Many Americans know that when they reach retirement age, a life of comfort won’t necessarily come from the income they’ve earned, but rather, the money they’re able to save.
That’s why cities where it’s cheaper to live are more and more appealing to post-career baby boomers.
A new WalletHub report analyzed data from more than 180 U.S. cities to come up with the places where retirees can live most comfortably.
The finance website was able to assign an overall score (on a 100-point scale) to the best and worst cities based on a number of key metrics, including affordability, recreation, health care and quality of life.
Report: Best & worst retirement cities in 2019
Of course, it may be cheaper to live somewhere off the beaten path, but when you consider some of the amenities many retirees say they want, like mild weather or museums, not every small city fits the bill. Let’s look at some key findings:
- Glendale, California, came in #1 for “Best Mild Weather.” The other top four cities were all on the West Coast or Southwest.
- Chicago tied for first for “Most Recreation & Senior Centers Per Capita.” The other cities were Honolulu, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Did your city make the list? Let’s see the top 20 cities that are the most retirement-friendly, according to the report:
Best retirement cities |
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| Overall rank | City | Total Score |
| 1 | Orlando, FL | 60.87 |
| 2 | Tampa, FL | 59.06 |
| 3 | Scottsdale, AZ | 58.35 |
| 4 | Charleston, SC | 58.30 |
| 5 | Miami, FL | 57.21 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | 57.08 |
| 7 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 56.58 |
| 8 | Cape Coral, FL | 56.50 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | 56.46 |
| 10 | Cheyenne, WY | 56.06 |
| 11 | New Orleans, LA | 55.77 |
| 12 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 55.50 |
| 13 | Sioux Falls, SD | 55.49 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | 55.48 |
| 15 | Las Vegas, NV | 55.45 |
| 16 | St. Petersburg, FL | 55.25 |
| 17 | Casper, WY | 54.96 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | 54.83 |
| 19 | Rapid City, SD | 54.52 |
| 20 | San Francisco, CA | 54.22 |
As far as places that are not as well suited for people in their golden years, here are the 20 worst cities for retirees according to the survey:
Worst retirement cities |
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| Overall rank | City | Total Score |
| 182 | Stockton, CA | 33.73 |
| 181 | Bridgeport, CT | 35.74 |
| 180 | Warwick, RI | 36.34 |
| 179 | San Bernardino, CA | 36.94 |
| 178 | Bakersfield, CA | 37.53 |
| 177 | Newark, NJ | 37.84 |
| 176 | Fresno, CA | 38.73 |
| 175 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 38.30 |
| 174 | Baltimore, MD | 39.53 |
| 173 | Providence, RI | 39.86 |
| 172 | Riverside, CA | 39.99 |
| 171 | Modesto, CA | 40.11 |
| 170 | New Haven, CT | 40.38 |
| 169 | Wichita, KS | 40.53 |
| 168 | Chula Vista, CA | 40.65 |
| 167 | Jersey City, NJ | 40.88 |
| 166 | Fontana, CA | 41.21 |
| 165 | Vancouver, WA | 41.40 |
| 164 | Worcester, MA | 41.60 |
| 163 | Tacoma, WA | 41.68 |
See the whole list at WalletHub.com.
If you’re still working and perhaps in the planning stages of setting up your nest egg, you surely can benefit from some savings strategies that work. Here are the best ways to save for retirement in your 50s.
