With only 3 in 10 workers reporting that they are “very confident” they will have enough money for retirement, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021’s Best & Worst Places to Retire, as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.
To help Americans plan for a comfortable retirement without breaking the bank, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 48 key measures of affordability, quality of life, health care and availability of recreational activities. The data set ranges from the cost of living to retired taxpayer-friendliness to the state’s health infrastructure.
| Best Cities to Retire | Worst Cities to Retire |
| 1. Orlando, FL | 173. Arlington, TX |
| 2. Charleston, SC | 174. Jersey City, NJ |
| 3. Scottsdale, AZ | 175. Detroit, MI |
| 4. Tampa, FL | 176. Vancouver, WA |
| 5. Minneapolis, MN | 177. Wichita, KS |
| 6. Denver, CO | 178. Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
| 7. Cincinnati, OH | 179. Spokane, WA |
| 8. Fort Lauderdale, FL | 180. Bridgeport, CT |
| 9. Miami, FL | 181. Newark, NJ |
| 10. Atlanta, GA | 182. San Bernardino, CA |
Best vs. Worst
- Scottsdale, Arizona, has the highest share of the population aged 65 and older, 24.30 percent, which is 3.2 times higher than in Irving, Texas, the city with the lowest at 7.50 percent.
- Brownsville, Texas, has the lowest adjusted cost-of-living index for retirees, 75.65, which is 2.6 times lower than in Pearl City and Honolulu, Hawaii, the cities with the highest at 195.83.
- Plano, Texas, has the highest share of workers aged 65 and older, 25.02 percent, which is 2.4 times higher than in Detroit, the city with the lowest at 10.57 percent.
- St. Louis has the most home health care facilities (per 100,000 residents), 68.79, which is 36.2 times more than in Fontana, California, the city with the fewest at 1.90.
