When you realize your career is coming to an end, you start to think about the best place in Florida to live out your retirement.
Florida is known as the retirement state. A place where you can soak up the sun and live in massive upscale retirement communities. It is no surprise that Florida is a favorite retirement destination. The weather is beautiful, the beaches practically surround the state, and the state is very affordable.
From Disney to the Everglades and everything in between, Florida is a great vacation spot, so why not retire here? If Florida is a top retirement state, we wanted to know which places are the best to retire. To find the best places to retire, we considered things that retirees like to do, like visiting museums and libraries, affordable housing near major airports, and safety.
We figured out the best places to retire in Florida, and it’s not Miami or Jacksonville.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Florida For 2024
What is the best place to retire in Florida? The best place to retire in Florida is Tavares.
Using data from the Census and FBI, we based this analysis on several retirement criteria, like low cost of living, low crime, good weather, and the average age of residents.
Interested to see how your favorite Florida city stacked up in terms of retirement glory? Read on to find out.
Why did Tavares take the top spot? And where are Jacksonville and Miami?
For more Florida state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Florida
- Cheapest Places To Live In Florida
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Florida
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Florida For 2024
/10
Population: 19,088
Median Income: $54,271
Median Home Price: $310,065
Median Rent: $1,191
Distance to Closest Airport: 28 miles
More on Tavares: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,028
Median Income: $86,494
Median Home Price: $601,790
Median Rent: $1,299
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Fernandina Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 16,531
Median Income: $59,335
Median Home Price: $371,589
Median Rent: $1,139
Distance to Closest Airport: 35 miles
More on Vero Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,092
Median Income: $89,175
Median Home Price: $570,128
Median Rent: $1,785
Distance to Closest Airport: 9 miles
More on North Palm Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 55,795
Median Income: $55,795
Median Home Price: $388,561
Median Rent: $1,367
Distance to Closest Airport: 6 miles
More on Bradenton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 116,984
Median Income: $59,358
Median Home Price: $370,771
Median Rent: $1,389
Distance to Closest Airport: 6 miles
More on Clearwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 43,127
Median Income: $65,238
Median Home Price: $394,764
Median Rent: $1,230
Distance to Closest Airport: 8 miles
More on Ormond Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,132
Median Income: $54,898
Median Home Price: $272,719
Median Rent: $1,175
Distance to Closest Airport: 3 miles
More on South Daytona: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 55,508
Median Income: $68,870
Median Home Price: $462,175
Median Rent: $1,417
Distance to Closest Airport: 4 miles
More on Sarasota: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 62,849
Median Income: $65,026
Median Home Price: $359,733
Median Rent: $1,355
Distance to Closest Airport: 5 miles
More on Port Orange: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Sunshine State for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in Florida to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Sunshine State — 915 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 149 places from across the state.
For these 149, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 149, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Tavares, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Florida.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Florida Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Florida goes to Tavares.
The best places to retire in Florida are Tavares, Fernandina Beach, Vero Beach, North Palm Beach, Bradenton, Clearwater, Ormond Beach, South Daytona, Sarasota, and Port Orange.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Apopka
- Homestead
- Ocoee
For more Florida reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Florida
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tavares | 19,088 | $54,271 | $310,065 | $1,191 |
| 2 | Fernandina Beach | 13,028 | $86,494 | $601,790 | $1,299 |
| 3 | Vero Beach | 16,531 | $59,335 | $371,589 | $1,139 |
| 4 | North Palm Beach | 13,092 | $89,175 | $570,128 | $1,785 |
| 5 | Bradenton | 55,795 | $55,795 | $388,561 | $1,367 |
| 6 | Clearwater | 116,984 | $59,358 | $370,771 | $1,389 |
| 7 | Ormond Beach | 43,127 | $65,238 | $394,764 | $1,230 |
| 8 | South Daytona | 13,132 | $54,898 | $272,719 | $1,175 |
| 9 | Sarasota | 55,508 | $68,870 | $462,175 | $1,417 |
| 10 | Port Orange | 62,849 | $65,026 | $359,733 | $1,355 |