There are more and more older people looking for how to move after retirement according to the annual study on retirement migrations inside the US, more than 338,000 retired Americans moved their state home in 2023, which represents an increase of 44 percent compared to 2022.
However, Florida remains one of the most popular for the population over the age of 65, followed by states such as Ohio, Texas and now Arizona joining the list. They are the most sought-after retirement destinations due to their low living costs, the wide variety of activities and excellent medical care.
Why Are Thousands of Retirees Moving to This City?
According to the latest classifications of Niche.com they put the Grand Canyon state as the home of the best city to retire this 2024, various factors were taken into account to evaluate such as crime rates, low housing prices, diversity and demographics, leaving Scottsdale in first place.
This city located northeast of Phoenix, belonging to Maricopa County, is attractive to tourists for its incomparable desert landscapes and luxury retreat destinations.
Not to mention how much it has to offer to its already more than 240,000 permanent residents, especially those over 65 who are more than 25 percent of the population. The large number of retirees that make up this community is a great joy for those who have just arrived, since this makes for a more active social life.
A Low-Crime, Good Healthcare City, Suitable for Retirement
When evaluating the crime and safety section, Scottsdale earned a B- on the raking, but compared to the national average, the city’s crime rate is lower. It excelled in the Meteorology category, with an A+, or which means a great grade regarding crime rates.
The raking takes into account urban services such as restaurants and sports facilities when making the classification of retirement communities, Scottsdale has a wide variety of options where to enjoy a good meal, an exquisite coffee, nice golf courses or simply where to sit and read in a park.
If we analyze the issue of healthcare, let’s take into account that when it comes to retirement it is a very important factor which must be evaluated and Scottsdale is ranked 30th in the general ranking of the healthiest cities in the United States, among more than 200 cities, excelling in the health and fitness category.
It has the highest concentration of spas per capita in the country, a large number of hiking trails, a wide variety of outdoor recreation options, and facilities with high quality standards in healthcare issues, the inhabitants here are benefited with a superior level of care.
In terms of economics, the cost of living and housing are not precisely affordable: these categories are the ones that get the lowest grades, C- and C+ respectively, according to Zillow, the price of homes in Scottsdale is more than double the national average, approximately $807,104, while the cost of living in general is 13 percent higher than the rest of the country, and 6.2 percent higher than Arizona.
In this ranking of the best cities to retire, we can find Clearwater, the city on the Gulf Coast of Florida, west of Tampa, in the second place in 2024, and Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans in Louisiana, taking third place.