20 Best Florida Suburbs To Retire on Less Than $3,000 a Month After Social Security Benefits

Dreaming of retiring in a warm, comfortable Florida suburb? An average Social Security benefit might go a long way toward covering the monthly expenses you would face.   

In dozens of Sunshine State suburbs, retirees can get by with less than $3,000 a month plus an average monthly Social Security payment for a full earner – about $1,870 a month these days, according to the Social Security Administration.

Some of those suburbs have a lot more to offer than others, however. Not all are created equal when it comes to livability, the amount of company you’ll have in the form of fellow retirees and other factors.

To help you choose between Florida suburbs for retirees on a budget, GOBankingRates has compiled a list of 20 locations that offer the best blends of livability and affordability. Our list includes data from Niche.com, the United States Census, Sperlings Best Places, AreaVibes, Zillow, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve.

You can find our full methodology at the end of the list, but we focused on high livability scores, strong median incomes and percentages of the population age 65-plus.

Read on for our countdown, in reverse order and ending with the best suburb for retirees in this financial situation.

• Nearby larger cities: Fort Lauderdale, Miami
• Total population: 44,056
• Percent of population age 65+: 12.9%
• Livability: 76
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,902

• Nearby larger cities: Orlando
• Total population: 16,330
• Percent of population age 65+: 33.2%
• Livability: 75
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,392

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 27,260
• Percent of population age 65+: 15.9%
• Livability: 78
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,621

• Nearby larger cities: Orlando
• Total population: 15,628
• Percent of population age 65+: 19.9%
• Livability: 80
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,902 

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 68,814
• Percent of population age 65+: 11.6%
• Livability: 78
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,615

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 26,818
• Percent of population age 65+: 15.2%
• Livability: 81
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,309

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 14,877
• Percent of population age 65+: 14.9%
• Livability: 83
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,889

• Nearby larger cities: St. Petersburg, Tampa
• Total population: 53,352
• Percent of population age 65+: 21.7%
• Livability: 78
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,000

• Nearby larger cities: Fort Lauderdale, Miami
• Total population: 71,578
• Percent of population age 65+: 26.1%
• Livability: 75
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,465 

• Nearby larger cities: Fort Lauderdale
• Total population: 86,455
• Percent of population age 65+: 23.4%
• Livability: 75
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,701 

• Nearby larger cities: Jacksonville
• Total population: 29,810
• Percent of population age 65+: 21.2%
• Livability: 82
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,762 

• Nearby larger cities: Orlando
• Total population: 45,772
• Percent of population age 65+: 14.2%
• Livability: 82
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,306

• Nearby larger cities: St. Petersburg
• Total population: 11,796
• Percent of population age 65+: 37.4%
• Livability: 81
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,568 

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 102,467
• Percent of population age 65+: 10.8%
• Livability: 79
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,400

• Nearby larger cities: Fort Lauderdale, Miami
• Total population: 96,510
• Percent of population age 65+: 19.8%
• Livability: 81
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,982 

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 29,290
• Percent of population age 65+: 66.9%
• Livability: 77
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,102 

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa, St. Petersburg
• Total population: 82,541
• Percent of population age 65+: 26.8%
• Livability: 81
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,353 

• Nearby larger cities: St. Petersburg, Tampa
• Total population: 19,287
• Percent of population age 65+: 32.0%
• Livability: 89
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,711 

• Nearby larger cities: Tampa
• Total population: 114,923
• Percent of population age 65+: 14.2%
• Livability: 85
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,248

• Nearby larger cities: Fort Lauderdale
• Total population: 117,588
• Percent of population age 65+: 19.9%
• Livability: 85
• Monthly cost of living after average SS benefit: $2,880

Photo disclaimer: Please note that photos are for representational purposes only and may not reflect the exact location mentioned.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed suburbs in Florida to find the best places to retire for under $3,000 a month after Social Security benefits. GOBankingRates first identified suburbs in Florida through Niche.com. Total population, population ages 65 and up, household median income, and total number of households were all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey S0101 & S1901. Cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces, and the livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. The average Social Security benefit per month for a full earner was sourced from the Social Security Administration. The average single-family-home value was sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index for June 2024. The average cost of expenditures were calculated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired residents. Assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate (as sourced from Federal Reserve Economic Data), the average mortgage cost was calculated. Using the average mortgage and expenditure costs the total cost of living was calculated. The cost of living after Social Security benefits was determined, and all suburbs with a cost of living above $3,000 were removed for this study. The livability index was scored and weighted at 2.00, the household median income was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the percent population ages 65 and over was scored and weighted at 1.00. All the scores were summed and sorted to show the best suburbs to retire in Florida for under $3,000 a month. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Aug. 7, 2024.