Best Cities to Retire in 2022
February 7, 2022
Finding the best city for retirement requires research and thoroughly weighing your personal and financial priorities. We explored all cities with a population greater than 80,000 residents to find the 10 best cities to retire in in 2022. Each city offers a blend of safety, activities, attractions and affordability for those on a fixed income.
The research we completed to analyze our 2022 best cities for retirement includes:
- Local housing and assisted living costs and population over age 65
- Population growth, which typically indicates a robust local economy
- Annual FBI crime statistics for each city, based on a percentage of all criminal activity in the total population
Many of our best retirement cities for 2022 are located in Florida, a popular retirement location for decades. The weather is ideal for year-round activities and often for physical health. If you decide to work while retired in Florida, you won’t pay state income tax.
Source: Retirement Living
1. Palm Coast, Florida
Palm Coast, Florida, population growth is riding on the back of a very healthy local economy. Retail properties range from budget-friendly to upscale stores. Upward trends in residential and commercial properties serve a population with 28% over the age of 65. Aside from shopping and great restaurants, Palm Coast offers golf resorts, fishing, formal garden tours and more.
The median mortgage cost in Palm Coast is just under $1,300, with rental homes in the same ballpark. The average monthly price for an assisted living facility is relatively high, at $4,500. In Palm Coast crime is down by an impressive 47% since 2016, averaging under 2%.
| Population growth (2019-2020) | 19% |
| Population over 65 | 28% |
| Crime Per Capita | 1.7% |
| Cost of assisted living | $4,500 |
| Median mortgage payment | $1,289 |
| Sales tax rate | 7% |
| Homelessness Rate (Per 10k) | 12.8 |
RetirePalmCoast.com 