The 858 Best Places to Retire in America

The big lists rank 25 cities once a year and call it done. We scored every U.S. retirement city — 20 years of hourly weather, an itemized cost of living, and a happiness index built from crime, healthcare, 55+ migration, and federal amenity data. Then we made it yours: set your ideal temperature, your budget, and what actually matters to you, and watch the list re-rank itself.

Updated August 25, 2026 · a living list, re-ranked as new data lands · how we rank →

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858 cities · ranked for a typical buyer · 460 demoted over your $375k home budget

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