Are you edging toward retirement or already enjoying your golden years? Perhaps it’s time for an adventure in a new city.
Finance website WalletHub recently compared the retiree-friendliness of 182 American cities. Its researchers analyzed 45 data points across four dimensions: affordability, activities, quality of life and health care.
Here, we look at the top locations that this research finds have the best quality of life. When awarding points for quality of life, WalletHub looked at such factors as an “elder-friendly” labor market, the share of elders living alone and the share living in poverty.
Other factors on the list were crime, transportation, elder abuse protections, air and water quality, the walkability of a community and the weather.
Read on to learn which places ranked for the best quality of life for retirees.
10. Henderson, Nevada
Estimated population: 317,610 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 21.3%
If you want access to the big city without being directly in it, consider spending your golden years in Henderson: The city is just a half-hour from Las Vegas.
Retirees who want quieter entertainment will be glad to know that Henderson offers easy access to Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and more.
9. San Jose, California
Estimated population: 1,013,240 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 15.5%
San Jose combines the attractions of city life with the charm of mild Northern California weather. The city on the southern end of San Francisco Bay lies between the Diablo Range to the east and the Santa Cruz Mountains and Pacific Ocean to the west.
There’s plenty to do outdoors, plus good food and rich ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity.
It would be a perfect retirement spot except that the high cost of real estate in this Silicon Valley hotspot is a big obstacle, especially for retirees on a limited income. The average home price in San Jose is nearly $1.4 million, according to Zillow.
8. Glendale, California
Estimated population: 196,543 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 20.2%
If you are considering moving to Glendale, California, for retirement, be certain that you will be able to afford it. The cost of living in this Los Angeles County enclave is 66% higher than the national average, according to Payscale, which compiles compensation information.
Here, the average home price is about $1.2 million, real estate website Zillow finds.
7. Pearl City, Hawaii
Estimated population: 45,295 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 26.9%
Pearl City residents may feel like they have won the lottery thanks to the high quality of life in their town. Located on the north shore of Pearl Harbor, Pearl City is less than 30 minutes by car from Honolulu.
According to Millie, a relocation service catering to military families:
“Being in the center of the island, it’s in a prime position for commuting to any of the island’s military installations. Additionally, the 95 feet of elevation above sea level helps to catch the coveted, cooling breezes from the Windward Side.”
Living here is great, but there are downsides. Millie says that the town of about 45,000 can be clogged with commuter traffic. And Hawaii can be an expensive place to live.
6. Madison, Wisconsin
Estimated population: 269,840 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 13.7%
Seniors often enjoy living in college towns for their affordable campus activities and services that can enrich life for retirees.
Madison — home to the 50,000-student flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin — has that and more. Dane County offers a rich array of senior services meant to help elders stay independent and living in their homes.
A few examples:
- The county’s elder legal services program helps seniors navigate the welter of legal challenges and government services and programs affecting older people.
- The county has support and help for family caregivers.
- There are 28 locations where people 60 and older can socialize and eat a nutritious meal.
- Transportation services are available for rides to medical appointments, senior centers, dining sites and shopping.
5. Columbia, Maryland
Estimated population: 104,681 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 19.3%
Columbia, Maryland, has an intriguing history. Mall developer, banker and self-made millionaire James Rouse conceived it as a beautiful, perfectly sized city “that fostered economic, racial, and cultural harmony.”
Rouse developed the city in the mid-1960s as a series of villages, each with schools, libraries, hospitals and high-quality, traditionally designed homes and buildings, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Although not all of the idealism survived, “Columbia consistently ranks on lists of the best places to live in America,” the magazine notes.
Columbia is located northeast of Washington, D.C., and southwest of Baltimore. The average home price is around $515,000, according to Zillow.
4. Chandler, Arizona
Estimated population: 275,987 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 15.1%
Arizona is one of the states that doesn’t tax Social Security income, and it has low property tax rates — both appealing to retirees. Chandler offers abundant sunshine for outdoor activities, such as golfing and hiking.
It has a thriving restaurant scene and plenty of museums. Phoenix is about a 30-minute drive away.
Summer temperatures run hot, however. You’ll likely want to account for that along with AC costs in the hotter months.
3. Honolulu, Hawaii
Estimated population: 1,016,508 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 20.4%
WalletHub puts Hawaii’s capital among the cities with the highest cost of living. Honolulu is world-famous, however, for its wonderful quality of life. (The worst quality of life? This study says that’s in Dover, Delaware.)
Most places in Honolulu are within a manageable walk to a beach, says real estate website Movoto, lauding both the city and state of Hawaii for their relaxed attitude toward just about everything.
Honolulu’s food is varied, good and influenced by the many cultures here. Cooking at home? You’ll find farmers markets with fresh, local produce.
TheBus, the ubiquitous public transportation system, stops frequently in the city and covers most of the island of Oahu.
2. Fremont, California
Estimated population: 230,504 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 14.8%
WalletHub’s research ranks Fremont as one of the least affordable places for retirees — No. 171 out of 182 cities. But we’re talking about quality of life here, and this city excels in that category.
Fremont is on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay in a corridor known as the East Bay that stretches between San Jose and Oakland.
The Diablo Range of mountains lies just east of the city, offering hiking and natural beauty. And if you enjoy proximity to the big city, then San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco all are within easy reach.
1. Scottsdale, Arizona
Estimated population: 241,361 as of 2020
Share of the population age 65 and older: 28.0%
Golfers, take note: Scottsdale is home to more than 50 golf courses, and you can find over 40 more nearby.
This city just northeast of Phoenix is also the Cactus League home for baseball’s San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.
If the arts are more your style, check out comedy at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and contemporary and modern art at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.
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