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Three Florida cities are ranked among the top five best cities to retire in 2025 and beyond, according to a recent study by personal finance site WalletHub.
The analysis, released Sept. 2, ranked more than 180 cities on 45 metrics across four broad areas: affordability, activities, quality of life, and health care. The report draws on dozens of data sources, including the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to WalletHub, the top five cities for retirees are:
- Orlando, Florida
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- minneapolis
- miami
- tampa, florida
The list more or less tracks conventional wisdom about where Americans go in retirement: Florida and Arizona.
“My instincts would be to go to Florida. It’s warm and there’s things to do,” said Chip Lupo, a writer and analyst at WalletHub. Orlando, Miami and Tampa are also “very retirement friendly from a tax standpoint,” he said.
The complete analysis covers 182 cities, including the 150 largest cities in the United States and at least two of the most populous cities in each state.
Of course, each retirement location has its advantages and disadvantages.
Casper, Wyoming ranks as the least expensive city in the United States, but scores low for quality of life. San Francisco ranks number one in the nation for things to do for retirees, but it’s relatively unaffordable. Scottsdale ranks high for overall quality of life, but low for affordability. Missoula, Montana ranks number one for its health care system but ranks last for quality of life.
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Here are some other notable high points from the WalletHub report.
- Washington, D.C. ranks first in the nation for museums per capita, and San Francisco ranks second.
- Scottsdale has the highest percentage of people 65 and older in the nation, followed by Pearl City, Hawaii.
- Glendale and Riverside, California are ranked #1 and #2 in the nation for “mild” climates.
- Charleston, South Carolina, has the most fishing facilities per capita, followed by Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
- Chicago has the most recreational and senior centers per capita. Second place is Honolulu.
Retirement is not just about money. Retirees should consider living in a city where they can lead an active lifestyle, have access to good health care and enjoy the climate, the report said. That may require some planning.
“One of the biggest mistakes older workers make is believing that their retirement is so far away that they don’t need to plan for it,” Phyllis Moen, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Minnesota and Cornell University, said in the report. “Planning should consider lifestyle as well as financial considerations.”
15 Best Retirement Cities in America
According to WalletHub, the 15 best places to retire in America in 2025 are:
- Orlando, Florida. A tax-friendly city in a tax-friendly state, Orlando is ranked as the best place to retire in the nation. Florida has no inheritance, inheritance, or income taxes. Orlando isn’t the cheapest city, but it ranks third in the nation when it comes to recreation.
- Scottsdale, Arizona. This Phoenix suburb ranks high for adult volunteer work, art galleries, and golf courses per capita. Arizona, like Florida, is a tax-friendly state. Scottsdale also ranks fourth in the nation for its “mild” climate, although it can get hot at times.
- Minneapolis. Home to America’s third-highest retirement status, this region has one of the nation’s most senior-friendly job markets. The city is considered a retirement-friendly environment and has a top-ranked hospital system.
- Miami. Known for its mild climate, Miami is ranked 5th in the United States for most activities. Like Orlando, Miami has no estate, inheritance, or income taxes.
- Tampa, Florida. Another tax-friendly city, Tampa ranks highly for senior activities and overall quality of life.
- Atlanta. The city ranks 4th in the nation for activities for seniors. It also ranks high in healthcare.
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ranked 14th in the nation in activities for seniors. It also ranks high in healthcare.
- Cincinnati. Ranked 3rd in Japan for activities for seniors. It also has a well-developed medical system.
- Madison, Wisconsin. This college town ranks 6th in the nation for quality of life and 8th for health care.
- Casper, Wyoming. According to WalletHub, Casper is America’s most affordable city for retirees.
- Las Vegas. Ranked #6 in the nation for senior activities and #13 for affordability.
- St. Petersburg, Florida. Ranked highly for activities, quality of life, and affordability.
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ranked 3rd in the nation in the medical field. It also ranks high for its affordable price.
- Pittsburgh. WalletHub rates Pittsburgh as having relatively strong health care and a wealth of retirement activities.
- Wilmington, Delaware. Ranked nationally for health care and senior activities.
