America's fastest-growing retirement hotspots - and none are in Florida
- Retirees have long flocked to warmer climates and lower tax states
- New data shows where over 60s are abandoning and where they're rushing to
Retired Darius McLintock is clear why life is fantastic in Mesa: Crime is low, hospitals excellent, housing is cheap and it hardly ever rains.
The city in Arizona last year was the top destination for seniors.
McLintock also pointed out the city's low unemployment rate, the varied natural beauty of the nearby mountains and desert as well as the lack of extreme weather events such as tornados.
It may be these factors that led Mesa to be the fastest growing retirement hotspot in the US, a new report from SmartAsset has revealed.
The report, using the most recent available census data, has revealed where retirees are fleeing from and flocking to.
Mesa, Arizona - city with the most new seniors
23 percent of Mesa's population is now 60 or older
Mesa, just 18 miles east of Phoenix, boasts high home ownership rates among seniors, plentiful arts and cultural facilities and dozens of nearby golf courses.
It is little wonder then that the city attracted the largest influx of retirees in 2022.
The influx was 50 percent more than any other city in the country, with 4,453 people moving to the haven in just one year.
'Mesa has an ideal climate for an active lifestyle, with 300 days of sunshine a year perfect for outdoor activities like hiking and golfing' real estate expert Diana Benson said of the benefits of retiring in the city.
'Mesa's cost of living is affordable' Benson explained, 'housing options range from budget condominiums to luxurious retirement communities.'
'Mesa also does not have sales tax on food contrary to the neighboring communities' she added.
23 percent of the population of Mesa is now 60 or older, according to SmartAsset's study.
Florida - state that attracted the most new retirees
The Sunshine State welcomed the most retirees of any state in 2022
1,662 retirees moved into St Petersburg in the same year alone
The Sunshine State, long a favorite for the over 60s, welcomed the most retirees of any state in 2022.
Florida saw 77,000 new retirees making the state home in 2022, more than three times more than any other state.
The state is appealing to the demographic given its low taxes, clement weather and affordable health services, according to WalletHub which ranked the state as the best to retire to.
The state also boasts low crime and a growing economy that has seen its population, 28.4 percent of which is over 60, grow overall in recent years.
While the state has designated retirement communities such as The Villages, other towns and cities have attracted over 60s with their offerings of restaurants and accessible beaches.
St Petersburg, with its popular fishing and stunning beaches, attracted 1,662 retirees in 2022 alone.
Arizona - state is also a magnet for seniors
Arizona overall saw the second-highest influx of retirees, welcoming 23,515 in the year.
Among them is Gary Mitchell, 70, who moved to the state from Hawaii with his wife Carmen two years ago.
'We're doing just great, there's no stress, no strain,' Gary told Fox News.
'I really love this place,' Carmen said. 'I feel safe. We're not moving from here.'
The couple moved to Maricopa a suburb of Phoenix, just 35 miles from Mesa, in June 2021.
Gary told the publication many of his neighbors are Californians that have fled the state's notoriously high house prices.
The median house price in California was $749,970, compared to Arizona's median listing at $440,000 in at the times of the Mitchells move.
Arizona's mountains, deserts and forests also attracts retirees looking for a connection to nature.
It's world renowned golf courses, popular concerts and sporting events also offer a variety of activities for over 60s looking for a lively retirement.
Maine - state with the highest proportion of retirees
Maine has the highest proportion of retirees of any other state
Maine, however, has the most retirees overall with 30 percent of the state's population now at retirement age.
The state's natural beauty, full of rugged coastline and quaint coastal towns, attracts over 60s looking for a quiet retirement of hiking and nature watching.
Maine also has the lowest cost of living in New England and a relatively low crime rate.
Vermont and Delaware are close behind with 29.8 and 28.5 percent respectively.
The cities that seniors are fleeing
Cambridge, Massachusetts has the most retirees moving out of any city in the country
As a general trend retirees are leaving cities in favor of smaller towns and country living.
Cambridge, Massachusetts has the most retirees moving out of any city in the country.
The city experienced a net loss of 1,674 people over 60 in 2022.
Followed closely by Wilmington, North Carolina which lost a net loss of 1,097, the second most in the country relative to its size.
In the same period Longmont, Colorado came in third for lost retirees in the same period.
