Best Places to Retire in Florida

Adam McCann, Financial WriterAug 21, 2019

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Aug 21, 2019

The dream of retiring on a sunny beach in Florida is alive and kicking. Despite 45 percent of workers expecting to retire past the age of 65, Florida is still the destination that comes to mind when Americans envision their golden years. And the reason is simple: Florida crosses off many items on a retiree’s wish list, starting with cheap living costs, one of the biggest considerations for older Americans who’ve stopped working and rely on a smaller income. And while Florida’s health care needs work in some areas, it does boast high marks in direct primary care and pharmaceutical access.

Beyond practical qualities, this Southern charmer is teeming with excitement. Here, retirees are likely to avoid boredom and burnout — common problems among this group — with a wide variety of choices for indoor and outdoor activities, coupled with volunteer opportunities and part- or full-time jobs. Throw in the wraparound coastline and foodie-worthy cuisine, and there will be nothing left to crave. Best of all, no one pays income tax, so every dollar goes a long way.

Florida’s unmatched status as a retirement paradise, however, doesn’t rub off on every one of its cities. To determine where retirees can look forward to living out their best years in the Sunshine State, WalletHub’s data crunchers compared more than 100 of its largest cities across 28 key indicators of retiree-friendliness. Our data set ranges from cost of living to health care facilities per capita to number of attractions. Read on for our findings, expert retirement insight and a full description of our methodology.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Best & Worst Places to Retire in Florida

Overall Rank (1=Best)	City	Total Score	‘Quality of Life’ Rank	‘Health Care’ Rank	‘Activities’ Rank
1	Sarasota, FL	72.68	11	1	1
2	Tampa, FL	64.14	26	10	2
3	Miami, FL	62.25	43	9	5
4	Boca Raton, FL	61.83	51	5	7
5	Key West, FL	61.80	20	51	3
6	Orlando, FL	60.50	35	19	4
7	Bradenton, FL	60.32	14	2	20
8	Fort Myers, FL	60.00	31	4	10
9	West Palm Beach, FL	57.02	93	6	9
10	Clearwater, FL	56.65	39	7	13
11	Fort Lauderdale, FL	56.52	63	31	6
12	Immokalee, FL	55.68	17	3	47
13	Winter Park, FL	54.50	24	8	22
14	St. Petersburg, FL	53.58	65	39	8
15	Delray Beach, FL	52.07	66	11	16
16	Bonita Springs, FL	51.25	2	23	41
17	Jupiter, FL	50.22	40	34	19
18	Coral Gables, FL	49.76	42	21	23
19	Pensacola, FL	49.03	23	81	18
20	Dunedin, FL	48.69	22	43	28
21	Cape Coral, FL	48.42	8	62	34
22	Hallandale Beach, FL	48.22	25	36	42
23	Boynton Beach, FL	48.22	86	12	27
24	Horizon West, FL	47.84	80	50	12
25	Tamarac, FL	47.61	12	40	91
26	Estero, FL	47.28	4	63	57
27	Ocala, FL	46.98	58	13	49
28	North Fort Myers, FL	46.73	1	64	78
29	North Port, FL	46.59	18	26	109
30	Gainesville, FL	45.88	6	59	75
31	Hialeah, FL	45.80	27	53	51
32	Valrico, FL	45.78	105	18	29
33	Wellington, FL	45.77	32	35	62
34	Temple Terrace, FL	45.66	46	32	61
35	Clermont, FL	45.49	16	58	73
36	Largo, FL	45.46	37	20	83
37	Palm Beach Gardens, FL	45.42	50	29	53
38	University Park, FL	45.38	104	28	26
39	Miami Beach, FL	45.28	115	75	11
40	Lake Worth, FL	45.27	109	27	24
41	New Smyrna Beach, FL	45.02	38	110	14
42	Melbourne, FL	45.01	94	25	30
43	Altamonte Springs, FL	44.83	29	22	107
44	Cutler Bay, FL	44.30	45	60	52
45	Kissimmee, FL	44.27	69	33	46
46	Fort Pierce, FL	44.22	49	78	33
47	Lauderdale Lakes, FL	44.17	73	52	39
48	Margate, FL	44.06	33	74	64
49	Town 'n' Country, FL	43.70	101	30	48
50	Greenacres, FL	43.67	97	44	37
51	Port Charlotte, FL	43.64	10	14	115
52	North Miami Beach, FL	43.61	79	15	89
53	Aventura, FL	43.48	64	42	80
54	Royal Palm Beach, FL	43.34	71	41	66
55	Riviera Beach, FL	43.25	108	80	17
56	Winter Haven, FL	43.17	7	101	82
57	Titusville, FL	43.16	47	55	69
58	Weston, FL	43.05	56	57	56
59	Hollywood, FL	42.80	70	49	50
60	Jacksonville, FL	42.74	30	109	25
60	Land O' Lakes, FL	42.74	74	37	95
62	Brandon, FL	42.71	98	24	67
63	Pinellas Park, FL	42.69	76	38	81
64	Daytona Beach, FL	42.68	84	107	15
65	Palm Coast, FL	42.59	15	90	87
66	Miami Lakes, FL	42.40	54	56	84
67	Rockledge, FL	42.34	21	76	97
68	Plant City, FL	42.17	106	17	74
69	Port St. Lucie, FL	42.14	5	91	114
70	Pembroke Pines, FL	42.08	60	61	72
71	Parkland, FL	42.06	83	54	54
72	Palm Harbor, FL	41.74	91	16	96
73	Oakland Park, FL	41.73	85	70	43
74	Apopka, FL	41.66	41	84	90
75	Ormond Beach, FL	41.64	36	108	31
76	Kendall, FL	41.51	61	67	70
77	North Lauderdale, FL	41.44	100	65	40
78	Tallahassee, FL	41.17	75	85	44
79	Sunrise, FL	41.07	55	82	79
80	Port Orange, FL	40.92	9	111	60
81	Lehigh Acres, FL	40.80	53	72	93
82	Cooper City, FL	40.80	78	98	35
83	Winter Springs, FL	40.73	13	104	108
84	Oakleaf Plantation, FL	40.68	77	86	68
85	Riverview, FL	40.61	96	45	88
86	Ocoee, FL	40.57	59	66	98
87	Pompano Beach, FL	40.43	111	73	36
88	Winter Garden, FL	40.39	48	100	65
89	Oviedo, FL	40.38	28	92	106
90	Panama City, FL	40.34	103	105	21
91	Lakeland, FL	40.17	19	113	45
92	Spring Hill, FL	40.13	57	69	101
93	Miramar, FL	39.92	107	89	38
94	Plantation, FL	39.67	90	48	104
95	Casselberry, FL	39.65	44	97	94
96	Merritt Island, FL	39.54	34	78	105
97	Miami Gardens, FL	39.52	89	93	55
98	Lauderhill, FL	39.33	95	88	58
99	Davie, FL	39.17	82	87	71
100	North Miami, FL	39.02	92	77	85
101	Coconut Creek, FL	38.86	52	95	99
102	DeLand, FL	38.67	87	106	32
103	Doral, FL	38.53	112	46	92
104	Sanford, FL	38.50	72	103	59
105	St. Cloud, FL	38.36	62	99	100
106	Deerfield Beach, FL	38.31	81	68	103
107	Homestead, FL	37.65	114	71	86
108	Dania Beach, FL	37.58	102	94	77
109	Wesley Chapel, FL	37.18	113	47	110
110	Coral Springs, FL	37.07	99	83	102
111	Palm Bay, FL	36.40	68	96	111
112	Navarre, FL	35.51	67	112	76
113	Fleming Island, FL	34.38	88	102	112
114	The Villages, FL	31.93	3	115	113
115	Deltona, FL	31.22	110	114	63

artwork 2019 best cities to retire in fl final

Ask the Experts

Florida has consistently ranked as the No. 1 retirement destination in America — and for good reason. To help other states emulate Florida’s success, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

Are retirees a drain on state and local budgets in Florida or do they pay more in taxes than they use in state and local services?
In choosing the best cities to retire in Florida, what are the top five indicators?
Are there lessons other states should learn from Florida in terms of attracting retirees?
What is the most important policy that Governor Ron DeSantis and other state and local policymakers should pursue to better meet the needs of retirees in Florida?

Ask the Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the most ideal places in Florida to retire, WalletHub’s analysts compared a sample of 115 cities in the state across three key dimensions: 1) Quality of Life, 2) Health and 3) Activities.

We evaluated those dimensions using 28 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for retirement. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), the square root of the population was used to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Quality of Life – Total Points: 33.33

Adjusted Cost of Living: Full Weight (~3.33)
Share of Population Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~3.33)
Share of Households with Severe Housing Problems: Full Weight (~3.33)
Note: This composite metric measures the percentage of households with at least one or more of the following housing problems:
- Housing unit lacks complete kitchen facilities;
- Housing unit lacks complete plumbing facilities;
- Household is severely overcrowded.
Discount Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.33)
Elderly-Friendly Labor Market: Full Weight (~3.33)
Note: This composite metric measures the following:
- Share of Workers Aged 65 & Older;
- Ratio of Part-Time to Full-Time Workers Aged 65 & Older.
Share of Commuters Who Use Public Transit: Full Weight (~3.33)
Violent-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~3.33)
Property-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~3.33)
Air Quality: Full Weight (~3.33)
Drinking-Water Violations: Full Weight (~3.33)

Health Care – Total Points: 33.33

Health Care Facilities per Capita: Full Weight (~4.76)
Home-Care Facilities per Capita: Full Weight (~4.76)
Family & General Physicians per 10,000 Residents: Full Weight (~4.76)
Dentists per 10,000 Residents: Full Weight (~4.76)
Nurses per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~4.76)
Life Expectancy: Full Weight (~4.76)
Death Rate for Population Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~4.76)

Activities – Total Points: 33.33

Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~3.03)
Note: “Attractions” include, for instance, zoos, museums and theaters.
Senior Centers per Capita: Full Weight (~3.03)
Fitness & Recreational Sports Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Golf Courses & Country Clubs per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Fishing Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Museums per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Theaters per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Art Galleries per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Music Venues per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.03)
Availability of Adult Volunteer Activities: Full Weight (~3.03)
Weather: Full Weight (~3.03)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Elder Affairs - State of Florida, United States Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Charity Navigator, AreaVibes and Wallethub research.

Image: sirtravelalot / Shutterstock.com

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