7 Places in Florida That Are Perfect Retirement Spots

One of the places in the USA that retirees love to live in is the state of Florida. With its sunny beaches, humid weather, and fun-filled life, Florida has been drawing retirees who have spent their working lives in relatively colder climate states.

If you are near retiring, Florida is probably the best option for you to settle in with like-minded community members. One major reason to move to Florida after your retirement is low-priced housing; a lot of cities in Florida provided amazingly affordable housing. What’s more, Florida has no state income tax, which means retirees can benefit from the tax-less income.

These and more advantages, like close proximity to the beach and low cost of living, makes Florida one of the most desirable places in the US for retired people to spend the rest of their lives. You can compare it with a cost of living calculator to see how Florida ranks with where you currently live. In terms of affordable housing, livelihood, happiness, job market, health care, and retiree taxes, Florida has been declared a “desirable” place according to an analysis by US News.

While Florida is overall a desirable state for living, some of its cities offer more benefits than others. They are better in terms of housing and neighborhoods. Below are 8 cities of Florida that are perfect spots for retirees to spend the rest of their lives.

Davenport

Davenport is one of the nicest towns in Florida with countless opportunities to live a healthy, active life. For retirees, Davenport can prove to be a wholesome place to live, with good and healthy food, public parks and trails, beautiful scenery, and fresh air that encourages spending time outdoors.

In terms of safety, Davenport comes in the 56th percentile, which means 56% of the cities in Florida are more dangerous than Davenport. The crime rate suggests 24.19 out of every 1,000 Davenport residents in a standard year.

People who actually live in Davenport consider it an overall safe and friendly place, with the central part of the city being the safest of all.

What’s amazing is that Davenport is amazingly inexpensive to live, costing a total of $34,206 a year for a single adult, which includes the costs of housing, child care, food, transportation, taxes, and other necessities. This cost is even less than the average annual cost of living in Florida, $36, 206, and less than the average national cost of living, $38,433. For a retiree, subtract the child care and taxes, and you even have a cheaper total cost of living for a year.

To plan your future in Davenport, check out Davenport FL Homes for Sale.

Clermont

Clermont is beautiful in Florida’s Lake County. It is one of the best places to live in Florida in general, even if you are not a retiree. Life in Clermont gives a huge suburban vibe with the majority of people owning houses with their own furniture instead of renting them. A lot of retirees in Clermont are politically moderate and form a nice, friendly community.

There are many stores, markets, and food places for retirees to spend their time outdoors sitting on a barcalounger. Since Clermont is closer to Orlando, you get to have big-city fun while enjoying living in a peaceful and quiet small town. Moreover, it’s very close to Disney World and Universal.

Clermont is a very safe city, coming in the 86th percentile, which means that only 14% of cities in Florida are safer than Clermont. People who actually live in Clermont claim the east part of the town to be the safest of all.

Housing in Clermont is very affordable and enjoyable, check out Homes for Sale in Clermont FL.

Naples

Similar to a lot of southwest towns in Florida, Naples is one of the most desirable places to live for retirees because of its provision of amazing recreational activities, shopping centers, beautiful white-sand beaches. And if you want to take advantage of these qualities, Naples provides the best version of them than any southwest community.

Everything a retiree loves to do is in Naples, from a wide variety of shopping places and high-end golf courses to stunning beaches and eventful clubhouses. Entertainment, relaxation, and beautiful scenery are abundant in Naples. You have an endless amount of options to spend your evening.

The best place to live in Naples is Valencia Trails, offering a gorgeous, contemporary lifestyle for retirees with impressive indoor fixtures and year-round access to beautiful weather.

Fort Myers

If it is said that Fort Myers is one of that rare cities that is full of life, it wouldn’t be wrong at all. According to a survey conducted by Gallup, residents of Fort Myers reported the highest sense of well-being in the whole country. And we are talking about a population of over 718,000, all of whom claim to have supportive relationships, happy life, a manageable economy, and comfortable living, especially retirees.

A lot of retirees easily manage to own a home in Fort Myers, which makes it easy for them to cover other essential expenses.

Since Fort Myers is located right along the Gulf Coast and Caloosahatchee River, you are in for an adventure beautiful weather, amazing sceneries, and a great by-the-beach time.

Punta Gorda

If you want to spend your life after retirement close to nature and full of adventure, Ponta Gorda is a place to settle in. It contains everything that appeals to retired folks, with the majority of the population being over the age of 65.

Life in Punta Gorda revolves around homes with 55 miles of canal fronts. There are a lot of retirement communities in Punta Gorda as well that only allows residents over the age of 55, so it is highly likely that you make new friends and find like-minded people to hang out with.

For retirees, there are plenty of ways to spend evenings in this Fishermen’s Village, including golf, market shopping, harbors, restaurants, bars, and more.

Tampa

Tampa is one of the cities that retirees love to go to spend the rest of their lives in. Therefore, if you decide to settle there, it is definite that you are going to adjust very fine with a community that will understand you. Among the 399,700 population of the city of Tampa, about 12.3% are over the age of 65.

Since Tampa is a tax-friendly city, the retirees only pay a cost of living that is 5% less than the national average.

Tampa is a wholesome city for all ages, but for retirees, it is one of the best. That is because long walks in warm climates, proximity to golden-sand beaches, and having food with the picturesque views are something every retired person longs for. And Tampa provides all that, and a lot more.

Jacksonville

Jacksonville is a safe haven for retired folks, even though it is one of the most populous and fast-growing places in the United States. Among 1,475,386 residents of Jacksonville, about 21% of the population is over 60 years old.

Retired folks are majorly attracted to the successful and high-quality life of Jacksonville, with its public parks, good health care, fishing communities, golf courses, walking trails, and more.

The city is a beautiful place to relax for retired people, especially the white-sand beaches of the Atlantic Coast, St. Johns River, and the incredible Jacksonville Beach Pier.

Jackson Bennett

Jackson Bennett, with a Master's in Gerontology from USC, has been a guiding force in the senior housing sector for over 17 years. His journey began in healthcare administration, evolving into a passion for creating age-friendly living spaces. His experience ranges from policy advisory roles to hands-on management in senior communities. Joining our website in 2020, Jackson blends his academic insights with practical advice. He's an avid birdwatcher and enjoys pottery in his leisure time.

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