Warm weather and low taxes continue to have a big pull on where retirees choose to settle down in their golden years. Those pulls are prompting many older Americans to continue to relocate to popular retiree havens in the Carolinas and Florida.
U.S. News & World Report recently identified the best places to retire using criteria including housing affordability, taxes, health care, and happiness surveys. They analyzed data from 125 of the nation’s largest metro areas.
“Deciding where to retire is an important part of your life plan,” Emily Brandon, a senior editor for retirement at U.S. News, said in a statement. “When considering potential retirement spots, you should look for an affordable cost of living, proximity to health care services, and a strong economy, especially if you plan to work part-time.”
Some popular retiree spots in Florida continued to top U.S. News’ rankings but also other places like Lancaster, Pa., and Asheville, N.C., made it into the top five this year.
Here are the 10 best destinations for retirees according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings:
1. Fort Myers, Fla.
Median home price: $219,200
2. Sarasota, Fla.
Median home price: $237,260
3. Lancaster, Pa.
Median home price: $196,025
4. Asheville, N.C.
Median home price: $248,500
5. Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Median home price: $211,083
6. Jacksonville,Fla.
Median home price: $174,658
7. Winston-Salem, N.C.
Median home price: $145,725
8. Nashville, Tenn.
Median home price: $248,883
9. Grand Rapids, Mich.
Median home price: $181,533
10. Dallas-Fort Worth
Median home price: $248,375
Source: “Best Places to Retire in the U.S. 2020,” U.S. News & World Report (2019)
