Top 10 Cities in the U.S. to Retire for the Best of Life after Retirement

If you’re looking for a retirement destination that offers a great of life in the US, you might have to wander off the mainland, as per WalletHub’s list of the best and worst places to retire.

Hawaii is home to the top two retirement destinations with the greatest of life, per WalletHub’s analysis. Pearl City ranks No. 1, followed at No. 1 by Honolulu. 2.

While Florida is home to the two best cities in the United States for retirees as a whole, the first Florida town on the list ranks 17th in terms of quality of life.

WalletHub ranked the quality of life of 182 highly populated cities as per a few factors, including the share of the population over 65, weather, violent crime rate, the accessibility of activities for seniors, and walkability.

To incorporate the ranking, the personal finance site analyzed information from various sources, including the Tax Foundation, the Council for Community and Economic Research, and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Quality of life metrics focus on aspects like the share of elderly residents, poverty rates among seniors, community support, and environmental conditions,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo tells CNBC Make It. “Together, these metrics help identify cities that offer a supportive, enriching environment for retirees.”

Here are the top 10 cities in the U.S. to retire for the greatest of life, as indicated by WalletHub.

1. Pearl City, Hawaii
2. Honolulu
3. Scottsdale, Arizona
4. Columbia, Maryland
5. Fremont, California
6. Glendale, California
7. Madison, Wisconsin
8. San Jose, California
9. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
10. San Diego

Pros and Cons of Pearl City, Hawaii, for Retired People

Pearl City is about 11 miles from Honolulu’s downtown on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It has a population of around 45,000, and a little over a quarter of residents are beyond 65 years old, as per the most recent accessible Census data.

In Pearl City and Hawaii overall, retired people who appreciate spending time outdoors can take advantage of warm weather year-round, as temperatures commonly fluctuate between the low 70s and low 80s, as per the National Weather Service. The state moreover offers an overflow of natural beauty, including crystal-clear water and white sand sea beaches.

However, the weather can also be a disadvantage to living in Hawaii due to the islands’ vulnerability to hurricanes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters.

Another disadvantage is that living in Hawaii doesn’t come modest. In Pearl City, homes list at a median cost of $795,000 and sell for a median of $1.1 million, per Realtor.com.

Renters don’t fare much better. The median rent for a one-bedroom staying in Pearl City is $1,856 each month as of Sept. 10, as indicated by Zillow, which is around 16% higher than the national median.

In any case, retired people who can swing the expenses might track down a sizable community of peers their own age. Pearl City attached with Scottsdale, Arizona, for the highest percentage of residents beyond 65 years old, per WalletHub’s analysis.

Explore potential retirement destinations in advance

While lists like these can be a useful beginning stage while choosing where to retire, it’s at last dependent upon you to sort out which features are generally significant.

While one person may prefer to relocate somewhere with a lower cost of living, another person may place a higher value on proximity to family and easy access to medical facilities.

Moreover, it tends to be hard to envision yourself retiring in a location you haven’t spent time in.

Numerous retirement specialists suggest visiting your potential retirement destinations at various places of the year so you can get a feeling of what the town resembles during different seasons, get to know the nearby local area, and start to comprehend what it could resemble to reside there long term.