Although one in five U.S. adults ages 50 or older has no retirement savings, those who have accumulated a comfortable nest egg — which the majority of American workers believe to be at least $1.8 million — have some flexibility when it comes to where they spend their golden years.
More than 338,000 U.S. residents retired to a new home in 2023, a 44% increase compared to 2022, according to a report from online moving services marketplace Hire A Helper.
Related: Are You Actually on Track to Retire Well? A Financial Expert Reveals the Critical Milestones to Hit at Every Age — Plus 3 Common Oversights.
The majority of retirees relocating out of state opted for Florida (11%) and South Carolina (10%), per the data. Florida and other Southern states often attract retirees with year-round warm weather and affordable costs of living.
However, Americans with larger-than-average retirement accounts might gravitate toward places where wealth and safety are defining factors.
GOBankingRates set out to determine the wealthiest, safest cities for retirees by analyzing data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey.
GOBankingRates only included cities where at least 25% of the population was aged 65 or older in its analysis. Each city’s livability score was calculated from AreaVibes and the average single-family home value from the Zillow Home Value Index for September 2024.
Related: These Are the Best Places for a Middle-Class Retirement That Won’t Break the Bank, According to New Research
The study found that Oro Valley, Arizona, ranks as the wealthiest, safest retirement town, and that six additional Arizona cities placed in the top 30: Prescott, Lake Havasu City, Scottsdale, Prescott Valley, Apache Junction and Bullhead City.
What’s more, 12 of the wealthiest, safest retirement towns are in California: Rancho Palos Verdes, Lincoln, Laguna Woods, Walnut Creek, Novato, La Quinta, Seal Beach, Rancho Mirage, Cerritos, Banning, Palm Desert and Palm Springs.
Image Credit: Davel5957 | Getty Images. Walnut Creek, California.
Related: Looking to Retire Soon? These Are the 10 Most Boomer-Friendly Cities to Buy a Home.
Read on to see GOBankingRate’s top 30 safest and wealthiest retirement towns in the U.S.:
1. Oro Valley, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.57
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.41
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $52,098
- Single-family average home value: $525,380
- Livability score: 81
2. Pinehurst, North Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.43
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 3.40
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $50,351
- Single-family average home value: $542,557
- Livability score: 73
3. Bella Vista, Arkansas
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.48
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 3.81
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $32,209
- Single-family average home value: $336,590
- Livability score: 65
4. Rancho Palos Verdes, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.18
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 8.48
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $72,238
- Single-family average home value: $1,913,039
- Livability score: 58
5. Georgetown, Texas
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.59
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.71
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $46,886
- Single-family average home value: $442,904
- Livability score: 83
6. Centerville, Ohio
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.47
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 14.01
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $36,275
- Single-family average home value: $329,817
- Livability score: 84
7. Mesquite, Nevada
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.89
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.97
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $39,396
- Single-family average home value: $406,306
- Livability score: 76
8. Lincoln, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.43
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 6.91
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $47,966
- Single-family average home value: $646,552
- Livability score: 67
9. Prescott, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.51
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 14.42
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $40,660
- Single-family average home value: $614,569
- Livability score: 72
10. Huntley, Illinois
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.42
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 5.19
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $30,962
- Single-family average home value: $400,135
- Livability score: 73
11. Aiken, South Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.22
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 34.40
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $40,311
- Single-family average home value: $259,767
- Livability score: 68
12. Fort Lee, New Jersey
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.06
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 13.95
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $47,944
- Single-family average home value: $939,775
- Livability score: 88
13. Lake Havasu City, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.88
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.32
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $32,852
- Single-family average home value: $488,313
- Livability score: 63
14. Scottsdale, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.66
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 22.09
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $45,771
- Single-family average home value: $922,559
- Livability score: 82
15. Laguna Woods, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.53
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 5.42
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $42,241
- Single-family average home value: $481,924
- Livability score: 73
16. Walnut Creek, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.94
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 27.64
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $52,918
- Single-family average home value: $1,441,223
- Livability score: 77
17. Prescott Valley, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.61
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 9.31
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $30,927
- Single-family average home value: $461,185
- Livability score: 62
18. Novato, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.17
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 16.78
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $47,540
- Single-family average home value: $1,190,655
- Livability score: 71
19. La Quinta, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.83
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 24.34
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $50,039
- Single-family average home value: $769,008
- Livability score: 57
20. Seal Beach, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.94
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 27.02
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $42,229
- Single-family average home value: $1,491,445
- Livability score: 61
21. Apache Junction, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 5.06
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 16.50
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $30,211
- Single-family average home value: $386,845
- Livability score: 67
22. Rancho Mirage, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.73
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 35.41
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $61,573
- Single-family average home value: $1,085,436
- Livability score: 49
23. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 4.48
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 40.11
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $40,259
- Single-family average home value: $506,656
- Livability score: 69
24. Cerritos, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.12
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 48.15
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $44,823
- Single-family average home value: $1,086,655
- Livability score: NA
25. Niles, Illinois
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.48
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 18.42
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $24,710
- Single-family average home value: $390,387
- Livability score: 80
26. Bullhead City, Arizona
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 4.33
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 20.62
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $25,343
- Single-family average home value: $319,536
- Livability score: 64
27. Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.57
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 5.10
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $41,304
- Single-family average home value: $763,752
- Livability score: 71
28. Banning, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 4.99
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 16.94
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $37,920
- Single-family average home value: $414,314
- Livability score: NA
29. Palm Desert, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.78
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 36.27
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $48,118
- Single-family average home value: $627,545
- Livability score: 51
30. Palm Springs, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 5.75
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 36.86
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $46,012
- Single-family average home value: $1,015,431
- Livability score: 65
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