Everyone seems to have an opinion about the best places to retire in the United States. Some publications look at it from a financial point of view. Others analyze it from the vantage point of health care or the ability to live a healthy lifestyle. Still others look at a variety of different variables that are important to many different types of retirees.
The data website Stacker recently used information from Niche, a website that analyzes cities and neighborhoods to determine the best places to retire in the United States. Small towns in Florida showed up in high numbers in this survey.
What were the Criteria?: Niche looked at various factors such as the weather, cost of living, safety, housing, access to health care, doctor availability, access to fitness facilities, and access to libraries, to name just a few of the criteria.
How Did Florida Fare?: Florida did quite well in this survey, with 9 of the top 15 being Florida destinations - most of them small towns, and some of them little-known towns. However, some of the towns are quite pricey, which I will outline below.
Here are the Florida towns that made the top 15, from lowest to highest:
Whiskey Creek, at number 14: This neighborhood is a bit of an exception since it is reasonably priced. Located in Ft. Myers, Whiskey Creek is a planned community that has housing reserved for those over 55. While some of the homes have access to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River, that is not true of all of the homes. A golf country club is also on the premises. The average median home price in Whiskey Creek is around $350,000 at this time. The population here is just over 5,000.
Jensen Beach, at number 13: Housing is somewhat expensive here, at an average of around $442,000. But one could argue that, for a beach town, it could be worse. On Florida's Atlantic coast, Jensen Beach has many charms, with its vintage, Caribbean vibe. There are parks (like Indian Riverside) and antique shops here (like Then and Now Gallery,) so finding something to do should not be a problem. The population in Jensen Beach is just under 13,000.
Cypress Lake, at number 11: This is another suburb of Fort Myers, and it is home to Cypress Lake Golf Club. Cypress Lake has a population of around 13,000 and a reasonable median home price of around $350,000. Because of the proximity to Ft. Myers, you'd have access to J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and Lovers Key State Park.
Siesta Key, at number 9: This very small community is known for its gorgeous beach, which has been ranked the number one beach in America by TripAdvisor. You'll have to pay handsomely for living here, though, as the median home price runs about $940,000. But you'd have access to the amenities available in Sarasota (like the Ringling Museum of Art) since the two are so close.
Gulf Stream, Number 8: You'd be forgiven if you've never heard of this tiny town, with a population of under 1,000 people that is near Delray Beach. It's an older community, with an average age near 60. The average home price here is over $2 million.
Hillsboro Beach at number 7: This too is a little-known, small community within proximity of the Intercoastal Waterway with a population of just under 2,000. It's on a barrier island that is sometimes called "Millionaire's Mile." It's within driving distance of Fort Lauderdale and is part of the Miami metro.
South Palm Beach, Florida, number 5: Here's another community on a barrier island surrounded by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. It's small - both in the population (under 2,000) and size (just over 1/2 mile long.) However, the median home price isn't quite as bad as you might suspect for a small, waterfront community at around $588,000. The community has a high percentage of retirees.
Indian River Shores, number 4: This community is considered a resort town since its small population doubles in the winter. The median home price tops 1 million dollars, and it's a barrier island of Vero Beach. Many of its communities are gated so it is quite safe.
Highland Beach, number 3:80% of the population of this community, which is only one square mile, are retirees. As you might imagine, the small population swells in the winter. Highland Beach is within driving distance of both Delray Beach and Boca Raton. The median home price here is $1.2 million.
Pelican Bay, at number 1: The community feels very private, as it's only about three square miles, and its beaches must be accessed by the boardwalk or tram, although some did sustain damage from Ian. It's an active community that is part of the Naples metro with opportunities for water sports of all kinds as well as tennis. It has a population of a little over 6,000, and a median home price of around $1.5 million.
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