The Most Affordable Places To Retire Near You

Everyone dreams of a comfortable retirement in a beautiful locale, where you can finally have the leisure to take in the scenery or setting around you. While you might happily accept higher costs in exchange for any number of nearby benefits when you’re still raising a family or working, living on a fixed income can make you focus on every dollar you spend.

After all, your nest egg provides for the basics, helping you enjoy life without having to clock in five days a week. What you spend on housing or monthly electric bills is money you can’t spend on travel or leave to your grandkids.

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That’s why GOBankingRates has nailed down the most affordable cities and towns in every state, helping you see which places might help you get more out of your life’s savings. The study looked at the U.S. Census’s American Community Survey for average monthly expenditures. Then it added the cost-of-living scores from Sperling’s Best Places to give you a clear sense of which places you can expect to save you money.

Then, to identify which affordable locales might be most appropriate for retirement, the study also took the percentage of the population over the age of 65 and the city’s livability score from AreaVibes — a metric that combines a city’s crime rates, amenities and quality of basic public services to give a final score between 1 and 100 for how “livable” it is.

The towns in each state were then scored and ranked on those four categories to determine which towns are the most affordable while still being desirable to retirees.

Alabama

1. Florence

2. Vestavia Hills

3. Huntsville

The best place in Alabama for retirement is Florence. The city has an average Zillow home value of $186,672 and a high livability score of 81. It has a decent population of seniors as well, at 18% of the population.

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If Florence isn’t exactly in your backyard, Vestavia Hills and Huntsville also finished in the top three and offer some options. Both have senior populations of 16% or higher and monthly expenditures substantially below the national average.

Alaska

1. Juneau

2. Anchorage

3. Sitka

Alaska is ensconced in natural beauty — and you’ll find it in each of the three cities on this list. Juneau is the state capital, with almost 15% of the population of senior age, and the average home value is around $500,000.

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The good news about retiring in any of these three Alaska locales? Each of the cities has a population of 65-plus of 12% or more, with Sitka coming in at 16.25%. The bad news? The monthly expenditures in all three cities are among the highest in the U.S. But they make up for it with high livability scores.

Arizona

1. Gilbert

2. Scottsdale

3. Mesa

With its warm weather and abundant outdoor recreation, Arizona draws a lot of retirees. And Gilbert ranked first among the GOBankingRates study as the top place to retire in Arizona.

Scottsdale and Mesa are runners-up, with Scottsdale having the highest percentage of seniors (over 25%). Gilbert has the lowest monthly expenditures, at $1,757 per month. Gilbert also has the highest livability score, 89, compared to Scottsdale’s 77 and Mesa’s 82.

Arkansas

1. Rogers

2. Bentonville

3. North Little Rock

Rogers is one great city to live in if you want to save money — monthly expenditures are among the lowest in the country, at around $1,676 per month.

But whether you retire in Rogers, Bentonville or North Little Rock,  you’ll find affordable home prices and a low cost of living. Bentonville has the highest average home value on the list at  $436,731 but still has a low cost of living and a high livability score of 83.

California

1. Irvine

2. San Diego

3. Long Beach

While California has a well-deserved reputation as being an especially expensive place to live, that doesn’t mean there aren’t pockets of affordability. Retirees can start their search for homes in the Golden State in Irvine, San Diego or Long Beach.

While living in any of those California locales is more expensive than the national average, monthly expenses are lowest in Long Beach, at around $1,844 per month. When it comes to housing, you’ll be better able to afford a home in Long Beach, where the average home value is $877,167, about half that of Irvine, where it’s $1.6 million.

Colorado

1. Thornton

2. Pueblo

3. Arvada

Not unlike Alaska, it would be difficult to find a place to live in Colorado that wouldn’t come with an incredible natural setting. But beautiful places attract more people, driving up home prices.

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Thornton’s average home value is $524,482. While it is much higher in Pueblo, $281,889, Arvada is even pricier, at $603,508. However, Thornton has a livability score of 83 and Arvada a stunning 86, making these beneficial places for retirees to consider.

Connecticut

1. Milford

2. Meriden

3. West Hartford

Certainly, if you’re retiring to Connecticut you should expect a different standard of affordability than what you might find in the Midwest or South, but that doesn’t mean you still won’t have options.

Meriden is the most affordable, with monthly expenses around $2,090, compared to Milford’s $2,170. Home values are still reasonable, especially in Meriden, where it’s only $284,073, compared to Milford, where the home value is $464,626.

Delaware

1. Newark

2. Millsboro

3. Georgetown

Newark, Millsboro and Georgetown are not the cheapest cities in the U.S. to retire, though all have monthly expenditures under $2,000 per month. However, they all have populations of seniors over 12%, with Millsboro’s population comprising nearly 25% seniors. Only Newark has the distinction of a good livability score (82); Millsboro and Georgetown score 65 and 68.

However, all three have approximate home values, with Newark coming in at $336,469, Georgetown at $323,690 and Millsboro at $366,787.

Florida

1. Pembroke Pines

2. St. Petersburg

3. Miami

You’ll likely be in for plenty of sunshine regardless of where you live as long as it’s in Florida, and there’s nowhere in the state that’s all that far from the beach. Pembroke Pines, St. Petersburg and Miami all offer excellent livability scores, with St. Petersburg having the highest at 86 and Miami at 79.

Homes run a little higher here than in other states, with Miami being understandably the highest, due to tourism, at $600,685 and St. Petersburg the most modest, at $384,623. All three cities boast more than 16% of seniors in their population, with St. Petersburg having nearly 20%.

Georgia

1. Savannah

2. Marietta

3. Roswell

Georgia is one state where you can find some extremely affordable places to retire. Savannah has an average home value of $307,120 and monthly expenditures at around $1,777, meaning you would have that much more of your nest egg to commit to something other than bills.

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While Marietta and Roswell are more expensive than Savannah, they both have high livability scores — 81 and 78, respectively. And all three cities boast more than 14% of seniors in their populations.

Hawaii

1. Mililani

2. Kailua

3. Kahului

Given just how much of Hawaii’s food and other basic goods must be shipped great distances across the Pacific, costs of living there are much higher than anything you might see elsewhere. However, if you’re retiring to Hawaii, you might be willing to eat those costs because, well, it’s Hawaii.

While none of these towns are affordable when stacked up against most other states, their affordability relative to the rest of the state might actually make retiring to this Pacific paradise realistic.

The three cities in Hawaii are almost equally expensive, with only Kahului coming in with an average home value below $1 million. All three have higher than usual percentages of seniors, with Mililani the highest, at over 25%. But the average monthly expenditures are the highest in the U.S., with Kailua being the most expensive of the three, at $2,351.

Idaho

1. Coeur d’Alene

2. Post Falls

3. Idaho Falls

Based on livability scores alone, Idaho residents probably will consider staying in the state to retire. Coeur d’Alene, the top of three places on the Idaho list, has a livability score of 84, while it’s even higher in Post Falls and Idaho Falls, with 86 and 85, respectively.

But it’s not just that these are nice places to live; they’re also great places to save money. All three cities have monthly expenditures on the lower end of the scale. In Post Falls, you pay around $1,711 per month, and the average home value in Idaho Falls is $363,554, about $171,000 less than in Coeur d’Alene.

Illinois

1. Evanston

2. Arlington Heights

3. Naperville

While the greater Chicago area is home to its share of high-priced enclaves, the state of Illinois is a lot bigger than the Windy City and has plenty of burgs where you’ll be saving a lot when compared to the average American. Three places to check out are Evanston, Arlington Heights and Naperville, where monthly expenditures are below $2,000.

In all three cities, more than 13% of the population is of senior age, with Arlington Heights having almost 20% in the 65-or-older age group. And it’s no wonder, given the high livability scores: Evanston’s is 83, Arlington Heights’ is 80 and Naperville’s is 84.

Indiana

1. Fort Wayne

2. Muncie

3. Bloomington

If you live in Indiana, stay there for retirement. Muncie has an average home value of $127,433 — and low monthly expenditures, at around $1,688. The average home value in Fort Wayne is $217,659; in Bloomington, it’s $303,918.

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Fort Wayne also has the highest percentage of seniors — 14.7%, compared to Bloomington’s 10.7%.

Iowa

1. Urbandale

2. Ankeny

3. Dubuque

Dubuque will give you the best bang for your retired buck, because it combines a 20% population of residents 65 and older, low monthly expenditures and affordable home prices. Ankeny, however, has the highest livability score: 92.

The average home value in Urbandale may be the highest of the three cities in Iowa, at $339,163, but it’s still comparatively low in the U.S. Ankeny’s average home value is $336,483, and Dubuque’s is the lowest in the state, at $213,041.

Kansas

1. Lenexa

2. Shawnee

3. Lawrence

Kansas, like Iowa to the northeast, also provides a choice of well-priced communities for retirees, from Lenexa and Shawnee, with livability scores of 86 each, to Lawrence,  with a livability score of 88. With low monthly expenditures as well, this is a great place for seniors to retire.

Lawrence has the lowest average home value, $293,144, but even Shawnee’s $373,097 is not outrageous, either. Each of the three options is in the 12% to 16% range when it comes to residents age 65 or older.

Kentucky

1. Lexington

2. Glasgow

3. Covington

Kentucky’s profile is much like that of Kansas’ best places for retirees. Glasgow and Covington are especially affordable, with average home values of less than $180,000, low monthly expenditures and senior populations of between 14% and 23% of the total.

Glasgow’s higher percentage of seniors, 22.5%, is especially welcoming to retirees, as is its monthly expenditures of around $1,629 and livability score of 74. You pay a bit more in Lexington and Covington, but livability scores are 86 and 84, respectively.

Louisiana

1. Metairie

2. Kenner

3. New Orleans

Retirees can’t go wrong in any of these three Louisiana cities. Home values there are less than $290,000, with Kenner coming in at $218,026 and New Orleans hanging out at around $235,640.

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All three locations have relatively low monthly expenditures, and Metairie’s livability score is a solid 83. Your retirement dollars will go farther in Louisiana.

Maine

1. Brunswick

2. Augusta

3. Lewiston

There’s a lot to like about living in Maine, given its proximity for travel to the eastern provinces of Canada, the smell of the sea air and the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, and its spectacular four-season experience.

And retiring in Maine will cost much less than in its neighbor to the south, Massachusetts. Augusta and Lewiston have home values below $275,000, with Brunswick almost double that at $473,103. All three cities are senior friendly, too. Almost 24% of Brunswick’s population is age 65 or older, Augusta is 22% and Lewiston is about 19%.

Maryland

1. Towson

2. Dundalk

3. Baltimore

Your options for affordable places to retire in Maryland vary widely. Baltimore’s average home value is about $175,000. Dundalk, about 10 miles from Baltimore’s inner harbor, has an average home value of $204,000, but Townson’s home value is closer to $455,000.

Towson and Dundalk have much higher livability scores — 85 vs. Baltimore’s 75.

Massachusetts

1. Newton

2. Worcester

3. Quincy

Massachusetts, like Hawaii and California, is one of the costlier states in the nation, but there are a few pockets within the state that are friendly to retirees. Worcester’s monthly expenditures are less than $2,000 per month, and its average home value is not quite $405,000.

Newton, on the other hand, has monthly expenditures of almost $2,200, and a home value that’s pretty sizable — at over $1.5 million. Still, there’s a higher percentage of people aged 65 and older here — over 18%, compared with Worcester’s 13.3% and Quincy’s 16.8%.

Michigan

1. Grand Rapids

2. Ann Arbor

3. Farmington Hills

All three Michigan cities have monthly expenditures below $1,900, with Grand Rapids weighing in at only $1,658 per month.

Home values vary widely, too. The average home value in Grand Rapids is only $258,042, while it’s more than $504,000 in Ann Arbor and $370,000 in Farmington Hills. If livability is a determining factor, that’s pretty equal. Though Ann Arbor has a stunning 89 score, Grand Rapids’ 83 and Farmington Hills’ 80 are nothing to sneer at.

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Minnesota

1. St. Cloud

2. Rochester

3. Duluth

How much you actually enjoy a retirement in Minnesota is going to have a lot to do with how well you can handle winter weather. If you don’t mind the snow, then you’ll be happy to learn that these three cities are among the friendliest to your wallet.

Both St. Cloud and Duluth have monthly expenditures that are among the lowest in the U.S. While Rochester is pricier, with monthly expenditures creeping up toward $1,900, it also has an incredibly high livability score of 91.

The average home value in St. Cloud is a comfortable $232,177 and $247,814 in Duluth. Rochester’s a bit higher, at $313,642, but still quite affordable. And all three cities have a population of adults over the age of 65 between 13% and 17%.

Mississippi

1. Oxford

2. Brandon

3. Madison

Mississippi is among the places with the lowest cost of living in the country, so “affordable” is going to mean something radically different than it does in states such as California or Massachusetts. So if living in the birthplace of the blues strikes you as appealing, you’re in luck. You’ll save a mint in the process.

The average home value in Brandon is below $280,000, with a strong livability of 80. In fact, all three cities have great livability scores, with Oxford at a stunning 87.

Missouri

1. St. Charles

2. Independence

3. St. Peters

Independence truly offers what retirees are looking for: affordability. Monthly expenditures are around $1,774; the average home value is less than $190,000 and 18% of the population is 65 and older.

St. Charles and St. Peters are also good choices — with even lower monthly expenditures and decent to high livability scores.

Montana

1. Whitefish

2. Anaconda

3. Helena

Big Sky Country gives way to the glorious, majestic peaks of the Rockies when you’re traveling east to west. For the entire state, though, low costs of living appear to be pretty consistent.

The most affordable of the three cities is Anaconda, where your monthly expenditures run less than $1,700 and the average home value is less than $260,000. But if you want improved livability, Whitefish has a score of 82, and Helena has a score of 80.

You are going to pay more for housing in Whitefish, however; the average home value is almost $867,000. All three cities attract a higher population of seniors. Almost 25% of Anaconda’s population is 65 or older, and that number is 22% in Whitefish and 21% in Helena.

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Nebraska

1. Bellevue

2. Papillion

3. Fremont

Nebraska is something of a conundrum. Housing is quite affordable, with Papillion being the most expensive at $386,000. But average monthly expenditures are on the higher side. Fremont is the “cheapest,” with expenditures of $1,905.

Something that really stands out about this Nebraska list is the livability scores of 86 and 84 in both Bellevue and Papillion.

Nevada

1. Mesquite

2. Gardnerville

3. Pahrump

There’s much more to Nevada than the gaming havens of Las Vegas and Reno, and its abundance of natural beauty often is overlooked.

Nevada, however, falls in line with other western states in terms of living costs and is on the more expensive side among the 50 states. Housing costs in Mesquite are relatively affordable, and average monthly expenditures are $1,732. Pahrump is even more affordable, with monthly expenditures around $1,680, though it has the lowest livability of the three cities, at only 67.

What’s notable about the state is the high number of seniors. After all, nearly 45% of the residents of Mesquite are 65 and older, while it’s 27% in Gardnerville and 32% in Pahrump.

New Hampshire

1. Dover

2. Concord

3. Keene

If you’re looking for a chance to retire in a beautiful natural setting while keeping your costs low, some areas in otherwise pricey New Hampshire could fit your needs. Keene’s monthly expenditures are below $1,800 and the average home value is about $305,000. Concord, the capital, is a little pricier, with average monthly expenditures of $1,833 and an average home value of close to $411,000.

All three cities, however, boast livability scores of 86 or higher.

New Jersey

1. Toms River

2. Clifton

3. Hoboken

New Jersey’s prices vary widely from town to town. In Toms River, you’ll find the average home value hanging out in the low $400,000s; but, in Hoboken, it’s over $1.5 million. Clifton’s at about $529,000.

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Hoboken’s higher prices don’t appear to be a result of more seniors moving in as those 65 and older make up less than 7% of the population; Toms River has closer to 19%.

New Mexico

1. Alamogordo

2. Santa Fe

3. Roswell

Alamogordo, Santa Fe and Roswell offer some affordable options for retirees. While Alamogordo and Roswell have the most affordable housing, with average home values of about $195,000 and $137,000, Santa Fe jumps up to $578,000.

Everything’s a little more expensive in Santa Fe, but Alamogordo and Roswell both have similar cost of living, averaging less than $1,600 in monthly expenditures.

New York

1. Hempstead

2. Jamestown

3. Rochester

It’s probably no surprise that New York City is not among the three most affordable areas in the Empire State. Instead, upstate New York offers affordability in Hempstead, Jamestown and Rochester.

Jamestown is the most affordable of them all, with an average home value of $110,098 and average monthly expenses of around $1,640. Hempstead, on the other hand, has an average home value of $518,000 and among the highest monthly expenses in the U.S., around $2,300.

North Carolina

1. Cary

2. Apex

3. Greensboro

The three cities of Cary, Apex and Greensboro all have around the same average monthly expenditures, under $1,800. But housing is most affordable in Greensboro, where the average home value is under $254,000. Cary, by contrast, has an average home value of over $609,000.

However, all three cities have great livability scores, with Cary coming in at a stellar 90, Apex at 87 and Greensboro at 82.

North Dakota

1. Fargo

2. Bismarck

3. Valley City

These three cities are among the most affordable in the country, with Valley City being especially so. Here, the average home value is less than $163,000, the monthly expenditures are less than $1,800, and the population of people 65 and older is almost 21%.

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But you can’t go wrong with the other two cities, either. Fargo is the second most affordable, with an average home value below $300,000, and a livability score of 84. Bismarck has an average home value of almost $355,000 and a livability score of 77.

Ohio

1. Youngstown

2. Cuyahoga Falls

3. Parma

There’s affordable and then there’s Ohio. Youngstown offers one of the best options for retiring on a tight budget of any of the cities listed in the entire study. The average home value here is only $51,000 and some change, and the monthly expenditures are $1,620. What’s more, almost 18% of the population is 65 or older, and it has a livability score of 80.

While nowhere else can quite match Youngstown for a buyer’s market on houses, Cuyahoga Falls and Parma have home values of $187,000 and $180,000, with high livability scores as well.

Oklahoma

1. Norman

2. Oklahoma City

3. Edmond

While no one Oklahoma city can quite match Youngstown, Ohio, for its rock-bottom costs, the collection of municipalities on Oklahoma’s list are not bad. Expenditures are around $1,800 per month.

Oklahoma City has an average home value of less than $200,000. Edmond’s average home value is around $336,000 and Norman’s is nearly $246,000.

Oregon

1. Albany

2. Beaverton

3. Salem

Surprisingly, Oregon has median housing prices even more expensive than its neighbor to the south, California. In Albany, you’ll pay around $410,000 for a home and less than $1,700 per month in expenditures.

Salem is similar in affordability, and only Beaverton is a bit higher, with an average home value pushing $550,000 and monthly expenditures over $1,800. The cities have high livability scores, too.

Pennsylvania

1. Erie

2. Scranton

3. Wilkes-Barre

Pennsylvania has three of the most affordable cities in the U.S. on this list: Erie, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. In all three cities, the average home value is less than $165,000; in Wilkes-Barre, it’s less than $140,000. Wilkes-Barre also has the lowest average monthly expenditures of the three, at just under $1,700, though it’s livability, a decent 76, is lower than Erie’s 82 and Scranton’s 84.

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All three cities have senior populations in percentages ranging from 15% to nearly 18%.

Rhode Island

1. Cranston

2. Warwick

3. Providence

The nation’s smallest state can’t boast similarly tiny home values, unfortunately for retirees interested in buying there. Warwick is the most affordable of these places with a median home price of $365,947, with Providence only a tiny bit higher, at $369,112 and Cranston the highest, at $393,015.

Warwick does have the highest percentage of seniors, though, at over 21% of the population, but Cranston has the highest livability score, 84.

South Carolina

1. Greenville

2. Charleston

3. Spartanburg

South Carolina caters to retirees with low average monthly expenditures and high livability. Spartanburg has the lowest average home value, around $213,000, but Greenville has the highest livability score, 80.

Greenville’s average home values are under $300,000, but Charleston’s jumps up to $544,000. Charleston and Spartanburg both have the largest percentage of seniors as well.

South Dakota

1. Brandon

2. Sioux Falls

3. Aberdeen

The costs of living across the three most affordable places to retire in South Dakota are remarkably consistent. Brandon and Sioux Falls are almost identical in affordability, though Soux Falls has a population of almost 200,000 while Brandon only has nearly 11,000. For people who prefer that small-town vibe and a high livability, Brandon is the way to go.

Aberdeen has the lowest average home value, at not quite $216,000, and the highest percentage of seniors of the three cities, at 16% of the population.

Tennessee

1. Johnson City

2. Kingsport

3. Clarksville

If you’re thinking that your Tennessee retirement will mean living it up in Nashville, you might need to recalibrate your expectations. Instead, look to smaller towns like Johnson City, Kingsport and Clarksville. Kingsport is perfect for seniors, with 24% of the population being age 65 or older, and home values around $230,000.

The priciest of the three is Clarksville, which is also the biggest city and the one with the least amount of seniors — only around 9% of the population. Here the average home value is around $300,000 and the monthly expenditures are closer to $1,800.

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Texas

1. El Paso

2. San Antonio

3. Plano

Texas offers a number of great places to live, and that’s not just because of the abundance of Tex Mex and smoked brisket. You can’t go wrong with either El Paso, San Antonio or Plano. All have high livability scores and approximate levels of affordability in terms of monthly expenditures.

Plano does have a higher average home value, however, at almost $510,000, compared to El Paso’s $217,000 and San Antonio’s nearly $255,000.

Utah

1. St. George

2. Orem

3. Ogden

Utah is largely a somewhat remote, mountainous state, which can be a major feature for retirees interested in spending their golden years gazing on panoramic views. But, if you’re looking for those views to come from your back porch, you should be ready to spend compared to most other states.

Ogden has relatively cheap housing markets by Utah standards, at around $380,000, whereas St. George is around $513,000. Orem has the highest livability score, at 89, but Ogden’s 83 is pretty darn good, too.

Vermont

1. Rutland

2. Montpelier

3. Middlebury

Vermont delivers that New England charm with a lower cost of living than some of its sister states, like Connecticut and Massachusetts. Rutland delivers the most affordable home value, at under $243,000.

Monthly expenses are high in Vermont, over $2,000 in each city.

Rutland has the highest percentage of seniors — nearly 26% of the population, but Montpelier has the best livability score, 84.

Virginia

1. Lynchburg

2. Salem

3. Norfolk

Three of the most affordable Virginia locales for retirees feature average home values ranging from $240,000 to $283,000. Lynchburg stands out for the most affordable housing, and it also has the highest livability score at 90. However, Salem has the lowest monthly expenditures — $1,764.

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Norfolk may have the highest average home value of the three, over $283,000, but it has a nice livability score of 81, and compared to many cities, that is still an incredibly affordable home price.

Washington

1. Spokane Valley

2. Yakima

3. Vancouver

The Pacific Northwest is a gorgeous natural setting to call home for your golden years, but it’s pricey. The average home price of these three cities ranges from around $337,000 to $492,000, with Yakima having the most affordable home price and Vancouver the highest.

Average monthly expenditures are all comparable to one another, but Spokane Valley has a high livability score of 85, and Vancouver follows not too far behind at 82.

West Virginia

1. Charleston

2. Vienna

3. Weirton

West Virginia provides some clear options for retirees looking to minimize their expenses and devote their available cash to hobbies or travel. All three of these cities have an extremely affordable cost of living, as far as average home value goes. Weirton’s average home value is just shy of $130,000, while Charleston’s is below $148,000.

All three cities have monthly expenditures below $2,000. Charleston has the highest livability score, 83, while Weirton has the lowest, 68.

Wisconsin

1. Wauwatosa

2. Appleton

3. Oshkosh

While there are a lot of options for affordable living in Wisconsin, none will save you quite as much money as Osh Kosh. Here, the average home value is less than $213,000, and the average monthly expenditures are just over $1,800.

Appleton is not far behind in affordability. The average home value here is not quite $255,000, and monthly expenditures are below $1,850.

Wauwatosa home values jump up to $356,000, but it also has the highest livability score, 87.

Wyoming

1. Jackson

2. Cheyenne

3. Lander

If you hope to enjoy the majestic beauty of the Rockies during your retirement, few states might provide you with more opportunities than Wyoming. While Wyoming certainly isn’t one of the cheapest states in the country, the locales listed here are certainly going to present options within reach for a great many people as they end their careers.

While Cheyenne and Lander are equivalent in affordability, with average home values between $354,000 and $358,000, and monthly expenditures just over $2,000, Jackson is another story.

In Jackson, the average home value is well over $2 million, and the average monthly expenditures run over $2,200 per month. Jackson also has the fewest seniors, only about 7% of the population, while Lander has the most, around 18% of the population.

Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting for this story.

_{Methodology: In order to find the most affordable places to retire near you, GOBankingRates found the [1] 15 most populated places in each state as sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. For each city a number of factors were found including; [2] Grocery cost of living index, [3] Healthcare cost of living index, [4] Utilities cost of living index, [5] Transportation cost of living index, [6] Miscellaneous cost of living index all sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces and multiplied them by the [7] Average expenditure costs for someone aged 65 or older sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the average total expenditure cost for each city, [8] the change in average home value from November 2022 to November 2023, and the [9] livability index as sourced from AreaVibes. All the locations with a livability index under 65 were removed. Factors [1], [2], [3], and [4] were scored with factors [1] and [2] weighing 1.00 and factors [3] and [4] weighing 1.00. All factors were combined and sorted to show the places that are the most affordable to retire near you. All data was collected and is up-to-date as-of April 9, 2024.}

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