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)
