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