Florida Cities That Top A Recent List Of Best Cities To Retire Have A Median Age Of 38

Photo byMiosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Florida cities that trend younger have recently dominated a list of the top cities for retirees - Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale.

When U.S. News + World Report dubbed Naples as one of Florida's best spots for retirees in 2022-2023, I'd bet that many weren't all that surprised. After all, Naples often tops retirement lists such as SoFi.com's happiest places to retire. Plus, the median age in Naples is 66.9, which suggests there are plenty of amenities that cater to retirees.

However, a new survey that mentions the top retirement spots in the country is filled with Florida picks. But these choices are in cities where the age of residents trend younger. Below are the cities in question as well as information and median resident ages for each.

What Was The Study and The Criteria?: In early September 2024, WalletHub listed what it felt were the best retirement cities in the United States.

To do so, the site looked at the metrics of healthcare, affordability, quality of life, and activities.

Here are the Florida cities that made the cut:

Orlando, Number 1 in Country: Because of all of its theme parks and sound school systems, Orlando is a place that is sometimes associated with young people and families. It's also home to the University of Central Florida.

Unlike some Florida cities that topped the list, Orlando isn't home to beaches, but it does offer some lovely ways to be outdoors, such as Lake Eola Park and Leu Gardens.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the average age in Orlando is 34.7. However, that doesn't mean it doesn't have anything to offer retirees. It has a large, serviceable airport, a plethora of healthcare options, and plenty of decent food options.

Orlando earns a livability score of A on Niche and has a median home price of around $414,000.

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Miami, Number 2 in the Country: When you think of Miami, you might think of South Beach which may bring young people partying to your mind's eye.

So it may not be surprising that the median age in Miami is only around 39.7 years old. However, Miami does have plenty of community services catered to seniors. Like Orlando, it is a vibrant community with a large airport, shopping, entertainment, and dining. Unlike Orlando, it does have beaches.

Miami gets a B+ on Niche for livability. The median home price is around $650,000.

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Tampa, Number 3 In The Country: This city is a haven for sports lovers - with access to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Tampa Bay Rays.

But that's not all that Tampa has much to offer. There's a walkable downtown, the Tampa Riverwalk, and Sparkman Wharf.

But Tampa's median age is only 35.5 years old. For that reason, it may not be surprising that it has been named one of the top places for millennials. However, it offers an active outdoor lifestyle for all ages plus a large airport and seaport, plus beaches.

Tampa earns an A for livability on Niche and has a median home price of around $451,500.

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Fort Lauderdale, Number 4 in the Country: This too, is a beachy city, but it's on Florida's southeast coast. In addition to its beaches, it is known for its canals.

The median age in Fort Lauderdale is only 43.2 years. That said, Fort Lauderdale has plenty to offer for seniors, having one of the largest seaports in the country and The Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District, which includes museums, restaurants, and theaters. The city also has access to several hospitals.

Fort Lauderdale gets an A- on Niche and a median home price of around $629,000.

Photo byAustin HerviasonUnsplash

As a result of the above, the top four Florida cities on the list have an average age of 38.275.

Other Florida cities that made the cut were St. Petersburg, Pembroke Pines, Cape Coral, and Hialeah.