Orlando Ranked Best U.S. City for Retirees

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Orlando, Florida, earned the top spot on a new list of the best and worst places for retirees in the U.S. The list was created by researchers from WalletHub who studied more than 180 cities according to metrics relating to quality of life, including health care services and recreational opportunities. Affordability is a key factor when considering where to retire, as many retirees live on fixed incomes and inflation is driving up the cost of living. Orlando is a tax-friendly city located in a state with no estate, inheritance, or income taxes.

Homemaker and adult health care services in Orlando are also relatively affordable, and the city offers access to top-notch health care services. Orlando also provides seniors with abundant opportunities for recreation, including music venues, fishing facilities, arts venues, and volunteer activities. Half of the top 10 best cities on WalletHub’s list are in Florida, which has long been a popular state for retirees.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, took third place on the list, sandwiched between Miami and Tampa, Florida. Minneapolis earned high marks for its plentiful opportunities for retirees to engage in paid work both for added income and as a way to build community. Six of the 10 worst cities in which to retire are located in California.

With few senior-friendly activities and community centers, they all received low rankings in recreational opportunities. They were also criticized for their lack of access to high-quality, affordable health care. Best Cities to Retire:

1.

Orlando, Fla. 2. Miami, Fla.

3. Minneapolis, Minn. 4.

Tampa, Fla. 5. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

6. Scottsdale, Ariz. 7.

Cincinnati, Ohio
8. St. Petersburg, Fla. 9.

Casper, Wyo. 10. Atlanta, Ga.

Worst Cities to Retire:

1. San Bernardino, Calif. 2.

Factors for ranking retirement cities

Stockton, Calif. 3.

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. 4. Bakersfield, Calif.

5. Newark, N.J.
6. Detroit, Mich.

7. Fresno, Calif. 8.

Bridgeport, Conn. 9. Wichita, Kan.

10. Fontana, Calif. For many American seniors, their retirement savings are not enough.

About half of middle-income Americans who are currently employed say they do not plan to retire at 65, according to a study from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and the Transamerica Institute. Four New York cities, including two upstate, have also been named some of the best and worst places to retire. The cities included Buffalo, Rochester, New York City, and Yonkers, which were evaluated based on over 45 key metrics such as cost of living, availability of activities, and quality of health care.

Buffalo ranked No. 115 with a total score of 46.13. The city was ranked low due to its climate, second only to Juneau, Alaska for bad weather.

Rochester ranked No. 120 with a total score of 45.92 and was also noted for its severe weather conditions. New York City ranked No.

135 with a total score of 44.62. The city’s high adjusted cost of living significantly impacted its ranking. Yonkers ranked No.

139 with a total score of 44.50. WalletHub compared 182 cities, including the most populated ones in the U.S. and at least two from each state. The analysis was based on four key factors: affordability, activities, quality of life, and health care.

The weighted average across all metrics was determined to calculate an overall score for each city, and the results were used to rank-order them. The data for the ranking was collected as of August 6, 2024, from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.


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  • CBSNews.”These are the best and worst places to retire in the U.S.”.
  • FoxBusiness.”These are the top ten cities for retirees; five are in Florida”.
  • DemocratAndChronicle.”What are the best and worst cities to retire in the U.S.? These NY cities made the list”.

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