Retirement Savings 2024: 7 Best Cities For Single Boomers To Retire
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Maria Concepcion
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Entering retirement as a single person is more common than you might think – especially for women. A 2019 study from the Pew Research Center found that about half (49%) of women 65 and older are unpartnered vs. about one-fifth (21%) of men. Census Bureau data cited by U.S. News reveals an even higher percentage, with almost one-third of men (31%) and more than half of women (55%) unmarried at age 65 or older.
Some seniors are single by choice, but most are widowed or divorced. Research cited by Modern Law found that about 25% of U.S. divorces involve people over 50. Among generations, baby boomers have the highest divorce rate.
One advantage of retiring when you are single is that you don’t have to consider a partner’s needs when choosing where you want to live and what you want to do with the rest of your life. When it comes to picking a retirement destination as a single, you have to weigh the usual factors like cost of living, climate and access to healthcare, as well as opportunities to build a social network.
In terms of which cities have the most single boomers, the numbers generally follow larger population trends. According to U.S. News, the top 10 cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington (D.C.), Boston, Detroit and Houston.
But that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily the best cities for single boomers to retire. Insider Monkey analyzed online retiree forums and recommendations from sources such as the AARP and U.S. News and assigned numerical scores to determine the 25 best places for singles to retire.
According to that list, these are the seven best cities for boomers to retire:
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Insider Monkey score of 7): High marks for walkability and access to golf courses, museums, parks, cultural attractions and senior centers.
- The Villages, Florida (6): Located an hour north of Orlando, it offers various social clubs and other amenities geared toward singles.
- Sun City, Arizona (4.2): Single boomers have access to a sunny climate and a range of social clubs and outdoor activities.
- Madison, Wisconsin (4.1): Home to the University of Wisconsin, a walkable town center, and a strong senior social circle.
- New York, New York (4): If you can afford it, the Big Apple offers a huge population of seniors (about 1.7 million) along with plenty of cultural attractions and singles gatherings. You can save on housing costs by considering co-housing options and retirement communities.
- Des Moines, Iowa (3.9): The Iowa capital is affordable and offers a strong lineup of parks, farmer markets, museums, concert venues, biking and hiking trails.
- Lynchburg, Virginia (3.8): Single boomers will enjoy the nearby Blue Ridge mountains, a mild climate, affordable cost of living and a wide range of recreational opportunities.
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