Best Cities to Retire
There are many ways to rank the best cities to retire and many groups that take a stab at ranking them. There are many websites that offer a convenient grouping of various “best cities to retire” lists brought together from groups such as the AARP and CNN.
The way cities are ranked in these “Top” lists differs greatly, which is why it is first best to figure out what you want out of a city, then find a list that shows you a list of the specifications you are interested in. Best cities to retire in lists rank cities based on different qualitites:
- Air quality
- Nightlife
- Cost of living
- Accessibility to natural resources (parks, beaches, etc.)
- Family size
- Public transportation
- Demographics
- Employment rate
- Crime rate
There are some city ranking lists that base their rankings on multiple factors. These rankings seem to be viewed as the most reliable by seniors who want the best aspects of many factors.
Some widely known lists date from a year or two back, but even older “best places to retire” lists will help you think through what you’re looking for in your retirement city. The AARP offers guidebook-like overviews of the general “vibe” in addition to advantages and disadvantages of various cities – from volunteer and arts opportunities to sticky summers and bad public transit. Knowing what to look for in your place of retirement is an important first step in finding your perfect retirement house. Forbes focuses on the financial advantages and disadvantages of different cities, chronicling things like property tax and health care costs. Kiplinger’s concrete descriptions and retiree profiles give a vivid portrait of potential “best cities to retire in.”
All these lists can be helpful in answering the most important question about the best cities to retire: what kind of retirement do you want, and can you afford? As you investigate the best cities to retire in, be clear with yourself about your dreams and needs. Make sure you know what you are looking for before you get overwhelmed with Top 20 lists. A good piece of advice is to narrow down three cities that you think you will enjoy living in, then start researching them. Don’t just start by looking at cities in general; there is too much information and it can get very overwhelming.
The AARP quotes the Census Bureau as saying that fewer than 5 percent of people 55 and older move in any given year; most of those don’t go very far, almost half staying same county, and only 25% moving to a different state. After working your way through the various lists of “best city to retire” you may decide that there’s no place like home.
