The 10 best neighborhoods for retirement
- A new study ranks the top spots for retirees — all in or near major U.S. cities — based on median home prices, weather, crime and other factors.
- The neighborhoods at the top of the list offer the biggest bang for the buck without being too far from downtown.
When it comes to living the lifestyle they imagined, today's retirees spend a lot of time worrying about how they will afford their golden years.
To that end, a new report by GOBankingRates determined the neighborhoods where they could stretch their dollars the furthest, without sacrificing their quality of life.
The personal finance website ranked the top spots for retirement — all in or near major U.S. cities — based on median home prices, concentration of other retirees, crime rate, weather and proximity to amenities such as restaurants, shopping, coffee shops, public transportation, libraries and parks.
While half of the top spots are in Southern states — and three are in retirement favorite Florida — there are a few surprises, including two neighborhoods that are a stone's throw from Manhattan and one within the city of Boston.
The spots at the very top of the list offered the biggest bang for the buck without being too far from downtown. That makes it possible for retirees to enjoy all the benefits of living close to a major metropolis without sacrificing their hard-earned savings.
"The idea is that you can have city amenities and still live in a neighborhood," said Gabrielle Olya, a senior writer at GoBankingRates.
Here is the top 10:
10. West Roxbury, Massachusetts
Location: Less than 10 miles outside of Boston
City's median listing price: $709,950
Neighborhood's median listing price: $572,450
9. Wolf Creek, Texas
Location: 200 miles outside of Dallas
City's median listing price: $385,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $169,900
8. Coral Way, Florida
Location: 8 miles west of downtown Miami
City's median listing price: $480,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $430,000
7. Loretto, Florida
Location: Less than 20 miles south of Jacksonville
City's median listing price: $210,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $185,000
6. Kingwood, Texas
Location: 30 miles north of Houston
City's median listing price: $325,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $294,900
5. Torresdale, Pennsylvania
Location: Less than 13 miles from downtown Philadelphia
City's median listing price: $214,900
Neighborhood's median listing price: $174,900
4. Bayside West, Florida
Location: Within the city limits of Tampa
City's median listing price: $309,900
Neighborhood's median listing price: $233,900
3. Forest Hills, New York
Location: Less than 15 miles east of Manhattan
City's median listing price: $825,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $495,000
2. Windsor, Colorado
Location: 59 miles north of Denver
City's median listing price: $465,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $224,900
1. Spuyten Duyvil (in The Bronx), New York
Location: Less than 10 miles north of Manhattan
City's median listing price: $825,000
Neighborhood's median listing price: $360,000
More from Personal Finance:
You can retire and live on the beach for $3,000 a month in these foreign cities
Five beautiful places to retire that will make your jaw drop
Do this to strengthen your retirement savings in 2019