Big Changes in U.S. News 2025 ‘Best Places to Retire’ List
New methodology shakes up U.S. News & World Report ’s rankings released today, catapulting Florida towns up the list while Pennsylvania towns plummet
Thanks to a change in methodology that now emphasizes “happiness” over “affordability,” cities in Pennsylvania have lost their stranglehold on the top of U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Places to Retire” rankings.
The change allowed Naples, Florida to take over the top spot, joined by two other Florida cities among the top seven in the 2025 rankings, released today.
And while last year Pennsylvania claimed all of the top five spots in the U.S. News 2024 Best Places to Retire rankings and seven of the top 10, the change in methodology kept Pennsylvania cities out of the top 10 completely in 2025 (out of the top 30 actually, as Pittsburgh is the Keystone State’s top-ranked city at 33 in the new rankings while last year’s No. 1 Harrisburg fell all the way to 84th). Back in 2023, cities in Pennsylvania also dominated the rankings, claiming five of the top 10 spots, including No. 1 and 2.
This year’s rankings evaluated 150 top U.S. cities based on how well they meet American retirees’ expectations, with measures including happiness, affordability, health care, desirability, retiree taxes and job market.
Retirees noted overall happiness of a place’s residents as the top consideration when determining a place to retire this year, helping Naples secure the No. 1 rank. Naples also scored high in desirability, retiree taxes and job market.
“The 2025 Best Places to Retire rankings reflect top cities across the country that best meet retiree needs and desires,” said Dawn Bradbury, assistant managing editor for real estate at U.S. News. “What we found this year is retirees seek a destination that will not only stretch their dollar, but is also a place for enjoyment. This is why the Midwest and South dominate the top 25.”
Indeed, one thing that didn’t change in the U.S. News rankings is a heavy concentration on cities in the eastern half of the country, as only four of the top 25 cities are located west of the Mississippi River.
While affordability remains a high-level concern for many Americans, happiness emerged as the top consideration when choosing a place to live out their golden years. As a result, happiness received the heaviest weight for the 2025 rankings, dethroning affordability for the first time in three years.
In addition to U.S. News adjusting its scoring to make happiness the most heavily weighted of the six factors in the 2025 Best Places to Retire methodology, U.S. News transitioned from using Metro Statistical Area (MSA) data to city-based data to further localize metrics that have a direct impact on retirees.
These changes resulted in top 10 appearances from Virginia Beach, Virginia (No. 2), Boise, Idaho (No. 5), Raleigh, North Carolina (No. 6), Jacksonville, Florida (No. 7), Huntsville, Alabama (No. 8), Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 9), and Fort Wayne, Indiana (No. 10).
“This year’s shift from Metro Statistical Area data to city-based data enables the consumer to consider factors that will directly impact the livability and overall experiences associated with a city on a more local level,” Bradbury added.
The six measures factored into this year’s rankings were weighted based on a public survey of individuals across the U.S. who are at or approaching retirement age (45 and older) to find out what matters most to people when they’re considering where to retire. Data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Risk Index, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Sharecare and U.S. News’ Best Hospitals rankings.
The pages that follow offer a closer look at some of the cities making the list, with information from the 2025 U.S. News rankings.
Next Page: 2025 Best Places to Retire Top 10
2025 Best Places to Retire: Top 10
1. Naples, Fla.
Naples takes the top spot due to strong scores across happiness, desirability, retiree taxes and job market, and moderate affordability scores. Nestled between the edges of the Everglades and the shores of the Gulf of Mexico sits Collier County, home to Naples, Immokalee and Marco Island. Long known as a preferred retirement spot for the rich, powerful and cold-averse, the greater Naples area supplies pristine beaches, sprawling golf courses, and fine dining and shopping.
2. Virginia Beach, Va.
Despite Virginia Beach’s resort city status, its friendly residents and relaxed atmosphere have swayed many to take up a permanent residence in Virginia’s largest city. The glorious ocean views, beautiful waterfront homes and award-winning restaurants make this vacation destination a place worthy of being calling home.
3. New York City
Despite its lack of affordability, New York moved up from sixth in the 2024 rankings to the three spot this year. Some of the world’s best theaters, restaurants, museums, parks and cultural activities can be found here. New York City’s communities are as diverse as its people, from Greenwich Village in downtown to Harlem in uptown.
4. Sarasota, Fla.
Sarasota has a distinct vibe that’s different from Florida’s relative coastal cities, with its own vibrant arts scene, beachy atmosphere and burgeoning food culture. This city of more than 55,000 people has a renowned opera house, a number of rooftop bars and the popular beach of Siesta Key nearby.
5. Boise, Idaho
The change in methodology seriously powered Boise up the rankings, moving all the way from the 80th spot in 2024 up to No. 5. If you value the outdoors and time spent among rivers, mountains, canyons, deserts and lakes—and all the activities encapsulated therein—it’s worth a serious look. Boise’s residents may spend their days enjoying nature, but they fill their evenings dining on locally sourced cuisine, enjoying an opera performance and sipping delicious cocktails.
6. Raleigh, N.C.
Raleigh, along with neighboring Durham and Chapel Hill, is known for research/technology roots and collegiate rivalries. This tri-city region known as the Triangle lures new residents every day with strong job growth and high quality of life. Raleigh also encompasses beautiful green spaces, family-friendly museums and a growing art and music scene defined by monthly gallery walks, summer concerts and music festivals like Hopscotch.
7. Jacksonville, Fla.
Jacksonville is the largest metro area by land mass in the continental U.S., and it offers a range of culturally and aesthetically diverse neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Sitting near the Atlantic shore in northeast Florida, Jacksonville is tied together by bridges, crossing rivers to unite residents in the downtown area with nearby beaches. Restaurants, shops and entertainment options fill all of Greater Jacksonville’s neighborhoods.
8. Huntsville, Ala.
Once a sleepy farming town, Huntsville gained national recognition during the Space Race of the 1960s and is now consistently among the fastest-growing metro areas in Alabama. Huntsville’s city center has undergone a renaissance in recent years. An outbreak of new construction downtown means more shopping, dining and apartment options are available.
9. Charlotte, N.C.
The city has a strong economic identity – it’s the second-largest banking hub in the U.S. behind New York City. Charlotte takes pride in its cityscape, defined by a handful of skyscrapers. But the city’s essence is perhaps better captured in its diverse neighborhoods and suburban areas, each of which has its own style and flair. Its geographical location, generally temperate weather, relative affordability and local culture are all draws to the Queen City.
10. Fort Wayne, Ind.
With its low cost of living and quiet neighborhoods, Fort Wayne residents have access to the amenities one might expect to find in a large metropolis, like entertainment options and a thriving arts scene. The city also has quirky special events, such as the yearly BuskerFest devoted to street performers and the annual bed race that takes place during the Three Rivers Festival.
Next Page: Rest of the Top 25
Rest of the Top 25
The U.S. News report noted that the South holds a strong presence in the 2025 rankings. This year, 15 of the top 25 Best Places to Retire are in the South. Southern cities were able to secure top spots due to their strong scores across affordability and retiree taxes.
Florida has maintained a consistent presence in U.S. News’ Best Places to Retire rankings, securing eight placements in the top 25 this year due to high scores in desirability, happiness and retiree taxes.
Washington, D.C., scored the No. 12 spot due to high scores in happiness, health care and job market. San Francisco earned the No. 14 placement due to high happiness, health care, job market and desirability scores.
11. Green Bay Wis.
12. Washington, D.C.
13. Charleston, S.C.
14. San Francisco
15. South Bend, Ind.
16. Lexington, Ky.
17. Pensacola, Fla.
18. Tampa, Fla.
19. Port St Lucie, Fla.
20. Melbourne, Fla.
21. Anchorage, Alaska
22. Seattle
23. Oklahoma City, Okla.
24. Fort Myers, Fla.
25. Omaha, Neb.
See the full U.S. News 2025 Best Places to Retire rankings here.
Next Page: Bottom 10
2025 Best Places to Retire: Bottom 10
To calculate the 2025 Best Places to Retire rankings—which look at 150 top cities in the United States—U.S. News & World Report conducted a nationwide survey of people approaching or at retirement age (45 and older). Respondents were asked to indicate which attributes of a retirement destination were most important to them. Based on the survey scoring, U.S. News assigned weights to the following indexes when compiling the overall retirement score for each city: Happiness (27%), Affordability (25%), Health Care Quality (15%), Retiree Taxes (13%), Desirability (12%) and Job Market (8%).
141. Stockton, Calif.
142. Cleveland
143. Trenton, N.J.
144. St. Louis
145. Baton Rouge, La.
146. New Orleans
147. Detroit
148. New Haven, Conn.
149. Hartford, Conn.
150. San Juan, P.R.
See the full U.S. News 2025 Best Places to Retire rankings here.
SEE ALSO:
• One State Sweeps Top 5 in U.S. News 2024 ‘Best Places to Retire’ Rankings
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