As the number of retirees in America swells, some places are seeing an influx of folks looking to settle down and enjoy their golden years.
Meanwhile, other cities are experiencing a steady exodus of those in the senior set.
Recently, SmartAsset analyzed data from the Census Bureau’s 2023 1-year American Community Survey to identify the cities gaining and losing the most residents aged 60 or older.
The publication looked at migration patterns for the nation’s 164 largest cities and ranked them based on net migration — meaning the number of people who moved into an area minus the number who moved out during a certain period of time.
SmartAsset notes that almost 1 million people aged 60 or older moved to a new state in 2023.
People usually think of Florida as the No. 1 destination for relocating retirees. And indeed, Florida and North Carolina remain the most popular states for retirees overall.
But the cities that are now emerging as hot spots for retirees are concentrated in the Southwest.
Here are the cities with the largest influx of retirees:
- Mesa, Arizona: Net gain of 2,044 residents aged 60 or older in 2023
- North Las Vegas, Nevada: 1,420
- Paradise, Nevada: 1,416
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 1,314
- Spring Valley, Nevada: 1,312
- Henderson, Nevada: 1,194
- Durham, North Carolina: 1,117
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: 1,054
- St. Petersburg, Florida: 981
- Scottsdale, Arizona: 904
- Eugene, Oregon: 829
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina: 746
- Meridian, Idaho: 681
- Pembroke Pines, Florida: 645
- Clarksville, Tennessee: 640
Some of the biggest cities in the United States made the list of places where retirees are fleeing in big numbers. The 10 cities losing the most older residents are:
- New York, New York: Net loss of 17,084 residents aged 60 or older in 2023
- Los Angeles, California: -3,187
- San Diego, California: -2,604
- District of Columbia: -2,434
- Denver, Colorado: -2,286
- Oakland, California: -2,016
- Arlington, Virginia: -1,703
- Chicago, Illinois: -1,699
- San Jose, California: -1,668
- Anchorage, Alaska: -1,413
Of course, it’s important to note that very large cities can be expected to lose more retirees than smaller places simply because more people live in the big metros. SmartAsset notes that relative to population, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is losing retirees at the fastest rate.
On the state level, California is losing the most retirees.
SmartAsset notes that while retirees may relocate for a number of reasons, many do so to find places that “better suit their budget, tax and lifestyle needs.”
To learn more about No. 1-ranked Mesa, Arizona, check out “10 of the Best Places to Retire in Arizona (From Tiny Towns to Tucson).”
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