With 50% of people thinking it’s not realistic for the average American to expect to retire comfortably, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst Places to Retire, as well as its 2025 Retirement Savings Survey.

After putting in decades of hard work, we naturally expect to have financial security in our golden years. But not all Americans can look forward to a relaxing retirement. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, 67% of workers reported feeling at least somewhat confident that they will have enough money to retire comfortably, but only 24% said they were “very confident.”


DEEPER DIVE: Top 10 Arizona ZIP codes people are moving to in 2025

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: Want more news like this? Get our free newsletter here


If so many American workers are worried about their financial future, what other options provide a pathway to a comfortable retirement? For some, the only solution is to keep working. According to Gallup polling, workers in 2022 planned to retire at age 66 on average, compared to age 60 in 1995. The alternative? Relocate to an area where you can stretch your dollar without sacrificing your lifestyle.

Retirement isn’t all about the money, though. Retirees want to live in a place where they enjoy safety and access to good healthcare, especially in light of significant inflation and economic uncertainty. The ideal city will also have lots of ways to spend leisure time, along with good weather.

To help Americans plan an affordable retirement while maintaining the best quality of life, WalletHub compared the retiree-friendliness of more than 180 U.S. cities across 45 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the cost of living to retired taxpayer-friendliness to the state’s health infrastructure.

If you’re considering retiring out of state, make sure to check out WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States to Retire” ranking, too.

Top 5 best places to retire in 2025

  1. Orlando, FL
  2. Scottsdale, AZ
  3. Minneapolis, MN
  4. Miami, FL
  5. Tampa, FL

Main findings

Source: WalletHub

Best Retirement Cities

Overall Rank CityTotal Score Affordability Rank Activities Rank Quality of Life Rank Health Care Rank 
1Orlando, FL62.635187614
2Scottsdale, AZ59.0711617140
3Minneapolis, MN59.019677013
4Miami, FL58.637659426
5Tampa, FL58.14451035106
6Atlanta, GA57.6566410456
7Fort Lauderdale, FL57.4979146047
8Cincinnati, OH56.3610439250
9Madison, WI56.251075568
10Casper, WY55.981747574
11Las Vegas, NV55.86136106165
12St. Petersburg, FL55.8345313393
13Sioux Falls, SD55.7425142503
14Pittsburgh, PA55.62110235619
15Wilmington, DE55.53692115317
16Charleston, SC55.4342267486
17Denver, CO55.329389359
18Tempe, AZ54.79116421632
19Boise, ID54.4764651058
20Cape Coral, FL54.32247222111
21St. Paul, MN54.1297346137
22Bismarck, ND53.7983146386
23Columbia, MD53.731348225
24Portland, ME53.65132243027
25Austin, TX53.64543078105
26Richmond, VA53.57623713324
27San Francisco, CA53.3717315434
28Columbia, SC53.0218888580
29San Diego, CA52.55157131343
30Pembroke Pines, FL52.41781231783
31West Valley City, UT52.28100516987
32Cheyenne, WY52.18315351124
33St. Louis, MO52.09371918271
34Charleston, WV52.02196887138
35Fargo, ND51.88381671087
36Salt Lake City, UT51.72100915582
37Nashua, NH51.70901287318
38Juneau, AK51.49955313515
39Missoula, MT51.37126441641
40Hialeah, FL51.23761132760
41Akron, OH51.1857628299
42Virginia Beach, VA51.0058894953
43Knoxville, TN50.98479134150
44Colorado Springs, CO50.9352943178
45Jacksonville, FL50.772166109122
46Washington, DC50.5614829592
47Rapid City, SD50.515511417012
48Birmingham, AL50.392843162118
49Overland Park, KS50.391081295228
50San Antonio, TX50.383032142163
51Los Angeles, CA50.38159162376
52New Orleans, LA50.311121117569
53Raleigh, NC50.2163739751
54Tucson, AZ50.10753379161
55Tallahassee, FL50.071112789132
56Philadelphia, PA50.02115359672
57Durham, NC49.905312012410
58Dallas, TX49.727441119116
59Henderson, NV49.611312112171
60Chandler, AZ49.60116871967
61Manchester, NH49.59921434425
62Plano, TX49.54851043666
63Jackson, MS49.482392158113
64Phoenix, AZ49.471163667115
65Glendale, CA49.4516448822
66Milwaukee, WI49.28884516744
67Reno, NV49.27327547168
68Nampa, ID48.866416625119
69Cedar Rapids, IA48.798615440103
70Little Rock, AR48.764411716346
71Long Beach, CA48.66159282661
72Portland, OR48.6214115112102
73Grand Rapids, MI48.621066311768
74Fort Worth, TX48.51566957153
75Cleveland, OH48.46845216657
76North Las Vegas, NV48.401312465160
77Chattanooga, TN48.198136157140
78Louisville, KY48.131145071120
79Grand Prairie, TX48.057014548110
80Irvine, CA48.04164382923
81Honolulu, HI48.0118012370
82Norfolk, VA47.945878111114
83Nashville, TN47.93686116197
84Lexington-Fayette, KY47.891051501441
85Des Moines, IA47.85501396890
86Houston, TX47.783449165156
87Gilbert, AZ47.7711610918108
88Brownsville, TX47.652179103167
89Boston, MA47.6017927329
90Huntington Beach, CA47.50164293952
91Lewiston, ME47.361031412489
92Huntsville, AL47.363516246162
93Baton Rouge, LA47.288046172125
94Peoria, AZ47.2211610537127
95Anchorage, AK47.19879011684
96Garland, TX47.117012658139
97Chesapeake, VA47.09581614285
98Omaha, NE47.05999512736
99Springfield, MO46.9927108160131
100Albuquerque, NM46.968154137151
101Chicago, IL46.951442012695
102Huntington, WV46.9120165121152
103Columbus, OH46.851111014594
104Lincoln, NE46.691371112031
105Las Cruces, NM46.656714977158
106Irving, TX46.487013110775
107Port St. Lucie, FL46.473617091107
108Garden Grove, CA46.41164602838
109Mesa, AZ46.3511610043123
110Dover, DE46.304185178148
111El Paso, TX46.18913484172
112Oklahoma City, OK46.163991118154
112Glendale, AZ46.16116778898
114Tulsa, OK46.132999138155
115Charlotte, NC46.077312211496
116Aurora, CO46.029313213130
117Fort Wayne, IN45.924714483121
118Sacramento, CA45.881474034130
119Mobile, AL45.804386136166
120Arlington, TX45.6540125100149
121Winston-Salem, NC45.423315198142
122Aurora, IL45.40144768642
123Oceanside, CA45.34153702165
124Fremont, CA45.27173107429
125Oakland, CA45.141523912839
126San Jose, CA45.01170119720
127Kansas City, MO44.968280173109
128Worcester, MA44.8414211810533
129Amarillo, TX44.7910169120173
130Memphis, TN44.74793181164
131Santa Ana, CA44.73164595348
132Newport News, VA44.7058158110143
133South Burlington, VT44.621541111432
134Rochester, NY44.371384714791
135Corpus Christi, TX44.3017106152178
136New Haven, CT44.271461381464
137New York, NY44.23182224155
138Augusta, GA44.182217881180
139Buffalo, NY44.0813156139126
140Columbus, GA44.004817159170
141Seattle, WA43.97178256264
142Providence, RI43.911495811581
143Toledo, OH43.909113080145
144Indianapolis, IN43.749811017749
145Gulfport, MS43.693183179181
146Santa Clarita, CA43.491711031588
147Yonkers, NY43.22177646416
148Burlington, VT43.191547114021
149Billings, MT43.1510916313077
150Fayetteville, NC43.0726135154177
151Laredo, TX42.9412177102182
152Lubbock, TX42.916147156176
153Montgomery, AL42.8316152159179
154Santa Rosa, CA42.56176979101
155Vancouver, WA42.551519814134
156Chula Vista, CA42.431571591154
157Shreveport, LA42.2989168145136
158Anaheim, CA42.25164847245
159Baltimore, MD41.8713457176112
160Greensboro, NC41.7651133180133
161Jersey City, NJ41.56162966663
162Oxnard, CA41.251611375573
163Warwick, RI41.1914911512262
164Spokane, WA40.94124148151100
165Fort Smith, AR40.5149155149175
166Detroit, MI40.37130102174117
167Wichita, KS40.20102140168141
168Moreno Valley, CA39.83136180101135
169Modesto, CA39.6712918263159
170Tacoma, WA39.431726715079
171Ontario, CA39.29143156113137
172Riverside, CA39.27140116132129
173Bridgeport, CT39.1517516014811
174Salem, OR38.85127174129146
175Pearl City, HI38.811801645104
176Fontana, CA38.4213917299147
177Fresno, CA38.33125175144144
178Newark, NJ37.2915681169134
179Bakersfield, CA37.11113173125169
180Rancho Cucamonga, CA36.5316317690128
181Stockton, CA35.35133181123157
182San Bernardino, CA35.23128157171174