The 11 best cities in the US to retire and only 1 is in Florida
Noah Sheidlower,Kelsey Neubauer
- U.S. News and World Report released its latest list of the best places to retire in 2024.
- Places that are cheaper to live in, levy lower taxes, and make residents happier topped the ranking.
Imagine the ideal place to retire: Palm trees, swimming pools, and colorful cocktails come to mind.
Or just think of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with its green-domed capitol building and an average annual temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sound weird? It's not. Harrisburg is the best place in America to retire, according to U.S. News and World Report's latest ranking.
The publication graded the 150 most populous metropolitan areas in the country on factors including resident happiness, weather, the quality of healthcare, the dining-out scene, and how much retirees pay in taxes. U.S. News' extensive methodology, however, puts the biggest weight on affordability, which includes the cost of buying or renting a home as well as necessities like groceries and utilities.
Smaller cities in Pennsylvania took seven of the top 10 spots, in part because they are more affordable relative to bigger metropolitan areas in the region. Only one of Florida's metropolitan areas made the top 10; it's possible that the relatively lower taxes were outweighed by the risk of hurricane flooding. Ranking sixth is New York City — which is notoriously expensive but has good hospitals and a ton of places to eat and drink.
"Over the last year, Americans have observed record-high interest rates in the housing market, steadily increasing cost of goods, and extreme weather patterns impacting the living conditions of our nation," Beverly Harzog, a personal-finance expert at U.S. News, said in a statement. "As retirees consider where to spend their golden years, they want areas that not only give them the best bang for their buck, but places where they can live a happy, healthy life."
Planning for retirement can be hard — especially as rampant inflation makes everything more expensive and even forces some retirees to go back to work. Those who retire should have saved up about 13 times their annual salary by age 65, according to investment firm T. Rowe Price. But 64% of workers said they don't have enough, the Employee Benefit Research Institute's 2023 Retirement Confidence Survey states.
That makes looking for the right place to spend your golden years even more important. Here are U.S. News' top 11 cities to retire, worth a look for their affordability and more. (And here's the full list.)
11. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, ranks fifth on the report's happiness index and 17th for healthcare access.
Population: 372,428
Share of population that is over 65: 14.1%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,123
Median monthly rent: $1,218
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh has comparatively low housing costs and a highly regarded hospital system, as well as plenty of green spaces and courses at universities such as Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh.
Population: 2,366,544
Share of population that is over 65: 20%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $870
Median monthly rent: $892
9. Youngstown, Ohio
Located on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, Youngstown features more than 5,000 acres of nature trails and lakes. It ranked second for affordability out of all 150 cities U.S. News evaluated,
Population: 542,459
Share of population that is over 65: 21.2%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $653
Median monthly rent: $706
8: Daytona Beach, Florida
The only Florida city in the top 11, Daytona Beach, ranked seventh on the list for desirability. (The 23 miles of white-sand beaches and its favorable tax climate can't hurt!)
Population: 662,671
Share of population that is over 65: 25.4%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $886
Median monthly rent: $1,181
7. York, Pennsylvania
York, located about 20 miles from Pennsylvania's border with Maryland, ranked fifth on the list for access to quality healthcare. Its many historic buildings — including where Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, or the original constitution of the US — are another perk.
Population: 454,605
Share of population that is over 65: 17.5%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $965
Median monthly rent: $1,025
6. New York City
Despite a high cost of living, New York City ranks first on the list for healthcare, as well as sixth for happiness due to its many world-class restaurants, museums, parks, and theaters.
(Note that the statistics below, like for all the places on this list, are for the metropolitan area and not just the urban core. In New York's case, that includes parts of Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut.)
Population: 20,968,258
Share of population that is over 65: 15.9%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,762
Median monthly rent: $1,574
5. Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, located 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, has lower housing costs than many of its neighboring metros and ranks fourth for top-quality healthcare. It houses sites such as the Da Vinci Science Center and the America On Wheels Museum.
Population: 857,997
Share of population that is over 65: 18%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,038
Median monthly rent: $1,141
4. Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, located about two hours from both New York City and Philadelphia, has a high percentage of residents over 65.
Population: 566,743
Share of population that is over 65: 19.7%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $783
Median monthly rent: $834
3. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster's third-place ranking can be attributed to the overall happiness of its residents, its proximity to peaceful farmland, its quality healthcare, and its low taxes for retirees.
Population: 550,480
Share of population that is over 65: 18%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $1,000
Median monthly rent: $1,114
2. Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, located a 60-mile drive from Philadelphia in southeastern Pennsylvania, jumped from 10th last year to second this year for its affordability and top-quality healthcare.
Population: 426,967
Share of population that is over 65: 17.1%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $972
Median monthly rent: $985
1. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Quality healthcare for seniors and tax-friendly policies helped catapult Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg, to the top of the list of best places to retire. The city is located right on the Susquehanna River and has easy access to bigger metropolitan areas, including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC.
Population: 587,411
Share of population that is over 65: 17.7%
Median monthly mortgage cost: $945
Median monthly rent: $1,019
Did you retire to a place you love? Did you find a hidden gem to spend your golden years? Or do you regret where you chose to hang your hat? We want to know more. Email us at nsheidlower@insider.com.
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