2021’s Best & Worst Places to Retire

Adam McCann, Financial WriterSep 7, 2021

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Sep 7, 2021

After putting in decades of hard work, we naturally expect to have financial security in our golden years. But not all Americans can look forward to a relaxing retirement. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2021 Retirement Confidence Survey, 7 in 10 workers reported feeling at least somewhat confident that they will have enough money to retire comfortably, but only 3 in 10 said they were “very confident.”

If so many American workers are worried about their financial future, what other options provide a pathway to a comfortable retirement? For some, the only solution is to keep working. According to Gallup polling, workers in 2020 planned to retire at age 66 on average, compared to age 60 in 1995. The alternative? Relocate to an area where you can stretch your dollar without sacrificing your lifestyle.

Retirement isn’t all about the money, though. Retirees want to live in a place where they enjoy safety and access to good healthcare, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ideal city will also have lots of ways to spend leisure time, along with good weather.

To help Americans plan an affordable retirement while maintaining the best quality of life, WalletHub compared the retiree-friendliness of more than 180 U.S. cities across 48 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the cost of living to retired taxpayer-friendliness to the state’s health infrastructure.

If you’re considering retiring out of state, make sure to check out WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States to Retire” ranking, too.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Best Retirement Cities

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Affordability	Activities	Quality of Life	Health Care
1	Orlando, FL	62.14	13	9	70	68
2	Charleston, SC	61.97	30	15	68	31
3	Scottsdale, AZ	60.58	20	32	2	81
4	Tampa, FL	60.38	38	8	69	88
5	Minneapolis, MN	59.98	135	2	50	11
6	Denver, CO	59.45	77	7	49	101
7	Cincinnati, OH	58.70	103	3	85	76
8	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.37	76	26	59	35
9	Miami, FL	58.05	72	12	105	55
10	Atlanta, GA	58.04	47	6	125	139
11	Columbia, SC	57.68	6	63	94	70
12	San Francisco, CA	57.10	159	4	40	26
13	Casper, WY	57.00	7	76	56	67
14	Tempe, AZ	56.67	20	103	27	98
15	St. Petersburg, FL	56.59	38	43	31	72
16	Pembroke Pines, FL	56.58	74	162	13	42
17	Wilmington, DE	56.50	69	22	170	15
18	Salt Lake City, UT	56.31	52	22	114	82
19	Honolulu, HI	55.95	166	5	3	78
20	San Diego, CA	55.54	138	10	12	79
21	Madison, WI	55.35	154	39	4	7
22	Boise, ID	55.28	70	58	23	50
23	Sioux Falls, SD	55.28	92	137	44	3
24	Cape Coral, FL	55.18	42	96	17	80
25	Dover, DE	55.01	18	83	181	43
26	Raleigh, NC	55.00	64	56	54	33
27	Missoula, MT	54.90	85	45	164	8
28	Bismarck, ND	54.87	93	148	21	14
29	St. Louis, MO	54.59	61	18	169	69
30	Tucson, AZ	54.56	44	37	62	131
31	New Orleans, LA	54.52	86	14	155	83
32	Washington, DC	54.31	162	1	60	75
33	Knoxville, TN	54.28	4	87	131	142
34	Port St. Lucie, FL	54.12	41	112	82	108
35	Pittsburgh, PA	54.04	136	27	45	18
36	West Valley City, UT	53.93	52	182	93	120
37	Las Cruces, NM	53.76	55	121	109	100
38	Las Vegas, NV	53.75	31	11	104	179
39	Birmingham, AL	53.60	9	38	173	109
40	Reno, NV	53.41	68	55	25	132
41	Jackson, MS	53.32	11	89	132	129
42	Los Angeles, CA	53.09	142	20	15	77
43	Fargo, ND	52.77	67	160	86	19
44	San Antonio, TX	52.77	88	28	117	110
45	Gilbert, AZ	52.46	20	144	35	96
46	Columbus, OH	52.37	98	60	55	46
47	Virginia Beach, VA	52.36	56	73	65	58
48	Charleston, WV	52.35	15	77	115	152
49	Nashville, TN	52.28	17	41	175	99
50	Grand Rapids, MI	52.23	107	66	47	65
51	Huntington, WV	52.19	8	158	124	160
52	Columbia, MD	52.15	145	107	20	5
53	Austin, TX	52.11	131	21	63	73
54	Colorado Springs, CO	52.05	43	65	43	136
55	Rapid City, SD	51.90	104	104	152	10
56	Nashua, NH	51.85	113	124	74	23
57	Tallahassee, FL	51.77	19	123	79	127
58	Portland, ME	51.57	170	25	29	20
59	Chandler, AZ	51.52	20	111	58	119
60	Glendale, CA	51.47	147	71	5	40
61	St. Paul, MN	51.45	137	33	83	21
62	Louisville, KY	51.31	96	49	75	93
63	Richmond, VA	51.27	62	31	145	158
63	Mobile, AL	51.27	3	138	147	155
65	Phoenix, AZ	51.09	20	85	67	140
66	Oklahoma City, OK	51.02	50	57	139	103
67	Jacksonville, FL	50.96	10	53	151	159
68	Mesa, AZ	50.88	20	102	78	134
69	Cedar Rapids, IA	50.86	134	146	24	12
70	Huntington Beach, CA	50.76	150	46	36	44
71	Durham, NC	50.71	54	133	107	13
72	Sacramento, CA	50.70	116	40	30	126
73	Hialeah, FL	50.63	72	140	33	86
74	Long Beach, CA	50.46	142	47	16	59
75	Baton Rouge, LA	50.45	37	29	153	174
76	Augusta, GA	50.45	14	176	95	162
77	Overland Park, KS	50.41	115	145	52	38
78	Peoria, AZ	50.16	20	173	84	147
79	Charlotte, NC	50.12	60	90	80	84
80	Seattle, WA	50.09	180	13	26	25
81	Chattanooga, TN	50.07	16	100	160	150
82	Portland, OR	50.06	169	17	92	37
83	Juneau, AK	49.96	125	50	168	4
84	Lincoln, NE	49.95	121	72	38	30
85	Cheyenne, WY	49.84	12	150	76	167
86	Irvine, CA	49.75	150	51	37	32
87	Akron, OH	49.60	102	84	101	60
88	Philadelphia, PA	49.56	157	30	42	74
89	Lexington-Fayette, KY	49.52	94	132	18	49
90	Nampa, ID	49.45	70	177	97	95
91	Moreno Valley, CA	49.18	100	178	103	105
92	Fort Smith, AR	49.13	1	156	157	156
93	Boston, MA	49.03	178	24	28	17
94	Billings, MT	49.01	51	117	162	71
95	Huntsville, AL	48.88	45	167	118	125
96	Laredo, TX	48.83	35	161	98	149
97	Garden Grove, CA	48.81	156	75	39	41
98	Cleveland, OH	48.81	99	34	161	121
99	Rochester, NY	48.66	144	36	112	53
100	Fort Worth, TX	48.65	106	60	48	143
101	Albuquerque, NM	48.64	97	42	148	118
102	Glendale, AZ	48.51	20	130	102	122
103	Santa Clarita, CA	48.41	147	99	9	94
104	Fort Wayne, IN	48.36	79	110	89	91
105	Tulsa, OK	48.33	46	95	144	85
106	Dallas, TX	48.29	130	35	116	106
107	Anaheim, CA	48.25	150	86	11	28
108	Kansas City, MO	48.17	84	62	158	89
109	Milwaukee, WI	48.17	122	48	149	51
110	Montgomery, AL	48.02	2	149	163	168
111	South Burlington, VT	47.97	172	116	126	1
112	New York, NY	47.89	182	16	10	48
113	Norfolk, VA	47.84	56	94	119	130
114	Lewiston, ME	47.83	128	153	41	45
115	Fremont, CA	47.76	159	125	1	27
116	Aurora, CO	47.75	77	118	111	61
117	Des Moines, IA	47.73	124	129	66	22
118	Fayetteville, NC	47.63	29	106	138	172
119	Buffalo, NY	47.49	129	59	91	63
120	Riverside, CA	47.46	108	126	61	64
121	Newport News, VA	47.34	56	155	108	145
122	Oakland, CA	47.11	159	44	120	29
123	El Paso, TX	47.10	65	122	64	148
124	Chesapeake, VA	47.08	56	165	51	146
125	Houston, TX	47.07	101	52	154	135
126	Manchester, NH	46.95	113	141	110	34
127	Amarillo, TX	46.92	81	134	123	154
128	Chicago, IL	46.81	174	19	129	66
129	Burlington, VT	46.79	172	69	136	2
130	Memphis, TN	46.78	5	80	179	173
131	Henderson, NV	46.66	31	131	7	181
132	Winston-Salem, NC	46.47	63	108	122	141
133	Oxnard, CA	46.39	126	135	53	144
134	New Haven, CT	46.36	165	88	143	6
135	Modesto, CA	46.27	82	181	87	157
136	Plano, TX	46.20	123	139	32	57
137	Omaha, NE	46.20	133	68	121	47
138	Shreveport, LA	46.14	36	164	133	163
139	Santa Ana, CA	46.14	150	70	71	56
140	Indianapolis, IN	46.12	90	67	180	87
141	Oceanside, CA	46.10	138	109	22	113
142	Grand Prairie, TX	45.96	117	170	34	133
143	Pearl City, HI	45.92	166	172	8	107
144	Brownsville, TX	45.52	28	180	77	178
145	Toledo, OH	45.36	80	136	130	111
146	Columbus, GA	45.30	34	152	142	175
147	Fresno, CA	45.09	75	147	140	124
148	Gulfport, MS	45.07	40	105	172	180
149	Santa Rosa, CA	44.91	168	120	14	115
150	San Jose, CA	44.90	158	101	6	112
151	Little Rock, AR	44.74	48	119	165	169
152	Providence, RI	44.62	163	74	106	61
153	Baltimore, MD	44.60	145	54	135	90
154	Ontario, CA	44.53	111	159	99	166
155	Worcester, MA	44.52	149	143	156	24
156	Greensboro, NC	44.49	49	127	174	128
157	Salem, OR	44.44	105	170	128	92
158	Springfield, MO	44.25	66	97	182	164
159	Lubbock, TX	43.85	89	114	167	138
160	Garland, TX	43.64	117	166	57	117
161	Yonkers, NY	43.64	181	92	46	9
162	Stockton, CA	43.38	95	157	150	137
163	Bakersfield, CA	43.35	83	151	137	161
164	Irving, TX	43.35	117	128	100	104
165	Aurora, IL	43.26	174	113	72	39
166	North Las Vegas, NV	43.19	31	168	90	182
167	Tacoma, WA	42.88	155	64	141	114
168	Chula Vista, CA	42.77	138	175	19	97
169	Corpus Christi, TX	42.51	91	82	146	176
170	Warwick, RI	42.13	163	163	96	52
171	Anchorage, AK	41.91	127	78	166	116
172	Fontana, CA	41.85	109	179	113	171
173	Arlington, TX	41.84	117	142	88	151
174	Jersey City, NJ	41.78	176	81	81	54
175	Detroit, MI	41.48	112	93	177	153
176	Vancouver, WA	41.26	177	98	127	36
177	Wichita, KS	40.56	110	91	178	165
178	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	40.54	132	169	73	170
179	Spokane, WA	40.23	141	115	159	123
180	Bridgeport, CT	39.34	179	154	134	16
181	Newark, NJ	38.53	171	79	171	102
182	San Bernardino, CA	37.55	87	174	176	177

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

artwork 2021 best cities to retire

Ask the Experts

People plan for retirement at various stages of their lives. But regardless of age, planning ahead can certainly help. To expand the discussion, we asked a panel of experts to share their advice on various factors that prospective retirees should consider as well as retirement-friendly measures for city leaders. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

What financial factors should retirees take into consideration when deciding where to retire?
What are some tips for living on a fixed income in retirement?
What is the biggest mistake that people make when planning their retirements?
What percentage of income should you aim to replace in retirement?
In planning for retirement, what life expectancy should the average person use to make sure they have saved enough?
How has the pandemic affected Americans’ retirement plans?
Should attracting more retirees be a priority for local government? If so, what should they do?

Ask the Experts

: Steven R. Applewhite
Ph.D. – Professor Emeritus of Social Work – University of Houston
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: Deborah Allen Hewitt
Clinical Professor Emerita of Economics & Finance – William & Mary's Raymond A. Mason School of Business
Read More

: Paul (Ted) Klontz
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Practice of Financial Psychology and Behavioral Finance, Heider College of Business – Creighton University
Read More

: Jason J Howell
Adjunct Faculty of Finance, School of Business – George Mason University
Read More

: Sita Nataraj Slavov
Professor of Public Policy, Schar School of Policy and Government - George Mason University
Read More

Methodology

To help Americans find the best cities to spend their golden years, WalletHub compared the retirement-friendliness of 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across four key dimensions: 1) Affordability, 2) Activities, 3) Quality of Life and 4) Health Care.

We evaluated those dimensions using 48 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. Data for metrics marked with two asterisks (**) were available at the state level only.

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. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

With cost being a significant factor in retirement, our analysis assumes retirees will rely on a fixed income. The lower their expenses, the better retirees will fare in a particular city.

Affordability – Total Points: 25

Adjusted Cost of Living: Triple Weight (~10.00 Points)
Taxpayer-Friendliness: Full** Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Tax Rates by State” ranking.
Retired Taxpayer-Friendliness: Full** Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric measures taxation on retirement income, property and purchases, as well as special tax breaks for seniors.
Tax-Friendliness on Estate or Inheritance Tax: Full** Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures where a state has or does not have inheritance tax.
Annual Cost of In-Home Services: Half Weight (~1.67 Points)
Annual Cost of Adult Day Health Care: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)

Activities – Total Points: 25

Recreation & Senior Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Fishing Facilities per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Public Golf Courses per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Note: This metric refers to public and municipal golf courses within 10 miles of city center.
Museums per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Theaters per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Art Galleries per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Book Clubs per Capita*: Half Weight (~1.19 Points)
Music Venues per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Bingo Halls per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Availability of Adult Volunteer Activities: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Recreation-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking.

Quality of Life – Total Points: 25

Share of Population Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Elderly-Friendly Labor Market: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Age-Friendly Community: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the “AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities” list.
Share of Population Aged 65 & Older Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Share of Population Aged 65 & Older Living Alone: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Walk Score: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Share of Population Aged 65 to 79 with Poor Transit Access: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Mild Weather: Double Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.
Caring Community: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Most Caring Cities in America” ranking.
Strength of Elder-Abuse Protections: Full** Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections” ranking.
Violent-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Property Crime Rate: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Air Quality: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Water Quality: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of drinking water violations from Community Water Systems per 100,000 Residents.

Health Care – Total Points: 25

Average Daily COVID-19 Deaths in the Past Week per Capita: Double Weight (~2.56 Points)
Average Daily COVID-19 Cases in the Past Week per Capita: Double Weight (~2.56 Points)
Percentage of Residents Who Are Fully Vaccinated: Double Weight (~2.56 Points)
Family Medicine Physicians per 10,000 Residents: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Gerontologists per 10,000 Residents Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Dentists per 10,000 Residents: Half Weight (~0.64 Points)
Nurses per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Physical Therapists per 10,000 Residents: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Number of Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors per 10,000 Residents: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Suicide Rate for Elders: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Health Care Facilities per Capita: Full** Weight (~1.28 Points)
Quality of Public Hospital System: Full** Weight (~1.28 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ ranking of public hospital systems.
Top-Rated Geriatrics Hospitals: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Share of Population Aged 65 & Older with a Disability: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Home-Care Facilities per Capita: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Life Expectancy: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)
Death Rate of Population Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~1.28 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Council for Community and Economic Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Trust For Public Land, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Charity Navigator, Transportation For America, U.S. News & World Report, Tax Foundation, Yelp, Meetup, Walk Score, AARP, GolfLink, Genworth Financial, The New York Times and WalletHub research.

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers (1 question)

Looks like a "higher" total score is good while for affordability, lower score is good. How about the health care score? Thank you

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