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Florida’s reputation as the Grand Poobah of retirement destinations has taken some hits lately.
Consider the latest rankings from Seniorly, a senior living website. The Sunshine State ranked No. 18 in the U.S., well behind Washington, D.C. in the No. 1 spot. Montana,Wyoming,Alaska and Pennsylvania rounded out the top five in Seniorly’s rankings,which were based on affordability,quality of life and healthcare options.
That saeid, many of the characteristics that forged Florida’s retirement-friendly reputation remain in place. Here are four reasons retirees skipping or fleeing the Sunshine State may want to reconsider.
Highly Ranked Cities and Communities
Table of Contents
table of Contents
- 1. Highly Ranked Cities and communities
- 2. There Is Still a Lot To Like About the Weather
- 3.What specific factors contribute to the rising cost of housing in popular Florida retirement destinations?
- 4. Are Florida’s Retirement Charms Still Shining?
- 5. Interview with Amanda Williams, Senior Financial Advisor at Suncoast Planners
- 6. Interview with Robert Turner, Realtor with Oceanfront Living realty
while Florida as a whole is descending in some retirement ratings,some of its cities are soaring.
Naples, a city with about 20,000 residents on Florida’s southwest coast, climbed from No. 28 place to No. 1 in the most recent U.S. News and World Report rankings. the publication evaluated 150 U.S. cities based on happiness, retiree tax burdens, affordability and other factors. Part of a metro area with about 400,000 residents, Naples bills itself as the “Golf Capital of the World” and boasts some of the nation’s most highly rated beaches.
naples wasn’t the only florida city rated highly by U.S.News and World Reports. Sarasota,another Gulf coast City with about 58,000 residents,ranked fourth.
Florida’s most populous city, Jacksonville, ranked seventh in the nation for retirees. Located in northeast florida, “Jax” has about a million residents and a lower cost of living than many other parts of the state.
There Is Still a Lot To like About the Weather
Yes, parts of Florida are more prone to natural disasters — especially hurricanes — than many other options. And the humidity in parts of the state can be tough to handle,especially for the uninitiated.
