5 Small Cities Attracting the Most Retirees

Yahoo

10-07-2025

Large cities have a lot to offer, from robust public transportation services to extensive entertainment and cultural offerings. But a new study found that retirees are increasingly choosing to move to small cities instead.
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GOBankingRates spoke with experts to explore the reasons behind this trend and whether it's something we'll continue to see in the coming years.
Also see the 50 cheapest places to retire across America.
A 2025 study by Smart Asset ranked the United States cities that are most popular among retirees age 60 and up. Here are the cities that made the list.
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According to the study, Mesa was the most popular city, with a net gain of 2,044 retirees. Mesa's total population is 511,624. The city also has a significant population of retirees, with 131,562 of its residents being age 60 and up.
A total of 2,443 retirees moved to North Las Vegas, while just 1,023 moved out, for a net migration of 1,420 retirees. It's also a smaller city with a population of 284,722. Approximately one-sixth of those residents, or 52,082, are age 60 and up.
Paradise came in very closely behind North Las Vegas. Paradise's net retiree migration was 1,416, behind North Las Vegas by only four retirees. Paradise's total population is 177,413, and 37,849 of residents are age 60 and up.
Oklahoma City saw a net migration of 1,314 retirees. Of its population of 702,654, 132,318 residents are age 60 and up.
Spring Valley's population is 198,326, but nearly a quarter of its residents are age 60 and up. Spring Valley saw a net migration of 1,312 retirees.
Small cities are increasingly attracting retirees, and Jeremy Clerc, CEO and co-founder of Assisted Living Magazine, has noticed this trend. Assisted Living Magazine tracks where form submissions originate, and over the past two years, Clerc has noticed a dip in submissions from large metropolitan areas. At the same time, he has seen an increase in submissions from secondary or tertiary cities, defined as cities with populations under 1 million and 500,000, respectively.
Clerc suggested several reasons for this change. 'Smaller cities are largely cheaper than big cities when it comes to senior living,' he explained. 'Residents are seeking comfort and low-stress environments in cities where their money can do more.'
Clerc also explained that retirees may be attracted to the quality of life and climate in certain small cities. He believed that warmer states generate more interest from seniors looking for retirement living. Retirees also tend to prioritize cities that have a slower pace and lower crime rates.
The Smart Asset study also revealed that retirees are moving out of large cities. In fact, 17,084 retirees moved out of New York City, while 3,187 left Los Angeles. San Diego, Washington, D.C., and Denver completed the top five large cities that the most retirees left.
According to Sara Carbonell, director of marketing, Amblebrook at Gettysburg at Crown Community Development, retirees may be leaving large cities because they are significantly more expensive compared with rural locations. 'To attract residents, smaller cities and communities like Gettysburg and Amblebrook are motivated to offer an assortment of cultural amenities for people coming from cosmopolitan places like New York City, that are so culturally rich,' she explained.
Clerc, whose company is located in New York City, explained that taxes can play a big part in retirees' decisions of where to live as well. 'New York City residents face state and city income taxes, and while Social Security isn't taxed in New York, other retirement income can be,' he said. 'Meanwhile, popular retirement states like Florida, Texas and Nevada have no state income tax on retirement income, which can save a retiree thousands of dollars per year.'
Carbonell recommended that retirees consider the cost of living in any city they're thinking of moving to. In particular, it's important to research whether the location taxes retirement funds.
'What does the city offer that you would want to take advantage of and enjoy?' Carbonell said. 'The quality of its art and culture scene is often important, as is its proximity to airports to make travel easy.'
Clerc advised that retirees should also consider the quality and proximity of healthcare, including whether there are good hospitals, clinics and specialists nearby. He also explained that since driving gets harder as retirees age, cities that have good public transportation or walkability can be ideal.
Retirees should also consider the weather, including what type of weather they prefer and what they're willing to risk. 'Choose a climate that's compatible with your lifestyle and health, and if there is any extreme weather, ensure it's something you can prepare for or counteract,' Clerc recommended.
He explained that as retirees flock to certain locations, the infrastructure is also growing to meet the increased demand. In turn, those cities will be even more attractive for future retirees, and it's likely that more retirees will relocate to those areas too.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Small Cities Attracting the Most Retirees