20 Safest and Wealthiest Midwest Retirement Towns

The Midwest has long been seen as a strong option for affordable living, but new data highlights a plethora of retirement destinations that offer high-level blends of safety and wealth.

Across 20 standout towns in a new GOBankingRates (GBR) analysis, retirees are finding communities that combine low crime rates, strong incomes and livability scores that rival coastal enclaves. GBR’s study includes data from the U.S. Census, Sperling’s Best Places, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, AreaVibes, Zillow, the Federal Reserve and the FBI.

Crime rates emerge as a defining factor in the rankings. Violent crime across these towns rarely exceeds two incidents per 1,000 residents, with many communities reporting rates well below one. Property crime is similarly restrained, often hovering in the single digits per 1,000 residents. Livability scores, which measure factors such as amenities, healthcare access and overall quality of life, consistently fall in the 70s and 80s across the list.

Ohio leads the way with seven locales in the top 20. Illinois has five entries, followed by Wisconsin with four. Read on for the full top 20.

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.74
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 19.94
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $52,492
• Single-family average home value: $336,087
• Livability score: 87

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.59
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 15.2
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $57,048
• Single-family average home value: $759,167
• Livability score: 74

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.29
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 6.49
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $40,760
• Single-family average home value: $457,558
• Livability score: 81

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.38
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 10.08
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $37,035
• Single-family average home value: $423,681
• Livability score: 84

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.72
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.83
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $41,051
• Single-family average home value: $362,501
• Livability score: 87

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.62
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 9.93
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $31,831
• Single-family average home value: $445,138
• Livability score: 70

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.83
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 10.97
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $44,144
• Single-family average home value: $518,676
• Livability score: 79

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.18
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.08
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $53,124
• Single-family average home value: $774,007
• Livability score: 80

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.28
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 4.29
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $33,656
• Single-family average home value: $419,921
• Livability score: 74

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.96
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.86
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $45,644
• Single-family average home value: $582,685
• Livability score: 71

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.15
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 13.58
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $31,828
• Single-family average home value: $293,262
• Livability score: 83

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.98
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 6.81
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $43,483
• Single-family average home value: $407,820
• Livability score: 81

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.09
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.45
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $41,527
• Single-family average home value: $352,545
• Livability score: 73

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.21
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 17.26
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $48,771
• Single-family average home value: $467,341
• Livability score: 82

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.51
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.1
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $62,705
• Single-family average home value: $739,600
• Livability score: 78

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.19
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 7.1
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $28,254
• Single-family average home value: $209,549
• Livability score: 81

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.08
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 9.7
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $23,993
• Single-family average home value: $233,817
• Livability score: 80

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.28
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.62
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $31,835
• Single-family average home value: $309,260
• Livability score: 76

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.28
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 10.97
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $41,743
• Single-family average home value: $435,785
• Livability score: 81

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.67
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 5.29
• Ages 65+ average retirement income: $22,837
• Single-family average home value: $430,498
• Livability score: 71

Photo disclaimer: Photos are representative and may not reflect the exact location listed.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed retirement towns to identify the safest and wealthiest places to live, defining retirement towns through the 2023 U.S. Census 5-Year American Community Survey (ACS) as communities with at least 5,000 residents and a population aged 65 or older of at least 20%. Data from the ACS included total households, median household income, the share of households receiving retirement income, average retirement income among those households and the percentage of households spending above or below 30% of income on monthly owner costs. Cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces, while average household expenditures were calculated using national data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Housing affordability was assessed using the Zillow Home Value Index, assuming a 10% down payment and the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Federal Reserve Economic Data, with these figures combined to estimate the total cost of living for basic necessities. Crime statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were used to calculate property and violent crime rates per 1,000 residents, and supplemental quality-of-life measures were drawn from the AreaVibes Livability Index. Scoring was based on five equally weighted factors: the percentage of households spending under 30% of income on owner costs, the percentage of households with retirement income, the average retirement income among those households, the property crime rate and the violent crime rate. Scores were summed and ranked to highlight the safest and wealthiest retirement towns, with all data current as of Oct. 2, 2025.