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
- Orlando, FL
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Minneapolis, MN
- Miami, FL
- Tampa, FL
Main findings
Best Retirement Cities
Overall Rank | City | Total Score | Affordability Rank | Activities Rank | Quality of Life Rank | Health Care Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Orlando, FL | 62.63 | 5 | 18 | 76 | 14 |
2 | Scottsdale, AZ | 59.07 | 116 | 17 | 1 | 40 |
3 | Minneapolis, MN | 59.01 | 96 | 7 | 70 | 13 |
4 | Miami, FL | 58.63 | 76 | 5 | 94 | 26 |
5 | Tampa, FL | 58.14 | 45 | 10 | 35 | 106 |
6 | Atlanta, GA | 57.65 | 66 | 4 | 104 | 56 |
7 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 57.49 | 79 | 14 | 60 | 47 |
8 | Cincinnati, OH | 56.36 | 104 | 3 | 92 | 50 |
9 | Madison, WI | 56.25 | 107 | 55 | 6 | 8 |
10 | Casper, WY | 55.98 | 1 | 74 | 75 | 74 |
11 | Las Vegas, NV | 55.86 | 13 | 6 | 106 | 165 |
12 | St. Petersburg, FL | 55.83 | 45 | 31 | 33 | 93 |
13 | Sioux Falls, SD | 55.74 | 25 | 142 | 50 | 3 |
14 | Pittsburgh, PA | 55.62 | 110 | 23 | 56 | 19 |
15 | Wilmington, DE | 55.53 | 69 | 21 | 153 | 17 |
16 | Charleston, SC | 55.43 | 42 | 26 | 74 | 86 |
17 | Denver, CO | 55.32 | 93 | 8 | 93 | 59 |
18 | Tempe, AZ | 54.79 | 116 | 42 | 16 | 32 |
19 | Boise, ID | 54.47 | 64 | 65 | 10 | 58 |
20 | Cape Coral, FL | 54.32 | 24 | 72 | 22 | 111 |
21 | St. Paul, MN | 54.12 | 97 | 34 | 61 | 37 |
22 | Bismarck, ND | 53.79 | 83 | 146 | 38 | 6 |
23 | Columbia, MD | 53.73 | 134 | 82 | 2 | 5 |
24 | Portland, ME | 53.65 | 132 | 24 | 30 | 27 |
25 | Austin, TX | 53.64 | 54 | 30 | 78 | 105 |
26 | Richmond, VA | 53.57 | 62 | 37 | 133 | 24 |
27 | San Francisco, CA | 53.37 | 173 | 1 | 54 | 34 |
28 | Columbia, SC | 53.02 | 18 | 88 | 85 | 80 |
29 | San Diego, CA | 52.55 | 157 | 13 | 13 | 43 |
30 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 52.41 | 78 | 123 | 17 | 83 |
31 | West Valley City, UT | 52.28 | 100 | 51 | 69 | 87 |
32 | Cheyenne, WY | 52.18 | 3 | 153 | 51 | 124 |
33 | St. Louis, MO | 52.09 | 37 | 19 | 182 | 71 |
34 | Charleston, WV | 52.02 | 19 | 68 | 87 | 138 |
35 | Fargo, ND | 51.88 | 38 | 167 | 108 | 7 |
36 | Salt Lake City, UT | 51.72 | 100 | 9 | 155 | 82 |
37 | Nashua, NH | 51.70 | 90 | 128 | 73 | 18 |
38 | Juneau, AK | 51.49 | 95 | 53 | 135 | 15 |
39 | Missoula, MT | 51.37 | 126 | 44 | 164 | 1 |
40 | Hialeah, FL | 51.23 | 76 | 113 | 27 | 60 |
41 | Akron, OH | 51.18 | 57 | 62 | 82 | 99 |
42 | Virginia Beach, VA | 51.00 | 58 | 89 | 49 | 53 |
43 | Knoxville, TN | 50.98 | 4 | 79 | 134 | 150 |
44 | Colorado Springs, CO | 50.93 | 52 | 94 | 31 | 78 |
45 | Jacksonville, FL | 50.77 | 21 | 66 | 109 | 122 |
46 | Washington, DC | 50.56 | 148 | 2 | 95 | 92 |
47 | Rapid City, SD | 50.51 | 55 | 114 | 170 | 12 |
48 | Birmingham, AL | 50.39 | 28 | 43 | 162 | 118 |
49 | Overland Park, KS | 50.39 | 108 | 129 | 52 | 28 |
50 | San Antonio, TX | 50.38 | 30 | 32 | 142 | 163 |
51 | Los Angeles, CA | 50.38 | 159 | 16 | 23 | 76 |
52 | New Orleans, LA | 50.31 | 112 | 11 | 175 | 69 |
53 | Raleigh, NC | 50.21 | 63 | 73 | 97 | 51 |
54 | Tucson, AZ | 50.10 | 75 | 33 | 79 | 161 |
55 | Tallahassee, FL | 50.07 | 11 | 127 | 89 | 132 |
56 | Philadelphia, PA | 50.02 | 115 | 35 | 96 | 72 |
57 | Durham, NC | 49.90 | 53 | 120 | 124 | 10 |
58 | Dallas, TX | 49.72 | 74 | 41 | 119 | 116 |
59 | Henderson, NV | 49.61 | 13 | 121 | 12 | 171 |
60 | Chandler, AZ | 49.60 | 116 | 87 | 19 | 67 |
61 | Manchester, NH | 49.59 | 92 | 143 | 44 | 25 |
62 | Plano, TX | 49.54 | 85 | 104 | 36 | 66 |
63 | Jackson, MS | 49.48 | 23 | 92 | 158 | 113 |
64 | Phoenix, AZ | 49.47 | 116 | 36 | 67 | 115 |
65 | Glendale, CA | 49.45 | 164 | 48 | 8 | 22 |
66 | Milwaukee, WI | 49.28 | 88 | 45 | 167 | 44 |
67 | Reno, NV | 49.27 | 32 | 75 | 47 | 168 |
68 | Nampa, ID | 48.86 | 64 | 166 | 25 | 119 |
69 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 48.79 | 86 | 154 | 40 | 103 |
70 | Little Rock, AR | 48.76 | 44 | 117 | 163 | 46 |
71 | Long Beach, CA | 48.66 | 159 | 28 | 26 | 61 |
72 | Portland, OR | 48.62 | 141 | 15 | 112 | 102 |
73 | Grand Rapids, MI | 48.62 | 106 | 63 | 117 | 68 |
74 | Fort Worth, TX | 48.51 | 56 | 69 | 57 | 153 |
75 | Cleveland, OH | 48.46 | 84 | 52 | 166 | 57 |
76 | North Las Vegas, NV | 48.40 | 13 | 124 | 65 | 160 |
77 | Chattanooga, TN | 48.19 | 8 | 136 | 157 | 140 |
78 | Louisville, KY | 48.13 | 114 | 50 | 71 | 120 |
79 | Grand Prairie, TX | 48.05 | 70 | 145 | 48 | 110 |
80 | Irvine, CA | 48.04 | 164 | 38 | 29 | 23 |
81 | Honolulu, HI | 48.01 | 180 | 12 | 3 | 70 |
82 | Norfolk, VA | 47.94 | 58 | 78 | 111 | 114 |
83 | Nashville, TN | 47.93 | 68 | 61 | 161 | 97 |
84 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 47.89 | 105 | 150 | 14 | 41 |
85 | Des Moines, IA | 47.85 | 50 | 139 | 68 | 90 |
86 | Houston, TX | 47.78 | 34 | 49 | 165 | 156 |
87 | Gilbert, AZ | 47.77 | 116 | 109 | 18 | 108 |
88 | Brownsville, TX | 47.65 | 2 | 179 | 103 | 167 |
89 | Boston, MA | 47.60 | 179 | 27 | 32 | 9 |
90 | Huntington Beach, CA | 47.50 | 164 | 29 | 39 | 52 |
91 | Lewiston, ME | 47.36 | 103 | 141 | 24 | 89 |
92 | Huntsville, AL | 47.36 | 35 | 162 | 46 | 162 |
93 | Baton Rouge, LA | 47.28 | 80 | 46 | 172 | 125 |
94 | Peoria, AZ | 47.22 | 116 | 105 | 37 | 127 |
95 | Anchorage, AK | 47.19 | 87 | 90 | 116 | 84 |
96 | Garland, TX | 47.11 | 70 | 126 | 58 | 139 |
97 | Chesapeake, VA | 47.09 | 58 | 161 | 42 | 85 |
98 | Omaha, NE | 47.05 | 99 | 95 | 127 | 36 |
99 | Springfield, MO | 46.99 | 27 | 108 | 160 | 131 |
100 | Albuquerque, NM | 46.96 | 81 | 54 | 137 | 151 |
101 | Chicago, IL | 46.95 | 144 | 20 | 126 | 95 |
102 | Huntington, WV | 46.91 | 20 | 165 | 121 | 152 |
103 | Columbus, OH | 46.85 | 111 | 101 | 45 | 94 |
104 | Lincoln, NE | 46.69 | 137 | 111 | 20 | 31 |
105 | Las Cruces, NM | 46.65 | 67 | 149 | 77 | 158 |
106 | Irving, TX | 46.48 | 70 | 131 | 107 | 75 |
107 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 46.47 | 36 | 170 | 91 | 107 |
108 | Garden Grove, CA | 46.41 | 164 | 60 | 28 | 38 |
109 | Mesa, AZ | 46.35 | 116 | 100 | 43 | 123 |
110 | Dover, DE | 46.30 | 41 | 85 | 178 | 148 |
111 | El Paso, TX | 46.18 | 9 | 134 | 84 | 172 |
112 | Oklahoma City, OK | 46.16 | 39 | 91 | 118 | 154 |
112 | Glendale, AZ | 46.16 | 116 | 77 | 88 | 98 |
114 | Tulsa, OK | 46.13 | 29 | 99 | 138 | 155 |
115 | Charlotte, NC | 46.07 | 73 | 122 | 114 | 96 |
116 | Aurora, CO | 46.02 | 93 | 132 | 131 | 30 |
117 | Fort Wayne, IN | 45.92 | 47 | 144 | 83 | 121 |
118 | Sacramento, CA | 45.88 | 147 | 40 | 34 | 130 |
119 | Mobile, AL | 45.80 | 43 | 86 | 136 | 166 |
120 | Arlington, TX | 45.65 | 40 | 125 | 100 | 149 |
121 | Winston-Salem, NC | 45.42 | 33 | 151 | 98 | 142 |
122 | Aurora, IL | 45.40 | 144 | 76 | 86 | 42 |
123 | Oceanside, CA | 45.34 | 153 | 70 | 21 | 65 |
124 | Fremont, CA | 45.27 | 173 | 107 | 4 | 29 |
125 | Oakland, CA | 45.14 | 152 | 39 | 128 | 39 |
126 | San Jose, CA | 45.01 | 170 | 119 | 7 | 20 |
127 | Kansas City, MO | 44.96 | 82 | 80 | 173 | 109 |
128 | Worcester, MA | 44.84 | 142 | 118 | 105 | 33 |
129 | Amarillo, TX | 44.79 | 10 | 169 | 120 | 173 |
130 | Memphis, TN | 44.74 | 7 | 93 | 181 | 164 |
131 | Santa Ana, CA | 44.73 | 164 | 59 | 53 | 48 |
132 | Newport News, VA | 44.70 | 58 | 158 | 110 | 143 |
133 | South Burlington, VT | 44.62 | 154 | 111 | 143 | 2 |
134 | Rochester, NY | 44.37 | 138 | 47 | 147 | 91 |
135 | Corpus Christi, TX | 44.30 | 17 | 106 | 152 | 178 |
136 | New Haven, CT | 44.27 | 146 | 138 | 146 | 4 |
137 | New York, NY | 44.23 | 182 | 22 | 41 | 55 |
138 | Augusta, GA | 44.18 | 22 | 178 | 81 | 180 |
139 | Buffalo, NY | 44.08 | 131 | 56 | 139 | 126 |
140 | Columbus, GA | 44.00 | 48 | 171 | 59 | 170 |
141 | Seattle, WA | 43.97 | 178 | 25 | 62 | 64 |
142 | Providence, RI | 43.91 | 149 | 58 | 115 | 81 |
143 | Toledo, OH | 43.90 | 91 | 130 | 80 | 145 |
144 | Indianapolis, IN | 43.74 | 98 | 110 | 177 | 49 |
145 | Gulfport, MS | 43.69 | 31 | 83 | 179 | 181 |
146 | Santa Clarita, CA | 43.49 | 171 | 103 | 15 | 88 |
147 | Yonkers, NY | 43.22 | 177 | 64 | 64 | 16 |
148 | Burlington, VT | 43.19 | 154 | 71 | 140 | 21 |
149 | Billings, MT | 43.15 | 109 | 163 | 130 | 77 |
150 | Fayetteville, NC | 43.07 | 26 | 135 | 154 | 177 |
151 | Laredo, TX | 42.94 | 12 | 177 | 102 | 182 |
152 | Lubbock, TX | 42.91 | 6 | 147 | 156 | 176 |
153 | Montgomery, AL | 42.83 | 16 | 152 | 159 | 179 |
154 | Santa Rosa, CA | 42.56 | 176 | 97 | 9 | 101 |
155 | Vancouver, WA | 42.55 | 151 | 98 | 141 | 34 |
156 | Chula Vista, CA | 42.43 | 157 | 159 | 11 | 54 |
157 | Shreveport, LA | 42.29 | 89 | 168 | 145 | 136 |
158 | Anaheim, CA | 42.25 | 164 | 84 | 72 | 45 |
159 | Baltimore, MD | 41.87 | 134 | 57 | 176 | 112 |
160 | Greensboro, NC | 41.76 | 51 | 133 | 180 | 133 |
161 | Jersey City, NJ | 41.56 | 162 | 96 | 66 | 63 |
162 | Oxnard, CA | 41.25 | 161 | 137 | 55 | 73 |
163 | Warwick, RI | 41.19 | 149 | 115 | 122 | 62 |
164 | Spokane, WA | 40.94 | 124 | 148 | 151 | 100 |
165 | Fort Smith, AR | 40.51 | 49 | 155 | 149 | 175 |
166 | Detroit, MI | 40.37 | 130 | 102 | 174 | 117 |
167 | Wichita, KS | 40.20 | 102 | 140 | 168 | 141 |
168 | Moreno Valley, CA | 39.83 | 136 | 180 | 101 | 135 |
169 | Modesto, CA | 39.67 | 129 | 182 | 63 | 159 |
170 | Tacoma, WA | 39.43 | 172 | 67 | 150 | 79 |
171 | Ontario, CA | 39.29 | 143 | 156 | 113 | 137 |
172 | Riverside, CA | 39.27 | 140 | 116 | 132 | 129 |
173 | Bridgeport, CT | 39.15 | 175 | 160 | 148 | 11 |
174 | Salem, OR | 38.85 | 127 | 174 | 129 | 146 |
175 | Pearl City, HI | 38.81 | 180 | 164 | 5 | 104 |
176 | Fontana, CA | 38.42 | 139 | 172 | 99 | 147 |
177 | Fresno, CA | 38.33 | 125 | 175 | 144 | 144 |
178 | Newark, NJ | 37.29 | 156 | 81 | 169 | 134 |
179 | Bakersfield, CA | 37.11 | 113 | 173 | 125 | 169 |
180 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 36.53 | 163 | 176 | 90 | 128 |
181 | Stockton, CA | 35.35 | 133 | 181 | 123 | 157 |
182 | San Bernardino, CA | 35.23 | 128 | 157 | 171 | 174 |