There are many factors to consider when deciding where to enjoy retirement, from affordability to the scope of amenities available.
Another issue often top of mind for retirees is finding a safe and secure place to call home in these golden years, while still living within your means.
To find the 50 safest places to retire in the U.S., GOBankingRates analyzed cities across the U.S. using crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer. The data showed the number of property-crime-related reported crimes, the number of violent-crime-related reported crimes, and the population associated with the reporting area. Additionally, GOBankingRates also sourced cost of living data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A large number of cities on this list were on the East Coast, with both New York and New Jersey well represented, plus Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as midwestern states like Indiana and Ohio.
Read on to find out which cities you can retire in with the greatest security.
50. Randolph, New Jersey
- Population: 26,500
- Violent crime rate: 0.264
- Property crime rate: 3.321
- Monthly cost of living: $2,093
49. Madison, Connecticut
- Population: 17,581
- Violent crime rate: 0.114
- Property crime rate: 4.778
- Monthly cost of living: $2,173
48. Glocester, Rhode Island
- Population: 10,147
- Violent crime rate: 0.394
- Property crime rate: 1.971
- Monthly cost of living: $1,919
Pictured: Providence, Rhode Island
47. Dyer, Indiana
- Population: 16,351
- Violent crime rate: 0.245
- Property crime rate: 3.364
- Monthly cost of living: $1,794
Pictured: Anderson, Indiana
46. Melissa, Texas
- Population: 20,071
- Violent crime rate: 0.249
- Property crime rate: 3.189
- Monthly cost of living: $1,858
Pictured: Georgetown, Texas
45. Denville, New Jersey
- Population: 17,119
- Violent crime rate: 0.000
- Property crime rate: 5.491
- Monthly cost of living: $2,075
Pictured: Margate City, New Jersey
44. Clinton, Massachusetts
- Population: 15,432
- Violent crime rate: 0.518
- Property crime rate: 0.324
- Monthly cost of living: $1,895
Pictured: Lynn, Massachusetts
43. Smithfield, Utah
- Population: 14,455
- Violent crime rate: 0.208
- Property crime rate: 3.251
- Monthly cost of living: $1,815
Pictured: Park City, Utah
42. East Hampton, New York
- Population: 25,765
- Violent crime rate: 0.155
- Property crime rate: 3.726
- Monthly cost of living: $2,221
41. Portsmouth, Rhode Island
- Population: 17,716
- Violent crime rate: 0.169
- Property crime rate: 3.5
- Monthly cost of living: $1,882
Pictured: Providence, Rhode Island
40. Zionsville, Indiana
- Population: 32,575
- Violent crime rate: 0.153
- Property crime rate: 3.592
- Monthly cost of living: $1,837
39. Waldwick, New Jersey
- Population: 10,055
- Violent crime rate: 0.199
- Property crime rate: 3.083
- Monthly cost of living: $2,081
Pictured: Vorhees Township, New Jersey
38. Holly Springs, Georgia
- Population: 18,511
- Violent crime rate: 0.162
- Property crime rate: 3.403
- Monthly cost of living: $1,993
37. New Providence, New Jersey
- Population: 13,548
- Violent crime rate: 0.074
- Property crime rate: 4.207
- Monthly cost of living: $2,082
Pictured: Lambertville, New Jersey
36. Wauconda, Illinois
- Population: 13,945
- Violent crime rate: 0.287
- Property crime rate: 2.080
- Monthly cost of living: $1,827
Pictured: Naperville, Illinois
35. Granby, Connecticut
- Population: 11,011
- Violent crime rate: 0.091
- Property crime rate: 3.996
- Monthly cost of living: $2,112
Pictured: Westport, Connecticut
34. Libertyville, Illinois
- Population: 20,434
- Violent crime rate: 0.294
- Property crime rate: 2.006
- Monthly cost of living: $1,811
33. West Milford, New Jersey
- Population: 24,373
- Violent crime rate: 0.205
- Property crime rate: 2.872
- Monthly cost of living: $2,098
Pictured: Moorestown, New Jersey
32. New Castle, New York
- Population: 17,777
- Violent crime rate: 0.056
- Property crime rate: 4.275
- Monthly cost of living: $2,407
Pictured: Brooklyn, New York
31. Hillsborough, New Jersey
- Population: 42,893
- Violent crime rate: 0.140
- Property crime rate: 3.007
- Monthly cost of living: $2,105
Pictured: Avalon, New Jersey
30. Woolwich, New Jersey
- Population: 13,625
- Violent crime rate: 0.073
- Property crime rate: 3.596
- Monthly cost of living: $1,965
Pictured: Newark, New Jersey
29. Hillsdale, New Jersey
- Population: 10,011
- Violent crime rate: 0.100
- Property crime rate: 3.296
- Monthly cost of living: $2,122
Pictured: Newark, New Jersey
28. Plattekill, New York
- Population: 10,534
- Violent crime rate: 0.190
- Property crime rate: 2.373
- Monthly cost of living: $2,181
Pictured: Ithaca, New York
27. New Millford, New Jersey
- Population: 16,897
- Violent crime rate: 0.059
- Property crime rate: 3.492
- Monthly cost of living: $2,122
Pictured: Morristown, New Jersey
26. Jefferson, New Jersey
- Population: 20,498
- Violent crime rate: 0.195
- Property crime rate: 1.854
- Monthly cost of living: $2,100
Pictured: Edison, New Jersey
25. Western Springs, Illinois
- Population: 13,175
- Violent crime rate: 0
- Property crime rate: 3.719
- Monthly cost of living: $1,930
Pictured: Galena, Illinois
24. Park Ridge, New Jersey
- Population: 10,040
- Violent crime rate: 0.100
- Property crime rate: 2.689
- Monthly cost of living: $2,095
Pictured: Trenton, New Jersey
23. Raritan, New Jersey
- Population: 24,202
- Violent crime rate: 0.165
- Property crime rate: 1.735
- Monthly cost of living: $2,079
22. New Philadelphia, Ohio
- Population: 17,508
- Violent crime rate: 0.228
- Property crime rate: 1.085
- Monthly cost of living: $1,738
Pictured: Cleveland
21. Northborough, Massachusetts
- Population: 15,699
- Violent crime rate: 0.318
- Property crime rate: 0.127
- Monthly cost of living: $1,908
Pictured: Williamstown, Massachusetts
20. Montgomery, New Jersey
- Population: 23,441
- Violent crime rate: 0.043
- Property crime rate: 2.816
- Monthly cost of living: $2,155
Pictured: Elizabeth, New Jersey
19. Lowell, Indiana
- Population: 11,204
- Violent crime rate: 0.000
- Property crime rate: 2.856
- Monthly cost of living: $1,834
18. Bernards, New Jersey
- Population: 27,682
- Violent crime rate: 0.036
- Property crime rate: 2.384
- Monthly cost of living: $2,111
Pictured: Flemington, New Jersey
17. Scituate, Rhode Island
- Population: 10,385
- Violent crime rate: 0.096
- Property crime rate: 1.637
- Monthly cost of living: $1,922
16. Shawangunk, New York
- Population: 13,680
- Violent crime rate: 0.073
- Property crime rate: 1.827
- Monthly cost of living: $2,229
15. Broadview Heights, New York
- Population: 19,490
- Violent crime rate: 0.103
- Property crime rate: 1.437
- Monthly cost of living: $1,715
Pictured: Bronx, New York
14. Wayland, Massachusetts
- Population: 13,601
- Violent crime rate: 0.074
- Property crime rate: 1.691
- Monthly cost of living: $2,004
13. Chatham, New Jersey
- Population: 10,897
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 2.386
- Monthly cost of living: $2,172
12. Weston, Connecticut
- Population: 10,350
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 2.126
- Monthly cost of living: $2,364
11. Hobart, Wisconsin
- Population: 16,948
- Violent crime rate: 0.059
- Property crime rate: 1.357
- Monthly cost of living: $1,748
Pictured: Fitchburg, Wisconsin
10. Ringwood, New Jersey
- Population: 11,456
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 1.833
- Monthly cost of living: $2,067
Pictured: Red Bank, New Jersey
9. New Ulm, Minnesota
- Population: 14,067
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 1.635
- Monthly cost of living: $1,575
Pictured: St. Paul, Minnesota
8. Vernon, New Jersey
- Population: 22,623
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 1.547
- Monthly cost of living: $2,099
7. Rye, New York
- Population: 16,243
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 1.539
- Monthly cost of living: $2,417
6. Ridgefield, Connecticut
- Population: 25,048
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 1.397
- Monthly cost of living: $2,325
Pictured: Manchester, Connecticut
5. Franklin, Ohio
- Population: 10,484
- Violent crime rate: 0.000
- Property crime rate: 1.145
- Monthly cost of living: $1,757
Pictured: North Royalton, Ohio
4. Bedford, New York
- Population: 16,989
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 0.942
- Monthly cost of living: $2,373
Pictured: Binghampton, New York
3. Lewisboro, New York
- Population: 11,912
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 0.168
- Monthly cost of living: $2,227
2. Campton Hills, Illinois
- Population: 10,802
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 0.093
- Monthly cost of living: $1,840
1. Sleepy Hollow, New York
- Population: 12,088
- Violent crime rate: 0.0
- Property crime rate: 0.083
- Monthly cost of living: $2,274
Pictured: Upstate New York
Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the writing for this article.
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities across the United States to find the safest places to retire. GOBankingRates used the crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer. The data from the FBI showed the number of property-crime related reported crimes, the number of violent-crime related reported crimes, and the population assosiated with the reporting area. Using the FBI’s data the property crime rate per 1,000 residents and the violent crime rate per 1,000 residents can be calculated. The violent crime rate per 1,000 residents and the property crime rate per 1,000 residents can both be scored and summed to show the safest places in the US. To find the best places, all the cities with a population below 10,000 residents was removed. For each of the safest cities on the list, the cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces. Using the Consumer Expenditure Survey for Retired Residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average overall monthly cost of living can be found. This includes all the average expenditure costs including; grocery, healthcare, utilities, transportation, housing, and misc and is only provided for supplemental information. Only the property crime rate and violent crime rate were scored for this study. All the data was collected and is up to date as of April 2, 2024.