Florida metro areas took a majority (13) of the top 25 rankings and swept the top three in U.S. News & World Report’s new rankings of the “2020-21 Best Places to Retire in the U.S.,” announced Oct. 13.
Increases in Desirability and Job Market ratings helped Sarasota move up a spot this year to No. 1, followed by last year’s “best place” Fort Myers at No. 2. According to its profile for U.S. News, Sarasota largely caters to its residents over the age of 65, providing a lively atmosphere for retired people. It offers numerous shopping outlets and golf courses, as well as seasonal farmers markets.
And while Port. St. Lucie’s Housing Affordability score slightly decreased, increases in Desirability, Job Market and Health Care scores helped it jump two places to No. 3.
Miami, FL also saw a decrease in Housing Affordability but still broke into the top 10 this year, jumping five places to No. 9 thanks to Desirability and Job Market score increases. The top 25 places to retire also includes three Texas communities, and two places each in Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee.
The West Coast (and largely the West in general) was completely shut out of the top 25, with Dallas-Fort Worth (No. 17), Houston (No. 22) and San Antonio (No. 24) being the only cities west of the Mississippi River to make the list.
U.S. News also today unveiled the 2020-2021 “Best Places to Live” in the U.S., which was dominated by cities in Colorado, taking four of the top five spots with Boulder being No. 1.
This year, U.S. News increased the number of metropolitan areas evaluated for both sets of rankings from 125 to 150, to provide a broader and more accurate reflection of where Americans can live and retire.
Metro areas that ranked in the top 25 of both 2020-2021 Best Places to Live and Best Places to Retire include Charlotte, N.C.; Sarasota; Dallas-Fort Worth; Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Nashville, Tenn. Ann Arbor, Mich., and Naples, Fla., which debuted in the rankings this year, also placed in the top 25 for places to live and retire.
“After a prolonged period of staying at home, people are taking a critical look at where they live, and many are looking to find a place they can feel happier, afford more or pursue new opportunities,” said Devon Thorsby, real estate editor at U.S. News. “The Best Places rankings can help people examine the details they consider important in a larger community as they seek a house with a bigger yard or a spot that makes it easier for the whole family to quarantine safely together.”
U.S. News explained Florida’s domination of the best places to retire list due to affordable homes, low taxes and high ratings for happiness and desirability.
“Moving to a new place for retirement can reduce your cost of living and improve your quality of life,” said Emily Brandon, U.S. News senior editor for retirement, adding that the list includes information about housing costs, access to quality hospitals and the strength of the job market.
The 2020-2021 Best Places to Retire were determined based on a methodology that factored in happiness, housing affordability, health care quality, retiree taxes, desirability and job market ratings.
These measures were weighted based on a public survey of individuals across the U.S. who are nearing retirement age (ages 45-59) and those who are of retirement age (60 or older) to find out what matters most when considering where to retire. Data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as U.S. News rankings of the Best Hospitals.
2020-2021 U.S. News Best Places to Retire
- Sarasota, FL
- Fort Myers, FL
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Naples, FL
- Lancaster, PA
- Ocala, FL
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Asheville, NC
- Miami, FL
- Melbourne, FL
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- Nashville, TN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Manchester, NH
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Lakeland, FL
- Chattanooga, TN
- Tampa, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Houston, TX
- Charlotte, NC
- San Antonio, TX
- Pensacola, FL
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