Will it be snow and cold or sun and surf? Arts and entertainment or peace and quiet? The annual roundup from Livability.com of the best places to retire in America identifies and ranks the top cities for seniors (however the term “senior” is defined).
“Retirement doesn’t have the same connotations it once did (we’re looking at you, shuffleboard and early bird specials),” according to the website. “In 2017, retirement means freedom.”
Today’s seniors are in search of a lifestyle as diverse and dynamic as themselves, it notes. While many folks will choose to remain where they’ve spent most of their lives and built their communities, others will look for new adventures in a different location—and deciding where that place will be is an extremely important choice.
“Our experts examined surveys and data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Medicare, NOAA, Walk Score, the EPA and other sources, and crunched the numbers to determine the best U.S. cities for retirees,” it added.
Research shows that seniors care most about health care, climate, crime rates, cost of living, housing costs and access to recreational activities—Livability.com found 10 cities that deliver on all counts, each offering a totally different lifestyle to fit a wide range of tastes and interests.
“This year’s retirement cities list perfectly reflects the diverse, dynamic lifestyles of today’s retirees,” Winona Dimeo-Ediger, managing editor of Livability.com, said in a statement. “Some of these cities might surprise you, which is a good thing, because retirement looks very different in 2017 than it has in the past.”
Top 10 Best Places to Retire, 2017:
- Walnut Creek, CA
- Reno, NV
- Boca Raton, FL
- Plano, TX
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Vancouver, WA
- Birmingham, AL
- Littleton, CO
- Bismarck, ND
- Salt Lake City, UT