The 10 Best Cities To Retire In The United States For 2024


The best cities to retire in the US are Pembroke Pines and Miramar for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

Best Cities To Retire In The United States Map

What’s better than Christmas or your birthday?

Your last day at work… ever.

And then it hits you, one of the happiest problems you’ll have, where do you want to spend your retirement? Every day at the beach and golf course or maybe a city close to family and friends.

What you need is a list of the best places to retire in the United States. And that’s what you’ll find here.

We used Saturday Night Science to look at the things people generally like about retirement — weather, things to do, affordable living, and the ability to travel — for the biggest cities in America.

No need to say thank you. Least we could do now that you’re hanging them up and headed home.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


Well, that went as we’d expected — Pembroke Pines is the best place to retire in America. Not a surprise to see Florida and California at the top.

While Florida dominates the top ten and California and Arizona make appearances on the back half of the top twenty, some smaller cities also make the cut.

For more on the top twenty, read on. Or if you’re not looking to retire any time soon, check out:

The 10 Best Cities To Retire In The USA

Pembroke Pines, FL

Source: Wikipedia User LittleT889 | CC BY-SA 4.0

8.5
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 170,472
Median Income: $77,657
Average Home Price: $485,196
Average Rent: $1,787
More on Pembroke Pines: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Miramar, FL

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY 3.0

8
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 135,158
Median Income: $81,812
Average Home Price: $506,754
Average Rent: $1,840
More on Miramar: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Hialeah, FL

Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR 2 | CC BY 2.0

6
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 222,996
Median Income: $49,531
Average Home Price: $445,753
Average Rent: $1,458
More on Hialeah: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Review Of Cape Coral by HomeSnacks User

I love cape coral Florida because it is beautiful and warm. I love that it is right on the water. I love going boating in the canals. The prices at the store and restaurants are very reasonable. It is actually a pretty inexpensive place to live. We hope to move to Cape Coral Florida when we retire.

I love that you get to enjoy the sunshine and water. We like to go boating when we are there. I loved that there are lots of things to do, but you don’t have the tourists like you do in other parts of Florida.

Review Cape Coral
Cape Coral, FL

Source: Public domain

8
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 198,912
Median Income: $72,474
Average Home Price: $394,398
Average Rent: $1,630
More on Cape Coral: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Review Of Hollywood by HomeSnacks User

This is a very nice and beautiful place to live. Their beaches are even more beautiful.

I love the beaches and the boardwalk in Hollywood they have nice restaurants.

Review Hollywood
Hollywood, FL

Source: Public domain

7
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 152,764
Median Income: $61,958
Average Home Price: $452,509
Average Rent: $1,463
More on Hollywood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Review Of Clearwater by HomeSnacks User

The crime wasn’t bad when we visited there and I loved the beach.

I loved the alligator crossing and fish reservoir. The beaches were very clean.

Review Clearwater
Clearwater, FL

Source: Wikipedia User 2candle | GFDL

6
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 116,984
Median Income: $59,358
Average Home Price: $370,771
Average Rent: $1,389
More on Clearwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Palm Bay, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Original uploader was Michael Adams (“Cwolfsheep”) at en.wikipedia. Crop and brightness changes by Ubcule. | GFDL

6
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 121,513
Median Income: $62,538
Average Home Price: $313,458
Average Rent: $1,345
More on Palm Bay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Carlsbad, CA

Source: Public domain

9
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 114,745
Median Income: $134,139
Average Home Price: $1,449,918
Average Rent: $2,477
More on Carlsbad: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Review Of Coral Springs by HomeSnacks User

Coral Springs is a suburban neighborhood, surrounded by commercial properties. In other words, it is a small city. It is an expensive place to live. There are hardly any violent crimes. It is safe to walk around at any time. The main crimes are burglaries, shoplifting, or car theft. The police are very active to ensure that suspicious people are questioned. Traffic laws are enforced strictly.

It gets real hot and humid in May until September. It rains hard almost every day in the summer time. There are many insects that live in the grass and could crawl or fly into your residence.

Review Coral Springs
Coral Springs, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Legionarius | GFDL

8.5
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 133,801
Median Income: $87,488
Average Home Price: $536,819
Average Rent: $1,818
More on Coral Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Torrance, CA

Source: Public domain

9
/10

Overall SnackAbility

Population: 145,454
Median Income: $109,554
Average Home Price: $1,140,607
Average Rent: $2,132
More on Torrance: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In The US

To create our list of the best cities in America to retire, we used Saturday Night Science.

Step one was to limit our analysis to all the cities in America with over 100,000 people. This left us with 283 cities nationwide.

For these 283, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:

  • Things to do per capita (Museum, Libraries, and Colleges)
  • Crimes per capita (lower is better)
  • Distance to closest airport
  • Median age (higher is better)
  • Median rent (lower is better)
  • Weather (Warmer and less rainy)
  • Cost of living (lower is better)

We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 283, with the lowest number being the best for retirees.

Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Pembroke Pines, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best to retire — a place for you to start your second career.

We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities to retire to in America.

Summary: The Best Cities To Retire Around The United States

After measuring the kinds of things that retirees crave, we arrived at this set of the best places to retire in the US. And while Florida and California don’t dominate the list, we take that as a sign we figured out the hidden gems you should be considering.

The best cities to retire in the United States are Pembroke Pines, FL, Miramar, FL, Hialeah, FL, Cape Coral, FL, Hollywood, FL, Clearwater, FL, Palm Bay, FL, Carlsbad, CA, Coral Springs, FL, and Torrance, CA.

My plan now for retirement? Find a nice place in one of these low costs of living areas near a lake and set up shot — but maybe closer to the equator than not.

And for those playing at home, here’s a look at the “worst” cities in America to retire:

  1. Fargo
  2. South Bend
  3. Springfield

For more reading, check out:

Best Cities To Retire In The United States For 2024

Rank City Population Median Income Average Home Price Medin Rent
1 Pembroke Pines, FL 170,472 $77,657 $485,196 $1,787
2 Miramar, FL 135,158 $81,812 $506,754 $1,840
3 Hialeah, FL 222,996 $49,531 $445,753 $1,458
4 Cape Coral, FL 198,912 $72,474 $394,398 $1,630
5 Hollywood, FL 152,764 $61,958 $452,509 $1,463
6 Clearwater, FL 116,984 $59,358 $370,771 $1,389
7 Palm Bay, FL 121,513 $62,538 $313,458 $1,345
8 Carlsbad, CA 114,745 $134,139 $1,449,918 $2,477
9 Coral Springs, FL 133,801 $87,488 $536,819 $1,818
10 Torrance, CA 145,454 $109,554 $1,140,607 $2,132
11 Port St. Lucie, FL 210,520 $75,040 $391,794 $1,684
12 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 174,696 $105,534 $736,775 $2,184
13 Thousand Oaks, CA 126,532 $125,399 $1,001,691 $2,483
14 San Diego, CA 1,383,987 $98,657 $955,846 $2,080
15 Simi Valley, CA 126,153 $112,144 $801,530 $2,402
16 Cary, NC 174,880 $125,317 $600,101 $1,538
17 Chula Vista, CA 276,103 $101,984 $809,308 $2,035
18 Sugar Land, TX 110,077 $132,247 $431,661 $1,868
19 Davie, FL 105,821 $84,346 $517,729 $1,805
20 Carrollton, TX 132,284 $95,380 $410,598 $1,555
21 Glendale, CA 194,512 $81,219 $1,134,103 $2,002
22 West Palm Beach, FL 117,588 $64,044 $417,563 $1,614
23 Miami, FL 443,665 $54,858 $569,425 $1,494
24 Frisco, TX 202,075 $144,567 $650,075 $1,803
25 Fort Lauderdale, FL 182,673 $75,376 $534,210 $1,627
26 Allen, TX 105,444 $121,259 $506,564 $1,747
27 Surprise, AZ 145,591 $87,756 $432,141 $1,822
28 Huntington Beach, CA 197,481 $114,747 $1,206,669 $2,318
29 Plano, TX 284,948 $105,679 $503,025 $1,699
30 Tampa, FL 388,768 $66,802 $391,344 $1,422
31 Henderson, NV 318,063 $85,311 $461,416 $1,641
32 Miami Gardens, FL 111,618 $56,071 $440,066 $1,583
33 Scottsdale, AZ 240,537 $104,197 $798,175 $1,768
34 Quincy, MA 100,981 $90,668 $617,826 $1,901
35 West Covina, CA 108,173 $96,219 $785,843 $2,054
36 Chandler, AZ 275,618 $99,374 $519,175 $1,675
37 Pompano Beach, FL 111,790 $61,155 $363,916 $1,527
38 St. Petersburg, FL 259,343 $70,333 $375,897 $1,410
39 San Jose, CA 1,001,176 $136,010 $1,330,692 $2,526
40 Gilbert, AZ 267,267 $115,179 $566,231 $1,839
41 Santa Clarita, CA 225,850 $116,186 $773,299 $2,315
42 Pasadena, CA 137,554 $97,818 $1,092,011 $2,100
43 Elk Grove, CA 176,105 $115,864 $627,121 $2,076
44 Orange, CA 138,728 $109,335 $991,595 $2,148
45 Fremont, CA 228,795 $169,023 $1,413,076 $2,824
46 Charleston, SC 149,960 $83,891 $530,719 $1,517
47 Sandy Springs, GA 107,221 $93,303 $636,700 $1,670
48 Roseville, CA 148,879 $112,265 $625,711 $1,940
49 Mckinney, TX 196,160 $113,286 $506,871 $1,740
50 Menifee, CA 103,680 $87,871 $554,315 $1,946
51 El Cajon, CA 105,721 $64,128 $773,026 $1,686
52 Garden Grove, CA 171,637 $86,139 $867,160 $1,887
53 Inglewood, CA 106,806 $67,563 $724,865 $1,666
54 Oceanside, CA 173,722 $86,701 $824,796 $2,078
55 Hayward, CA 160,602 $105,371 $845,438 $2,260
56 Sunnyvale, CA 154,573 $174,506 $1,875,596 $2,990
57 Murrieta, CA 111,899 $106,925 $661,427 $2,150
58 Escondido, CA 151,114 $77,554 $810,764 $1,833
59 Centennial, CO 107,702 $124,617 $630,996 $1,949
60 Naperville, IL 149,089 $143,754 $527,805 $1,787
61 Pearland, TX 124,478 $111,123 $367,684 $1,622
62 Corona, CA 158,346 $103,727 $721,686 $2,020
63 Virginia Beach, VA 457,900 $87,544 $384,137 $1,568
64 Irvine, CA 304,527 $122,948 $1,331,528 $2,749
65 Los Angeles, CA 3,881,041 $76,244 $926,593 $1,791
66 Ontario, CA 176,326 $78,070 $627,446 $1,826
67 Alexandria, VA 157,594 $113,179 $611,500 $1,983
68 Santa Rosa, CA 178,221 $92,604 $708,139 $2,024
69 Yonkers, NY 209,780 $78,208 $616,101 $1,659
70 El Monte, CA 108,682 $59,929 $705,480 $1,605
71 Stamford, CT 135,413 $100,718 $611,989 $2,129
72 Clovis, CA 120,607 $98,554 $497,595 $1,482
73 Temecula, CA 110,114 $111,881 $727,416 $2,222
74 Santa Clara, CA 128,058 $165,352 $1,524,900 $2,841
75 Round Rock, TX 120,465 $91,888 $436,302 $1,586
76 Downey, CA 113,052 $84,236 $809,809 $1,814
77 Sparks, NV 108,025 $82,938 $489,899 $1,526
78 Fontana, CA 209,279 $93,230 $592,297 $1,616
79 Vacaville, CA 101,631 $106,764 $599,476 $2,141
80 Mesa, AZ 503,390 $73,766 $431,607 $1,352
81 Richardson, TX 118,063 $94,362 $436,131 $1,725
82 Concord, CA 125,007 $107,789 $754,708 $2,137
83 El Paso, TX 677,181 $55,710 $213,288 $976
84 New York, NY 8,622,467 $76,607 $733,006 $1,714
85 Orlando, FL 307,738 $66,292 $373,263 $1,509
86 Lewisville, TX 125,028 $82,006 $395,721 $1,455
87 Wilmington, NC 116,933 $58,908 $390,034 $1,213
88 Mcallen, TX 142,722 $56,326 $216,705 $955
89 Laredo, TX 255,293 $60,928 $206,477 $968
90 Grand Prairie, TX 197,279 $76,626 $317,988 $1,381
91 Fullerton, CA 142,280 $99,279 $936,138 $1,989
92 Long Beach, CA 462,293 $78,995 $799,165 $1,698
93 Oakland, CA 437,825 $94,389 $790,956 $1,849
94 Chesapeake, VA 249,377 $92,703 $374,172 $1,446
95 Irving, TX 254,962 $76,686 $337,139 $1,423
96 Antioch, CA 115,016 $90,709 $607,514 $2,150
97 Midland, TX 132,490 $90,448 $290,629 $1,400
98 Anaheim, CA 347,111 $88,538 $844,174 $1,958
99 Jacksonville, FL 950,203 $64,138 $293,086 $1,281
100 Lynn, MA 100,653 $70,046 $511,699 $1,511

Retire Places By State

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.