Florida · best for retirees · #18 of 50 states

Best Cities for Retirees in Florida

Florida ranks #18 of 50 for retirees, with a retirees score of 66.2. Palm Beach Gardens is its best city for retirees at 64.5.

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#1 city in FL for retirees

Palm Beach Gardens64.5

Retirees score out of 100

Florida, all states: #18 of 50
Population: 60,959

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Tax burden

6.49%

% of income

Income tax

None

State + local

Life expectancy

77.9 yr

CDC NCHS

Home value

$375,470

Typical home value

Cost of living

103.4

BEA RPP · 100 = avg

Florida for Retirees: The Full Picture

Florida ranks #18 nationally for retirees, making it a middle-of-the-pack destination for those entering their next chapter. The state's strong fiscal health (70/100) and light overall tax burden of 6.49% help retirement savings go further. Notably, Florida levies no state income tax — a significant advantage for retirees drawing from pensions, 401(k)s, and Social Security.

For retirees, healthcare access and tax friendliness are non-negotiable. Florida's health score of 61/100 is middling — life expectancy of 77.9 years is roughly in line with national norms, but healthcare quality varies by region. On the tax front, the overall burden stands at 6.49% of income. The absence of state income tax is a meaningful benefit for retirees living on fixed incomes. Property taxes run 0.82% (effective rate), which is near the national average.

A typical home value of $375,470 is manageable for retirees selling homes in higher-cost markets. The state's safety profile is reassuring, with a safety score of 73/100. Livability amenities are more limited compared to top-ranked states, so retirees who value a vibrant social scene should focus their search on the state's larger metro areas.

All 80 Cities Ranked for Retirees

# City	Grade	Retirees score	Overall	Health	Household finances	Affordability	Population
1Palm Beach Gardens	A	64.5	64.8	78	74	35	60,959
2Jupiter	B+	62.6	62.6	75	71	35	61,883
3The Villages	C+	61.7	55.3	66	65	72	83,498
4Boca Raton	B+	61.3	61.0	76	68	29	100,234
5Wellington	B+	60.4	61.1	73	76	33	62,146
6Horizon West	A	59.7	64.0	70	82	43	67,416
7Delray Beach	B	58.7	58.5	64	52	48	67,979
8Largo	C+	58.7	55.5	53	43	68	82,617
9North Port	B+	58.3	61.2	59	65	58	84,605
10Palm Harbor	C+	58.2	52.6	61	56	58	61,512
11Weston	B	57.8	58.2	77	90	26	68,837
12Doral	B+	57.4	61.5	73	62	33	79,216
13Clearwater	B	57.3	56.2	52	42	62	117,247
14St. Petersburg	B	57.0	56.1	56	50	61	262,732
15Pembroke Pines	B	56.9	57.6	62	59	46	173,194
16Coral Springs	B	56.8	57.9	64	67	41	136,103
17Alafaya	B	56.7	57.0	66	67	55	92,449
18Plantation	B	56.3	58.2	65	62	42	96,293
19Pinellas Park	C+	56.2	54.8	51	44	66	53,560
20Wesley Chapel	B	55.9	56.3	65	75	55	76,011
21Bonita Springs	C+	55.8	53.6	66	64	53	55,904
22Apopka	B+	55.5	59.4	53	64	56	58,232
23Boynton Beach	B	55.4	57.0	59	45	50	81,435
24Miramar	B	55.0	58.3	59	63	44	138,600
25Port St. Lucie	B	54.9	58.2	57	58	59	232,491
26Sarasota	B	54.6	56.9	59	44	56	56,970
27Port Orange	C	54.6	51.4	56	52	65	64,767
28Palm Coast	C+	54.0	52.8	58	54	62	98,258
29Miami Beach	B	53.9	56.0	69	45	44	82,031
30Tampa	B	53.3	55.8	54	44	59	401,618
31Sanford	C+	53.2	55.0	52	47	64	63,730
32Riverview	C+	53.1	53.3	59	70	57	113,697
33Pensacola	C+	53.0	52.7	51	49	70	54,036
34Kendall	C+	52.9	53.2	70	58	42	79,562
35St. Cloud	B+	52.8	58.8	47	58	62	65,130
36West Palm Beach	C+	52.3	54.4	58	46	51	122,290
37Lakeland	C+	52.2	52.5	42	44	72	119,961
38Cape Coral	C	52.1	50.6	58	55	58	215,536
39Palm Bay	B	51.8	56.9	45	50	66	130,132
40Orlando	C+	51.7	53.4	54	45	59	319,758
41Bradenton	C	51.7	51.4	48	39	64	57,014
42Jacksonville	C	51.5	50.9	46	44	68	977,670
43Westchester	D	51.5	48.6	61	53	46	52,032
44Coconut Creek	C	51.4	50.9	63	53	51	58,330
45Melbourne	C	51.1	52.2	50	40	66	86,576
46Kendale Lakes	D	51.1	47.1	62	52	49	52,622
47Brandon	C	50.9	49.4	58	54	61	119,767
48Tamiami	D	50.9	48.3	61	53	46	49,752
49Hialeah	C+	50.8	53.4	49	33	53	226,165
50Town 'n' Country	D	50.6	48.5	55	51	62	85,928
51Fort Lauderdale	C	50.2	51.2	58	49	46	185,604
52Davie	C	49.9	51.6	65	58	45	108,346
53Sunrise	C	49.8	51.0	54	54	49	97,918
54Margate	C	49.8	49.3	53	45	55	59,198
55The Hammocks	C	49.5	49.7	65	55	43	58,838
56Deltona	C	49.4	49.6	50	55	65	97,334
57Fort Myers	C	48.7	51.5	50	38	61	95,051
58Hollywood	C	48.6	50.1	57	42	52	155,082
59Tamarac	D	48.6	47.9	51	43	54	73,019
60Winter Haven	C	48.4	51.2	34	36	73	55,200
61Ocala	C	48.4	50.7	44	26	74	66,584
62Miami	C+	48.3	55.3	56	32	46	459,745
63Fountainebleau	D	48.3	46.0	61	45	51	55,665
64Spring Hill	D	48.3	45.6	45	48	68	119,983
65Pompano Beach	C	48.0	49.5	53	41	54	114,147
66Country Club	D	47.9	46.8	61	51	51	51,296
67Port Charlotte	D	47.4	44.3	48	50	67	66,133
68Deerfield Beach	D	47.3	48.0	51	38	55	88,093
69Four Corners	D	47.3	46.2	54	53	60	65,048
70Miami Gardens	C	47.2	50.3	41	43	52	113,177
71Daytona Beach	D	45.8	47.6	41	25	70	78,992
72Tallahassee	C	44.8	49.9	51	22	73	201,875
73Gainesville	D	44.8	48.6	55	5	74	145,702
74Homestead	C	44.6	51.4	53	35	53	82,807
75North Miami	D	43.0	46.5	42	30	54	60,344
76Kissimmee	D	42.8	48.5	34	26	64	81,479
77Pine Hills	F	42.2	39.0	26	33	68	80,105
78Poinciana	F	41.4	39.4	36	42	64	75,068
79Lauderhill	F	39.9	42.3	32	27	58	74,896
80Lehigh Acres	F	38.0	39.2	43	38	64	132,353

City retirees scores use each city's own data, with the category weights rescaled over the categories the city has; outdoor access has no city-level measure and is left out. City scores for retirees also weigh the county's expected yearly building losses from natural hazards (FEMA), lower is better; the share of adults without health insurance (CDC PLACES), a sign of local healthcare access, lower is better; the median age of residents (Census ACS), older is better: more peers and retiree services.

Compare: States with Similar Retirees Rankings

Also See: Florida for Other Lifestyles

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Florida a good state for retirees?

Florida ranks #18 out of 50 for retirees with a persona-weighted score of 66.2/100. Its strongest relevant category is Safety (73/100) and its weakest is Livability (27/100).

What is the best city for retirees in Florida?

Palm Beach Gardens ranks #1 in Florida for retirees with a score of 64.5/100, followed by Jupiter and The Villages.

What factors are most important for retirees in Florida?

Rankings weighted toward low taxes, quality healthcare, affordable living, safety, community livability, and pleasant environment — the priorities for retirement years.