This Southern City Was Just Named the Best Place to Retire in America

John Coletti/Getty Images

If you’ve worked long and hard throughout your life and are currently staring down retirement, let us be the first to congratulate you on a job well done. Next, let us also be the first to tell you that it’s time to move to Florida — as one town in the Sunshine State was just named the best place to retire in America.

Last week, U.S. News and World Report released its annual list of the “Best Places to Retire in the U.S.,” and topping the list is Fort Myers, Florida.

If you’ve worked long and hard throughout your life and are currently staring down retirement, let us be the first to congratulate you on a job well done. Next, let us also be the first to tell you that it’s time to move to Florida — as one town in the Sunshine State was just named the best place to retire in America.

Last week, U.S. News and World Report released its annual list of the “Best Places to Retire in the U.S.,” and topping the list is Fort Myers, Florida.

Sunrise brings beach walkers to Fort Myers Beach located on Estero Island along the Gulf of Mexico.
John Coletti/Getty Images

“For many years the Southwest Gulf Coast’s population had little growth and remained somewhat isolated from the rest of the Sunshine State,” the outlet explained. “That seclusion ended in the early 1900s when inventor Thomas Edison and industrialist Henry Ford built winter homes in Fort Myers. At the start of the 20th century, the City of Palms started to boom. And that growth has continued to this day.”

To determine that Fort Myers reigns supreme for retirees, the team at U.S. News and World Report analyzed data for the 125 largest metropolitan areas in the country. They then looked at how each destination met Americans’ retirement needs. The criteria included the happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates, and healthcare quality.

However, Fort Myers isn’t the only Florida city to make the top 10. Coming in at number two is Sarasota, Florida.

“Warm temperatures year-round, award-winning beaches and a thriving arts and cultural scene have made Sarasota a go-to place for retirees and families, not to mention a handful of celebrities (including Stephen King and Rosie O’Donnell),” the team wrote of Sarasota. “This southwest Florida region, which is about an hour from Tampa and two hours from Orlando, continues to attract new residents with great restaurants and plenty of shopping options.”

The rest of the top 10 cities include Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Asheville, North Carolina; Port St. Lucie, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida.; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee.; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

For more on the winners visit : https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/senior-travel/fort-myers-florida-best-place-to-retire?did=524371-20200514&utm_campaign=just-in_newsletter&utm_source=travelandleisure.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=051420&cid=524371&mid=33804233641

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