Are you a senior looking for a great small town to spend your golden years?
Recently, AARP announced the top 100 most livable communities in the United States as part of the 10th anniversary of its AARP Livability Index platform
This comprehensive web-based tool evaluates every neighborhood in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on services and amenities that enhance quality of life
The index ranks communities using more than 50 national data sources across seven categories:
- Housing
- Neighborhood
- Transportation
- Environment
- Health
- Engagement
- Opportunity
Here are the 24 most livable U.S. small towns for older Americans.
1. Great Neck Plaza, New York
Overall livability score: 73 out of 100
Population: 7,503
Great Neck is a vibrant Long Island community that blends suburban charm with cultural richness.
Located on a peninsula jutting into Long Island Sound, it offers stunning waterfront views and inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s setting for West Egg in “The Great Gatsby.”
2. Falls Church, Virginia (tie)
Overall livability score: 72 out of 100
Population: 14,593
Falls Church is a charming independent city in Northern Virginia that packs remarkable character into just over 2 square miles.
Tree-lined streets and a strong sense of community give Falls Church a small-town feel, while its location just outside Washington, D.C., provides easy access to a major metro.
2. Los Alamos, New Mexico (tie)
Overall livability score: 72 out of 100
Population: 13,471
Los Alamos holds a unique place in history as the birthplace of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project. Today, Los Alamos National Laboratory continues cutting-edge research, creating an intellectual atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
Perched atop mesas at over 7,000 feet, this town offers breathtaking views of the Jemez Mountains and Pajarito Plateau.
4. Plainview, Minnesota (tie)
Overall livability score: 71 out of 100
Population: 3,501
Plainview is a welcoming small town nestled in the bluffs of southeastern Minnesota’s picturesque Hiawatha Valley. It embodies classic Midwestern charm and tight-knit community spirit.
The town serves as a gateway to outdoor recreation, with nearby Whitewater State Park offering excellent hiking, trout fishing and wildlife viewing.
4. Russell Gardens, New York (tie)
Overall livability score: 71 out of 100
Population: 1,130
Russell Gardens is a hidden Long Island gem, a tiny incorporated village of just 45 acres in Nassau County. It offers an exclusive, park-like setting characterized by winding roads, mature trees and beautifully maintained homes.
The village maintains its own police force and strict zoning that preserves its residential tranquility and green character.
6. Tracy, Minnesota
Overall livability score: 70 out of 100
Population: 1,869
Tracy is a small town in southwestern Minnesota that embodies prairie spirit and agricultural heritage. This tight-knit community rallied remarkably after a devastating 1968 tornado that destroyed much of the town.
Today, Tracy serves as a regional hub for surrounding farms, with grain elevators dotting the horizon.
9 small towns tied for No. 7
All of these small towns earned a score of 69:
- University Gardens, New York: 3,986
- Pella, Iowa: 10,624
- Friendship Heights Village, Maryland: 3,991
- Aspen, Colorado: 6,862
- Marin City, California: 3,597
- Derwood, Maryland: 1,830
- Knoxville Iowa: 7,493
- Takoma Park, Maryland: 17,522
- Orange City, Iowa: 6,312
9 other high-ranking small towns
Here are some additional high-ranking small towns, all of which have scores of 68:
- Harmony, Minnesota: 1,089
- Kensington, Maryland: 2,248
- Salida, Colorado: 5,786
- Williston Park, New York: 7,508
- White Rock, New Mexico: 5,568
- Montpelier, Vermont: 8,038
- Baxter Estates, New York: 1,342
- Fairview, New Jersey: 14,920
- Great Neck Estates, New York
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