If you think that New York is too big, too expensive, and too boring of a state to spend your retirement years, you’re wrong.
We’re here to tell you why.
We created a list of the best places to retire in NewYork for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the Empire State’s best places to retire, so trust us when we say these cities are the best.
How’d we determine the best places to retire in New York? We consulted the numbers and analyzed 47 cities with over 10,000 residents. We looked at important factors like cost of living, crime, amenities, rent, and the distance to the closest airport.
There’s Tonawanda for the retiree that can afford a boat, Beacon for the retiree that likes a quaint downtown with plenty of coffee shops, and give Lockport a second look if living close to Niagara Falls is your schtick.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In New York For 2024
Where is the best place to retire in New York? North Tonawanda is the best place to retire in New York for 2024.
Turn on the Yankee game and grab some pizza as you learn more about the other great places to retire in the Empire State.
Why did North Tonawanda take the top spot? And where are New York and Buffalo?
For more New York state reading:
- Best Places To Live In New York
- Cheapest Places To Live In New York
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New York
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In New York For 2024
/10
Population: 30,479
Median Income: $66,836
Median Home Price: $244,331
Median Rent: $855
Distance to Closest Airport: 5 miles
More on North Tonawanda: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,876
Median Income: $96,891
Median Home Price: $477,592
Median Rent: $1,605
Distance to Closest Airport: 7 miles
More on Beacon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,562
Median Income: $59,144
Median Home Price: $250,446
Median Rent: $1,015
Distance to Closest Airport: 25 miles
More on Canandaigua: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,510
Median Income: $54,937
Median Home Price: $177,026
Median Rent: $864
Distance to Closest Airport: 26 miles
More on Batavia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,668
Median Income: $46,800
Median Home Price: $118,045
Median Rent: $826
Distance to Closest Airport: 44 miles
More on Dunkirk: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 16,447
Median Income: $227,565
Median Home Price: $2,034,669
Median Rent: $2,468
Distance to Closest Airport: 21 miles
More on Rye: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 48,502
Median Income: $45,932
Median Home Price: $148,929
Median Rent: $763
Distance to Closest Airport: 3 miles
More on Niagara Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 19,762
Median Income: $46,869
Median Home Price: $138,652
Median Rent: $809
Distance to Closest Airport: 9 miles
More on Lackawanna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 34,734
Median Income: $125,974
Median Home Price: $741,005
Median Rent: $2,267
Distance to Closest Airport: 7 miles
More on Long Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 20,808
Median Income: $56,053
Median Home Price: $228,847
Median Rent: $827
Distance to Closest Airport: 13 miles
More on Lockport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Empire State for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in New York to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Empire State — 1186 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 47 places from across the state.
For these 47, 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 47, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case North Tonawanda, 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 New York.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In New York Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in New York goes to North Tonawanda.
The best places to retire in New York are North Tonawanda, Beacon, Canandaigua, Batavia, Dunkirk, Rye, Niagara Falls, Lackawanna, Long Beach, and Lockport.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Ithaca
- Utica
- Middletown
For more New York reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In New York
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Tonawanda | 30,479 | $66,836 | $244,331 | $855 |
| 2 | Beacon | 13,876 | $96,891 | $477,592 | $1,605 |
| 3 | Canandaigua | 10,562 | $59,144 | $250,446 | $1,015 |
| 4 | Batavia | 15,510 | $54,937 | $177,026 | $864 |
| 5 | Dunkirk | 12,668 | $46,800 | $118,045 | $826 |
| 6 | Rye | 16,447 | $227,565 | $2,034,669 | $2,468 |
| 7 | Niagara Falls | 48,502 | $45,932 | $148,929 | $763 |
| 8 | Lackawanna | 19,762 | $46,869 | $138,652 | $809 |
| 9 | Long Beach | 34,734 | $125,974 | $741,005 | $2,267 |
| 10 | Lockport | 20,808 | $56,053 | $228,847 | $827 |