Florida best place to retire in the US yet again

Florida best place to retire in the US yet again

Florida is no stranger to top rankings for retirement, buy-to-let properties and relocation. And in 2021, the Sunshine State takes first position in the ratings for the best place to retire in the US.
 
Florida repeats the same ranking it held in 2020 and stands out from its main competitors for affordability and quality of life.
 

The criteria for best place to retire in the US

Wallethub publishes its ratings for the best places to retire in the US every year. The survey takes 50 states and looks at 45 criteria to rank them for retirement.
 
The most important trio of criteria for retirement are affordability, quality of life and healthcare. All three make up the fundamental basis for successful retirement. Another desirable attribute featuring high on the list is a warm year-round climate in addition to plenty of natural spaces and leisure activities.
 

Florida top retirement friendly score

Florida scored the highest of all 50 states to become the best place to retire in the US in 2021. In the three main criteria, the Sunshine State stood in fourth place for affordability, in sixth for quality of life and in 28th for healthcare.
 
Colorado, another state with good weather, took second place although it scored far less well than Florida for both affordability and quality of life. It ranked 13th and 16th respectively for these two criteria. Delaware is the third best place to retire with a similar score to Florida for affordability.
 

Worse place to retire in the US

At the other end of the scale, New York and New Jersey stood in 49th and 50th positions. Neither state does well for any of the three fundamental criteria and both score particularly badly for affordability. One of the areas where this is most visible is the high cost of living in the two states, especially for healthcare.
 

Best places within Florida

Within the context of excellent affordability and quality of life, certain parts of Florida stand out as prime retirement spots. Southwest Florida ranks particularly well with locations such as Tampa and Cape Coral established favourites on the retiree map.
 
In the context of the pandemic, retirees are keener than ever to spend time in places with plenty of open spaces and outdoor leisure facilities. This gives coastal areas in Florida an edge, particularly those that are less built-up.
 

Retirement market opens up investment

Since the advent of Covid-19, Florida has become even more popular for relocation within the US. Population levels in the state are expected to swell over the next few years. And the new arrivals include a sizeable proportion of retirees.
 
This opens up investment opportunities for properties in the right location. Englewood on the coast in southwest Florida and close to Cape Coral and Sarasota is one of them. Regularly tipped as one of the best beach destinations in Florida, Englewood offers nature, open spaces and leisure within an established community.
 
Buy-to-build investment presents strong potential within the retirement market and offers the additional advantage of easy entry. Take a look at buying land in Southwest Florida. Options for prime plots with all infrastructure in place start at just US$26,500. New-build upgrades are available along with finance options.
 
(Source: Wallethub)

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