Certain cities seem to attract retirees as a growing group of Baby Boomers continue to embrace an urban way of life. Some areas that attract those in retirement are also comfortably suburban.
One thing is for certain,
noted Forbes: the number of retirees is growing. "Today roughly 18.5 percent of the U.S. population is over 60, compared to 16.3 percent a decade ago; by 2020 that percentage is expected to rise to 22.2 percent, and by 2050 to a full 25 percent," noted Forbes contributor Joel Kotkin.
Here are five places with the most retirees.
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1. Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh tops the list of cities with the most retirees, according to Forbes. The magazine reported that "23.6 percent of the metro area’s population is over 60."
2. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida — According to Forbes, 23.5 percent of the area's population is 60 or older, making it No. 2 on the list of "U.S. Cities Going Gray." With a busy city, a walkable Bayshore, white sand beaches and a growing culinary scene, Tampa-St. Petersburg is seeing an influx of gregarious retirees. While St. Petersburg was once a staid and frayed retirement village, the emerging cafe culture downtown along with the growth of new high-rise condos, has made it a go-to spot for many — and not just as a tourist destination.
3. Palm Bay, Florida — On the Atlantic Coast, the city of Palm Bay has become a coveted
retirement destination, according to Kiplinger, which noted that 20.2 percent of the population is 65 or older. The draw: "The Sunshine State has no income tax, and taxes per capita fall well below the national average. There are 29 parks within the city limits, and the surrounding county boasts ten golf courses and nine Atlantic beaches. Port Canaveral, a 50-minute drive from Palm Bay, is the second-busiest cruise port in the world. As if that weren’t enough, the average temperature is a pleasant 72 degrees," Kiplinger wrote.
4. Tucson, Arizona — Arizona has long been a retirement destination. It's year-round warmth, dry heat, and plenty of sunshine and golf courses, make it attractive for those who hope to relax in comfort. Kiplinger said 14.3 percent of residents are older than 65.
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5. Scottsdale, Arizona — The Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale, Arizona had the highest percent of seniors in a 2010 study of places with more than 100,000
residents, U.S. News reported. About 20 percent of residents were older than 65, it said. "Scottsdale, like much of Arizona, has attracted a large number of older migrants from other parts of the country," Victor Agadjanian, director of the Center for Population Dynamics at Arizona State University, told U.S. News.