The 10 Best—and Most Affordable—Places To Retire in America, 2022 Edition
But, for more Americans, the idea of retirement seems like it could be a long way off. Housing prices have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic—making the time-honored strategy of selling the family home, downsizing into a cheaper forever abode, and banking the extra equity way less assured. Stocks and bonds have dropped significantly, also eroding many nest eggs, and inflation is rising at the fastest pace in more than 40 years.
Those compounding factors have led some experts to say that 2022 is a “dangerous time to retire.”
This year, about 59% of older Americans expected to delay plans for retirement and work longer, according to a survey by Edward Jones and Age Wave. That was a significant uptick from the previous year when about a third of those surveyed felt similarly. Harsh economic realities are making it harder to stretch a fixed income.
But for those who are ready to make a move sooner rather than later, there are options—and we set out to find them.
There are some alluring places where younger baby boomers and older Gen Xers can still retire comfortably—with reasonable home prices, lots of folks over 55, and plenty of amenities and fun things to do. The data team at Realtor.com® rounded up the best places for retirees to enjoy their golden years—without draining their savings.
But there’s more to modern retirement than Bingo games in dimly lit urban senior centers or the frenetic, sprawling Florida 55-plus communities of yore. Today’s older Americans are finding active, hobby-filled lifestyles in destinations all across the country. The list of retirement priorities is just as varied as the diversity of the population.
