Orlando, Florida topped a new ranking of the best U.S. cities for retirement, according to a study released by personal finance website WalletHub, with Miami, Tampa, Scottsdale and Casper, Wyoming rounding out the top five.
WalletHub compared 182 cities across 45 measures covering affordability, activities, quality of life and healthcare to determine which places offer the best overall conditions for retirees. The site examined the 150 most populated U.S. cities plus at least two of the most populated cities in every state, drawing on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The results show Florida remains America's dominant retirement destination, claiming three of the top five spots. But the study's biggest surprise was Casper, a small city in Wyoming, breaking into the top five alongside the state's better-known retirement magnets.
Orlando Takes the Top Spot
Orlando ranked as the second-most affordable city in the study and performed strongly on healthcare measures, including access to home healthcare and geriatric care. Florida has no individual income tax, estate tax or inheritance tax, a structure that draws many retirees to the state.
Mark Raumaker, regional director for Orlando at real estate brokerage Serhant, said the city's appeal goes beyond money. "Beyond the obvious benefits, including Florida's tax structure, healthcare resources and recreation, the real conversations we are having with people are about family," he told the Daily Mail.
Raumaker said Orlando's theme parks, restaurants and entertainment venues give relatives a reason to visit, making the city function as a family home base rather than simply a retirement address. "That changes what the home becomes. It is not simply where you retire. It becomes the family home base," he said.
Miami and Tampa Bring Florida Flair
Miami ranked second overall and sixth in the country for activities, giving retirees plenty of options to stay socially engaged. The city also benefits from Florida's tax advantages, which real estate expert Thomas O'Shaughnessy of Clever Offers said can meaningfully boost retirees' monthly budgets. "The big attraction is simple: No state income tax," he said.
Miami's housing market is considerably more expensive than many other cities on the list, meaning it earned its top-five spot on lifestyle and tax benefits rather than affordability.
Tampa placed third overall, helped by strong scores for recreation and quality of life. Realtor.com senior economist Hannah Jones told the Daily Mail that Tampa is currently a "late buyers market," giving house-hunters more room to negotiate. "Florida metros, including Tampa, are currently classified as late buyers markets, meaning shoppers there still have more for-sale options and room to negotiate than in more balanced or seller-favoring areas," she said.
The wider Tampa Bay area has a substantial healthcare network, including Tampa General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center and the BayCare system. Local realtor Barrett Henry said the combination of tax advantages, weather, healthcare and 55-plus communities keeps drawing retirees to the area, though he noted insurance costs and hurricane risk remain drawbacks.
Scottsdale and Casper Complete the Top Five
Scottsdale, Arizona was the first non-Florida city in the top five. WalletHub ranked it the best city in America for quality of life, which helped push it to fourth place overall despite high housing costs.
Ryan Moxley, a Scottsdale realtor who specializes in retirement buyers, said the city combines strong healthcare, favorable tax treatment, arts and culture, and outdoor recreation, pointing to more than 300 sunny days a year, an abundance of golf courses and the Mayo Clinic's presence in the area. He described housing as one of the city's biggest challenges, with its most desirable properties commanding a steep premium, and noted that summer temperatures regularly climb above 100F.
Casper, Wyoming rounded out the top five, ranking third in the study for affordability. Wyoming has no individual income tax or inheritance tax, an advantage highlighted by realtor Andrew Fortune of Great Colorado Homes. "Like Florida, Wyoming charges no income tax, nor do they charge inheritance taxes," he said.
Casper sits close to mountains and offers easy access to fishing, hiking and hunting, giving retirees a lower-cost, quieter alternative to Florida's theme parks or Scottsdale's golf resorts. Winters in Wyoming are cold, but the city's affordability was enough to secure it a place in the top five.
Big Cities Fall Short
The ranking was less kind to some of the country's most famous cities. New York ranked 142nd out of 182 cities, with WalletHub placing it at the very bottom of its adjusted cost-of-living measure alongside some of the nation's other most expensive locations.
San Francisco ranked first in the country for activities but remains notoriously expensive. A separate 2026 analysis cited in the study found that buying a typical home in the San Francisco metropolitan area required an annual income of roughly $444,000. Los Angeles fared somewhat better overall but faces the same basic problem: high housing costs that make the city's attractions harder to enjoy on a fixed income.
California dominated the bottom of the list. Stockton finished last out of all 182 cities, followed by San Bernardino, Newark, Fresno and Rancho Cucamonga.
No Single 'Best' Place to Retire
Nadia Evangelou, principal economist and director of real estate research at the National Association of Realtors, told the Daily Mail that retirees are generally trying to balance affordability with the kind of life they want to lead. "In general, retirees are looking for a combination of affordability and quality of life," she said.
She noted that housing costs, healthcare, taxes, weather and access to amenities all factor into the decision, and that a retiree's existing wealth can change the calculation significantly. Someone who has built up substantial home equity may be able to sell in an expensive state and buy in Scottsdale or Miami without taking on a large mortgage, while someone with less equity faces a very different set of choices.
