Naples, Florida, secured the No. 1 spot on the 2025 Best Places to Retire in the United States list by U.S. News & World Report this year.
To identify the best markets for retirees, U.S. News analyzed data for 150 top cities to assess how well they meet Americans' retirement needs and expectations. Top criteria include happiness of local residents, housing affordability, health care, desirability, retiree taxes, and job market.
"The 2025 Best Places to Retire rankings reflect top cities across the country that best meet retiree needs and desires," says Dawn Bradbury, assistant managing editor for real estate at U.S. News. "What we found this year is retirees seek a destination that will not only stretch their dollar, but is also a place for enjoyment. This is why the Midwest and South dominate the top 25."
Retirees noted overall happiness of a place's residents as the top consideration when determining a place to retire. As a result, U.S. News adjusted its scoring this year to make happiness the most heavily weighted of the six factors in the 2025 Best Places to Retire methodology.
Additionally, to further localize metrics that have a direct impact on retirees, U.S. News transitioned from using Metro Statistical Area (MSA) data to city-based data.
These changes resulted in top-10 appearances from Virginia Beach, Virginia (No. 2); Boise, Idaho (No. 5); Raleigh, North Carolina (No. 6); Jacksonville, Florida (No. 7); Huntsville, Alabama (No. 8); Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 9); and Fort Wayne, Indiana (No. 10).
"U.S. News' rankings are consistently evolving to meet consumer needs," adds Bradbury. "This year's shift from Metro Statistical Area data to city-based data enables the consumer to consider factors that will directly impact the livability and overall experiences associated with a city on a more local level."
The top 10 markets for retirees in 2025, according to U.S. News, include:
