The one silver lining to aging may be retiring, as, oftentimes, it gives you the luxury of independently choosing your state and city of residence. That's a pretty big silver lining, and one that retirees regularly take advantage of. Retirement may be an adjustment to some high-earning individuals who have gotten used to certain perks. As a practicing physician, it is easy to lead a lavish lifestyle in some expensive cities; however, with retirement, it might be wise to relocate to a more affordable area to get the biggest bang for your buck. But, choosing which city to live in can be daunting. And, some cities can be friendlier and easier to live in—especially for those of typical retirement age—than others. To help with the task of choosing, the folks at Caring.com have compiled a list of the most senior-friendly cities and states in the United States. Let's take a look at how they compiled this top 10 list of US cities and why. How they did it In choosing the study metrics, Caring.com researchers and senior living experts included 70 factors that are key indicators of overall health, happiness, and quality of life in older adults. These ranged from commonly considered factors such as affordability and availability of healthcare, to more subtle factors, such as the availability of parks, museums, transportation, and air and water pollution. These 70 metrics were then grouped into six categories and weighted according to importance: healthcare (weight: 22%), senior living and housing (weight: 22%), quality of life (weight: 22%), transportation (weight: 13%), affordability (weight: 13%), and community involvement (weight: 8%). Of these factors, healthcare is perhaps most important for retirees when considering where to live. This category comprises seven metrics, including saturation of primary care physicians, dentists, and other physicians per 100,000. Patient satisfaction and preventable hospitalization were also included. Next in importance is housing. This metric includes categories such as housing costs, senior living options, availability, subsidized housing, multi-family homes, and houses with no-step entrances. Caring.com researchers also used comparisons of the cost of area housing compared with the average household income in that area. Quality of life was the third most important metric to measure, according to researchers. To measure quality of life, they included 18 individual metrics divided into two groupings. The first grouping consisted of metrics that measured the availability of enriching activities and services (museums, libraries, parks, fresh markets, etc.). The second group of metrics measured an active, healthy lifestyle, including air and water quality, and the prevalence of obesity. Transportation plays a considerable role in lifestyle, and affordable transportation is a must, especially for older retirees who may be unable to drive. Things like doctors' appointments, errands and shopping, and social events all play a part in quality of life. Researchers assessed the frequency and availability of local transit services, household transportation costs, and crash rates for each city and state. Affordability is next in the list of metrics, and researchers factored in earning potential in an area. As a retiring physician, you might not need the extra pay, but it might be a good idea to take the opportunities to fill all that extra free time you're not used to having. Chances are, since you spent your entire career as a physician always on the move, the slow pace of retirement may be too much to get used to. In addition, many physicians who don't find a productive way to spend their time often find themselves, bored, unsatisfied, and lonely. Part-time job options may be an easy fix to occupy you, with the added benefits of opportunities to socialize. Finally, community involvement was factored in using three metrics: how involved retirees were in their government, how often they volunteer, and what programs and clubs facilitate social opportunities for them. Top 10 cities for retirees And, without further ado, here are the top 10 cities for retiree living. Remember, all rankings are based on a total of 302 cities that were compared: 10. St. Paul, MN According to Mark Twain, "Saint Paul is the last city of the East; Minneapolis is the first city of the West;" it's also the summer home of the Chicago mob and the smaller of the Twin Cities. This Twin City ranked #78 for quality of life, #57 for transportation, #51 for healthcare, and #37 for senior housing. Of all rankings, St. Paul's engagement for seniors was highest at #28. When you consider that this was out of a list of 302 cities, St. Paul is mighty close to the top. 9. Boulder, CO Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is known for a lot more than its outdoor majesty, high elevations, and mountain climbing. Shopping, galleries, and restaurants give Boulder an added urban element that is unexpected in a city surrounded completely by wilderness. For seniors, it's a great place to be, ranking #16 for healthcare, #29 for community involvement, and #39 for quality of life. Its affordability ranking was #81, transportation #115, and senior housing rank #134. 8. Lancaster, PA Home to the oldest Amish settlement in the US, Lancaster offers such diversity as far as culture, special events, shopping, and great food that it would be a great place to live for any age group. But, according to Caring.com, it's a fantastic place for retirees. Lancaster was #1 in transportation and #17 in the senior housing ranking. Also getting high marks were Lancaster's community involvement (#21) and affordability (#62). 7. Washington, DC The nation's capital is a great place for retirees to live. Who knew? The iconic buildings that house our federal government and neoclassical monuments, iconic museums, and stunning performing arts centers are just some of the great things about DC. This beautiful city on the Potomac River came in #2 in community involvement ranking, and #6 in senior housing. DC also boasted a high place in the quality of life ranking (#25), as well as high healthcare rank (#18). Unfortunately, it also ranked last in affordability. 6. Chapel Hill, NC Residents like to refer to their town of Chapel Hill as "the southern part of Heaven." Chapel Hill is known as the location of the beautiful University of North Carolina campus—and its Tarheels—replete with grassy malls and brick walkways. As a result, the city's arts and culture scene is flourishing. Some of the highlights of Chapel Hill include its healthcare rank (#2), and community involvement (#24). Transportation is ranked #117, and affordability #124. 5. Madison, WI Also known as the City of Four Lakes, Madison was named after James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. It's no surprise that this picturesque city ranked in the top 10 spots because it consistently makes the top 10 of most lists of livability. Madison ranks #1 for community involvement, #14 for affordability, #25 for healthcare, and #75 for quality of life. 4. Portland, ME Known for its diverse landscapes as well as its rich seafood offerings (think lobster), Portland is a city that you may not just want to visit. Maine beaches, Maine lighthouses, Maine blueberries, and Maine moose are just some of the great things that living in Portland—which is centrally located in the state—will expose you to. Not to mention being the headquarters of L.L. Bean. Residents there are highly involved in their community (#4) and enjoy great transportation (#8). Portland also ranked #12 for its healthcare, #23 for senior housing, and #45 for quality of life. 3. Boston, MA It's apropos that Boston—one of the oldest cities in the United States—is also one of the best cities for seniors to live in. Boston Harbor, the Freedom Trail, Boston Common, and Faneuil Hall are just some of the highlights of this beautiful city. Boston ranked #7 for quality of life and #8 for senior housing. Its healthcare rank was also high (#14) as was its transportation ranking (#16). But Boston ranked #277 (of 302 cities) in affordability. 2. Fredericksburg, VA Located on the Rappahannock River in Virginia, Fredericksburg is home to four battlefields and the National Cemetery, which is the final resting place of thousands of Union soldiers. If good wine, picturesque rural landscapes, and a deep sense of history thrill you, Fredericksburg fits the bill. It's #1 for both senior housing and healthcare. For transportation, Fredericksburg still ranks high (#65). For community involvement, it ranks #97. 1. San Francisco, CA Coming in first place for cities conducive to retirees in is the beautiful city of San Francisco. The City by the Bay boasts cool summers, steep rolling hills, the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Chinatown district. In this list, it ranked #1 for quality of life, #3 for healthcare, and #7 for transportation. Source
