Summary of Tampa as a Retirement Destination
- Retirement Outlook: A poll reveals worries among Americans regarding retirement finances.
- Top Retirement City: Tampa, Florida has emerged as the best place to retire in the U.S.
- WalletHub Analysis: Criteria for ranking included cost of living, healthcare, and recreational activities for retirees.
- Expert Insights: Steps for a smooth retirement include proactive financial planning.
Just 43 percent of Americans who are not yet retired believe they will have enough money to live comfortably when it’s time to end their careers, according to a 2023 Gallup poll. A separate Gallup poll measuring Americans’ feelings about eight separate financial matters found that people worry about having enough money for retirement the most of all — including 42 percent of people who responded they are “very worried” about the matter.
While retiring comfortably is subjective and is calculated on a number of personal variables, there are a few things that can help people retire more readily. Namely, picking a great location to retire in when the time comes. And, according to a new WalletHub study, one city in Florida comes out on top as the absolute best place to retire in the U.S.
So, which city came out on top? That honor belongs to none other than Tampa.
WalletHub analyzed 180 cities across the U.S., measuring each across its “45 key metrics.” That includes the cost of living in each city, taxation, health infrastructure, the city’s number of recreation and senior centers, each destination’s population over 65, and even down to how many community clubs the city boasts.
It then calculated each city’s overall score to create its rank-order findings. All the findings assume retirees will live on a fixed income, thus, “the lower their expenses, the better retirees will fare in a particular city,” WalletHub added.
Tampa took home the top spot with a score of 59.93, edging out second-place city, Scottsdale, Arizona, which came in with a close score of 59.87. Tampa also scored high marks for the number of activities available to retirees, ranking fifth overall in the category, as well as high scores for its overall quality of life (coming in at 26) and affordability (ranking 40th).
As for the bottom of the list, Stockton, California, clocked in an overall score of just 35.33, ranking 180th for activities, 175th for healthcare, and 130th for quality of life.
Colin M. Slabach, a clinical assistant professor at New York University, shared that you can take steps to ensure a smooth retirement. Therefore, the first step is to take action now.
“Do not leave your financial well-being to chance, especially when living on a fixed income during retirement,” Slabach said. “The key is to optimize the assets you have to fulfill your lifestyle goals. Implementing a comprehensive budget and continuously monitoring your expenditures are foundational steps.”
