There is no rule that says a fresh start belongs only to the young. More and more seniors are choosing to relocate to a new city that fits their lives right now, not the lives they had 30 years ago.
But where should you go? FinanceBuzz looked at dozens of U.S. cities and ranked them specifically for seniors. They weighed housing costs, the size of the local senior population, lifestyle options, and even job opportunities for those who want to keep working.
Here is what they found.
The 10 Best Cities for Seniors Starting Over
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Buffalo, New York
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Toledo, Ohio
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Cincinnati, Ohio
The Great Lakes region came out on top. Cleveland landed the number one spot, earning high marks for affordable housing and a large senior population. Buffalo made the list for the same reasons. Pittsburgh came in second, largely because of the strong job market for older workers there.
The Midwest showed up in a big way. St. Louis and Cincinnati both made the top 10, with both cities earning praise for their social scenes, plenty of ways to get out, meet people, and enjoy a new hometown.
Toledo also made the cut, mostly thanks to its affordability. And two Southern cities (Little Rock and Tulsa) earned their spots for the same reason: your dollar goes a long way there.
One notable surprise: Florida barely cracked the list. Even though it is one of the most popular retirement destinations in the country, Tampa was the only Florida city to land in the top 20.
The 10 Worst Cities for a Senior Fresh Start
- San Jose, California
- Los Angeles, California
- New York, New York
- Austin, Texas
- Riverside, California
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Denver, Colorado
- Houston, Texas
- Salt Lake City, Utah
If you are dreaming of heading west, the numbers may give you pause. California placed three cities in the bottom 10 (San Jose, Los Angeles, and Riverside), largely due to the high cost of living. New York City ranked third on the worst list for the same reason.
Cities like Denver, Colorado Springs, and Salt Lake City skew younger and come with higher price tags. That combination can make them a tough fit for seniors looking to stretch their retirement savings.
Texas may be big, but Austin and Houston ranked poorly because of their large populations of residents under 65. That younger demographic can make it harder for seniors starting over to find the kind of community and social connections that matter most.
North Carolina had a rough showing overall. Raleigh made the worst-10 list because of its low scores for social life. Charlotte ranked 14th-worst for senior relocation. And while Greensboro did not crack the overall worst-20 list, it had the lowest median income for seniors in the entire study, just $46,737.
For comparison, seniors in Honolulu had the highest median income of any city in the survey. That is less than half of what seniors in Greensboro typically bring in.
So if a fresh chapter is calling your name, it turns out some cities are ready to welcome you, and others may make that new beginning a whole lot harder than it needs to be.