Key Details:
- U.S. News & World Report reveals the 2025 Best Places to Retire, ranking 150 U.S. cities based on happiness, affordability, health care, desirability, retiree taxes, and job market.
- Naples, Florida, claims the top spot, with Virginia Beach, Boise, and Sarasota also in the top 10.
Naples, Florida, is the number one place to retire in 2025.
That’s according to this year’s evaluation and ranking of 150 major U.S. metros on U.S. News & World Report. We’re focusing on their top 10 cities for retirees, as well as the factors behind the ranking.
So, take a moment to dream a little, and let’s dive in!
Top 10 Cities for 2025
The folks at U.S. News & World Report analyzed 150 U.S. cities based on six factors:
- Happiness
- Affordability
- Health care
- Desirability
- Retiree taxes
- Job market
Ranking at the top is Naples, Florida, which excels in happiness, desirability, retiree taxes, and job market.
[It’s not a coincidence that Naples also ranked at the top of U.S. News’ list of best places to live in 2024-2025.]
The data sources behind this year’s ranking include:
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Risk Index
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Sharecare
- U.S. News’ Best Hospitals rankings
The 10 best cities for retirees in 2025:
- Naples, Florida
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- New York City, New York
- Sarasota, Florida
- Boise, Idaho
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
The Midwest and South dominate the top 25, largely due to relative affordability and enjoyment.
The Best Places to Retire ranking is part of U.S. News’ expanding Real Estate section, which provides resources including:
- Neighborhood rankings
- Home value estimates
- Real estate tools for buying and selling.
Use #BestPlacesToRetire on Facebook and X/Twitter to join the conversation.
Methodology Updates
For this year’s ranking, the “happiness” factor was adjusted to make it the most heavily-weighted factor. Data for the ranking transitioned from Metro Statistical Area (MSA) data to city-based data for more localized metros.
Researchers fielded the survey to individuals aged 45 and older to prioritize factors for retirement decisions.
Read the full article to see rankings for all the cities analyzed.
