25 Best Midwest Cities To Retire in 2026

A successful retirement is predicated on a number of things: solid savings and retirement accounts, good physical health and — most especially — an affordable city or town where the cost of living won’t drain your finances. Even the American Midwest, where cost of living is comparatively low, has a number of pricey cities that could derail a retirement on a fixed income. That’s why finding an affordable locale for your golden years is so important.

That’s also why GOBankingRates recently culled the 25 best Midwest cities for retirement in 2026 from a U.S. News & World Report overall list of 250. From that list, GOBankingRates also discerned where each city ranked compared to all other American cities, as well as their median monthly rent. Additionally, GOBankingRates sourced each city’s cost-of-living index score from Best Places. The average American cost of living index score is 100; any city beneath 100 has a lower-than-average cost of living, and any city above 100 has a more expensive cost of living than the national average.

With this information in hand, finding the best Midwestern city for you should be as pleasant as the retirement that you deserve.

• U.S. rank: 32
• Cost-of-living index: 85.7
• Median monthly rent: $790

• U.S. rank: 48
• Cost-of-living index: 95.2
• Median monthly rent: $873

• U.S. rank: 9
• Cost-of-living index: 104.9
• Median monthly rent: $1,293

• U.S. rank: 10
• Cost-of-living index: 104.9
• Median monthly rent: $1,292

• U.S. rank: 39
• Cost-of-living index: 90.7
• Median monthly rent: $879

• U.S. rank: 4
• Cost-of-living index: 106
• Median monthly rent: $1,404

• U.S. rank: 91
• Cost-of-living index: 92.1
• Median monthly rent: $1,066

• U.S. rank: 50
• Cost-of-living index: 106
• Median monthly rent: $1,249

• U.S. rank: 57
• Cost-of-living index: 104.9
• Median monthly rent: $1,261

• U.S. rank: 2
• Cost-of-living index: 106
• Median monthly rent: $1,455

• U.S. rank: 31
• Cost-of-living index: 86.6
• Median monthly rent: $1,105

• U.S. rank: 92
• Cost-of-living index: 83.1
• Median monthly rent: $955

• U.S. rank: 197
• Cost-of-living index: 94.5
• Median monthly rent: $1,096

• U.S. rank: 18
• Cost-of-living index: 86.6
• Median monthly rent: $1,089

• U.S. rank: 88
• Cost-of-living index: 91.8
• Median monthly rent: $1,020

• U.S. rank: 29
• Cost-of-living index: 97.5
• Median monthly rent: $1,290

• U.S. rank: 36
• Cost-of-living index: 97.5
• Median monthly rent: $1,207

• U.S. rank: 42
• Cost-of-living index: 88.4
• Median monthly rent: $1,054

• U.S. rank: 49
• Cost-of-living index: 90.6
• Median monthly rent: $870

• U.S. rank: 35
• Cost-of-living index: 97.5
• Median monthly rent: $1,253

• U.S. rank: 252
• Cost-of-living index: 97.8
• Median monthly rent: $987

• U.S. rank: 132
• Cost-of-living index: 119.6
• Median monthly rent: $1,610

• U.S. rank: 43
• Cost-of-living index: 94.3
• Median monthly rent: $1,027

• U.S. rank: 672
• Cost-of-living index: 88.1
• Median monthly rent: $751

• U.S. rank: 280
• Cost-of-living index: 81.8
• Median monthly rent: $638

Editor’s note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations listed.