The ideal place to spend the later years of life is a highly subjective question, but according to data recently analyzed by a personal finance website. GOBanking ratethere is a clear winner.
According to the site's findings, the best place for middle-class Americans to retire is The Villages, Florida's famous 55+ community located northwest of Orlando, followed by Arizona. Green Valley City is in second place, followed by Sun in the state. 3rd place goes to City West.
Rounding out the top five are the hot springs villages of Arkansas and Venice, Florida, south of Sarasota.
GOBankingRates looks at U.S. cities with at least 10,000 residents, a quarter of whom are 65 or older, and calculates the area's average Social Security benefits, total annual cost of living, average home price, and median household income. We decided on the values etc.
Of the 30 metros the report named as the best cities for middle-class Americans to retire to, three were the best: Florida (11th), Arizona (5th), and Ohio (4th). It stood out as a highly ranked town.
“Florida has long been established as a retirement destination,” said Ray Malek, media outreach manager for GOBankingRates. told CNBC of the survey results. “The middle class has always flocked to Florida because of affordability.”
Malek added that although the price of living in the Sunshine State has increased in recent years, it remains a popular retirement location for people seeking both relative affordability and a high quality of life.
But when it comes to the least expensive retirement destination on the list, Greenville, Ohio wins.
Ranked 27th overall, this city of about 12,000 people has an annual cost of living of just $30,173 and a median household income of $45,746.
Greenville may be very budget-friendly, but Sun City West has the highest percentage of residents over the age of 65, with 86.5% of the town currently in its golden age.
