With Florida recently ranked by WalletHub as the best state to retire, and a cheap cost of living being important for retirees in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report identifying 2021’s Best Places to Retire in Florida and expert commentary.
To determine the most ideal places for older Americans to live their golden years, WalletHub compared more than 100 cities in the Sunshine State across 29 key indicators of retiree-friendliness. The data set ranges from cost of living to health care facilities per capita to number of attractions.
| Top 20 Florida Cities for Retirees | |
| 1. Sarasota | 11. Bradenton |
| 2. Fort Myers | 12. Immokalee |
| 3. Boca Raton | 13. Jupiter |
| 4. Miami | 14. Winter Park |
| 5. Orlando | 15. Pensacola |
| 6. Tampa | 16. South Bradenton |
| 7. Sebastian | 17. Bonita Springs |
| 8. Fort Lauderdale | 18. Cape Coral |
| 9. Delray Beach | 19. Melbourne |
| 10. Clearwater | 20. Estero |
Best vs. Worst
- The Villages has the highest share of the population aged 65 and older, 81.60 percent, which is 13.4 times higher than in Horizon West, the city with the lowest at 6.10 percent.
- Daytona Beach has the lowest adjusted cost-of-living index, 86.80, which is 1.9 times lower than in Coral Gables, the city with the highest at 162.42.
- Weston has the highest share of workers aged 65 and older, 27.94 percent, which is 3.7 times higher than in The Villages, the city with the lowest at 7.64 percent.
- Sarasota has the most home-care facilities (per 100,000 residents), 130, which is 65 times more than in Ocoee, the city with the fewest at two.
- Weston has the fewest property crimes (per 1,000 residents), five, which is 15.2 times fewer than in Miami Beach, the city with the most at 76.
