Staying active is important for long-term health and many seniors view retirement as a way to improve their active leisure opportunities.
That’s why we put together this list of the best places to retire for active seniors.
We took into account not just the leisure opportunities, mind you, but also living costs, health care availability, crime rate and even the prospects of finding a little extra work in your retirement.
The cities we chose are the real deal for retirees and with only two exceptions, they are at or below the average cost of housing for the United States!
Anchorage, Alaska
It’s not cheap and it will get cold but Anchorage is a brilliant place to be active.
Firstly, you’ve got The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail offering 11 miles of incredible beauty for biking, jogging, walking, etc.
On days where you want adventure, there’s an almost unlimited amount of wilderness to explore and plenty of other active folks who want to share it with you.
Fort Collins, Colorado
Housing is a bit more expensive than in most places but you’ve got nature trails galore in the vicinity.
If you enjoy kayaking, canoeing or other water sports, Fort Collins has awesome access to them.
It also has a very low crime rate and the city is prosperous with good potential for a part-time job in retirement. (If you want low-stress retirement jobs check out our list here and we’ve also got a great list of well-paid retirement jobs here).
Mount Morris, Michigan
This is small town America and you can snap up a house in Mount Morris for under $70,000. And it has plenty of wonderful outdoor activities and Stepping Stone Falls is gorgeous.
Despite its size, it also has an excellent ratio of hospitals to residents, meaning you know you’re going to be taken care of if things go wrong when you’re out kayaking.
Billings, Montana
Billings has a wealth of places to spend your time in including The Rimrock, Pictograph Cave State Park, Pioneer Park and DanWalt Gardens.
However, we would note that it’s important to pay attention to home security measures in Billings because it has a slightly higher than usual rate of property crime.
Asheville, North Carolina
With the Appalachian Foothills on your doorstep, Asheville is an incredible place to retire if you like to camp, fish and hike.
It also has a beautiful arboretum for the days you want a leisurely stroll, instead.
The health care is good and homes are only a bit more expensive than the national average. There’s also almost no violent crime in Asheville.
Cody, Wyoming
Cody is not the best place to look for work as job growth is far below the national average but it’s very safe, has solid healthcare and house prices aren’t too extravagant.
If you always wanted to explore the Wild West, Cody’s the place to do it from with access to Buffalo Bill State Park, Old Trail Town, the Shoshone National Forest and more.
Yuma, Arizona
Another great Old West destination is Yuma with house prices below the national average and a ton of awesome outdoor activities to enjoy.
As a smaller city, it tends to be welcoming to retirees and the tourism trade is a good place to find work.
However, they only have one hospital in town, and that means no choice in your healthcare provision.
Sarasota, Florida
For Florida, Sarasota’s a bargain with house prices at the national average. It has a great choice of healthcare options too.
You can access the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, The Legacy Trail, Siesta Key Beach and Myakka River State Park for plenty of outdoor activities too.
In fact, Sarasota may offer the most varied opportunities for active seniors in the country.
Hibbing, Minnesota
Hibbing is where Bob Dylan hails from. It’s a small town in America and the average $90,000 housing cost reflects that.
But there are plenty of outdoor activities to be had here and the crime rate is very low.
That makes it super safe but sadly, there’s only one hospital in town, which cuts down on your healthcare choices.
Mesquite, Nevada
Mesquite is a city that feels like a small town. It has average housing prices and a very low rate of violent crime. Sadly, it also has only a single hospital which isn’t ideal.
It offers excellent access to outdoor activities and the Wolf Creek Golf Club, Whitney Pockets, Gold Butte National Monument, etc. will keep you busy.
There are also reasonable employment opportunities for seniors in the town (or you could just monetize your hobbies, instead of getting a job).
Final Thoughts On Places To Retire For Active Seniors
America is full of amazing places to lead an active life in retirement and as you can see, they don’t have to cost a fortune, either.
We hope our list of best places to retire for active seniors has helped you to better plan where you want to be when you finish work.