', flood, and car insurance costs are higher in his chosen corner of the Sunshine State — north of Naples on Florida's west coast — other expenses, including taxes and gas, are lower than in Illinois.
Most of all, he added, he and his wife are excited about the nice weather and laid-back lifestyle.
"We thought that in retirement, one of the things that we, along with neighbors, do is go by the beach and watch the sunset," Mehalek told Business Insider earlier this year. "We wanted to have an area that is calm, relaxing, and going to be safe."
Mehalek made a popular choice. Naples, Florida, ranked No. 1 on U.S. News and World Report's new list of the best places to retire. The publication scored 150 large cities based on six factors: affordability, happiness, desirability, retiree taxes, job market, and healthcare quality. Most of the top 25 spots — including Virginia Beach, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Huntsville, Alabama — are in the South, a region that tends to have a lower cost of living.
In a departure from prior years' list methodologies, happiness was weighted the most, with affordability close behind.
"What we found this year is retirees seek a destination that will not only stretch their dollar, but is also a place for enjoyment," said Dawn Bradbury, assistant managing editor for real estate at U.S. News.
Prioritizing happiness means some more expensive places ranked higher on the list of best places to retire. Washington, DC, came in 12th, while San Francisco landed the 14th spot. New York City, which finished sixth last year, jumped up to third, getting a boost from its high scores in happiness, healthcare, and desirability.
Take Jim and Ellen Diamond, a retired couple in their 80s who were living in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, a suburb of New York City. They loved visiting so much that they decided to move there.
The Diamonds chose a luxury senior and assisted-living facility in Midtown Manhattan, swapping their four-bedroom house for a one-bedroom apartment. They were fine with giving up space because the city's convenience made this stage of their lives much easier.
"Being here has eliminated a lot of tasks, like having a car and having it repaired," Jim Diamond told Business Insider in 2023. "There are a few stores we can walk to and get groceries."
Below are the 24 best places to retire in the US, according to U.S. News and World Report. The data for each city comes from the most recent US Census Bureau statistics.
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Population: 97,372
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 22.4%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $318,900
Median gross rent: $1,322
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Population: 702,767
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 13.1%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $196,700
Median gross rent: $1,012
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Population: 755,078
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 12.8%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $879,900
Median gross rent: $1,945
Blue Poppy
Population: 286,075
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 12%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $363,800
Median gross rent: $1,405
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Population: 86,890
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 21.5%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $247,300
Median gross rent: $1,303
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Population: 245,021
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 21.4%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $292,900
Median gross rent: $1,684
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Population: 403,364
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 13%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $333,200
Median gross rent: $1,422
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Population: 53,724
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 20.2%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $248,100
Median gross rent: $1,150
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Population: 320,154
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 14.2%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $247,900
Median gross rent: $1,065
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Population: 103,395
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 13.7%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $113,800
Median gross rent: $935
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Population: 808,988
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 16.7%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $1,348,700
Median gross rent: $2,316
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Population: 155,369
Percent of the population 65 years and over: 16.3%
Median value of owner-occupied units: $438,900
Median gross rent: $1,517
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- Population: 678,972
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 12.6%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $705,000
- Median gross rent: $1,817
JamesBrey/Getty Images
- Population: 105,744
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 13.9%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $172,700
- Median gross rent: $864
Jacob Boomsma/iStock/Getty Images
- Population: 269,994
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 14.7%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $152,500
- Median gross rent: $904
Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)/Getty Images
- Population: 911,311
- Percent of the population 65 years and over:10.7%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $312,800
- Median gross rent: $1,399
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- Population: 225,564
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 16.2%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $236,300
- Median gross rent: $1,020
Edwin Remsberg/Getty Images
- Population: 985,843
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 14.4%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $243,000
- Median gross rent: $1,281
Kenny McCartney/Getty Images
- Population: 482,295
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 11.4%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $347,000
- Median gross rent: $1,371
CSNafzger/Shutterstock
- Population: 235,421
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 15.2%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $401,800
- Median gross rent: $1,223
Suncoast Aerials
- Population: 57,602
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 29.6%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: 372,000
- Median gross rent: $1,417
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- Population: 8,258,035
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 15.5%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $732,100
- Median gross rent: $1,714
Kyle Little
- Population: 453,649
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 15%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $343,700
- Median gross rent: $1,568
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- Population: 19,704
- Percent of the population 65 years and over: 54.6%
- Median value of owner-occupied units: $1,200,100
- Median gross rent: $1,601
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