Have you ever watched a coworker retire, shaken their hand, and asked the obvious question:
“So, what are you going to do now?”
And they immediately say:
“I'm going to Disney World!”
Apparently, that's not a bad plan.
A new study looked at 182 of the biggest cities in America to determine the best places to retire.
Researchers considered 45 different factors, including affordability, healthcare, quality of life and, most importantly, whether there's enough stuff to do when you suddenly have approximately 14,000 hours of free time.
They looked at things like senior centers, golf courses, museums, theaters, book clubs and bingo halls.
Because retirement is apparently a delicate balance between playing 18 holes and yelling “BINGO!”
And coming in at #1 was Orlando, Florida.
Yes, Orlando.
Apparently, retirees just can't quit Florida.
And while Disney World wasn't specifically the reason Orlando took the top spot, we're guessing having access to a place where adults can spend $17 on a mouse-shaped ice cream probably didn't hurt.
The Top 10 Retirement Cities
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Orlando, Florida
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Miami, Florida
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Tampa, Florida
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Scottsdale, Arizona
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Casper, Wyoming
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Atlanta, Georgia
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Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Fort Lauderdale, Florida
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Charleston, South Carolina
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Notice anything?
Florida appears three times.
Apparently, the secret to retirement is sunshine, golf and never seeing snow again.
Meanwhile, California absolutely dominated the bottom of the rankings.
The worst place to retire was Stockton, California, followed by San Bernardino, Newark, Fresno, Rancho Cucamonga, Bakersfield, Tacoma, Bridgeport, Detroit, and Fontana.
Yep.
Detroit made the bottom 10.
Michigan retirees everywhere are looking at this list and saying:
“Excuse me?”
Look, Detroit may not have perfect weather year-round, but we have something Florida doesn't:
You don't have to worry about your flip-flops melting into the sidewalk.
And if you're tired of retirement activities, Michigan gives you plenty of opportunities to spend an afternoon watching road construction.
Free entertainment!
According to the study, Brownsville, Texas is the place to consider if affordability is your biggest concern.
If activities are most important, San Francisco comes out on top.
Scottsdale, Arizona ranks highest for quality of life.
And if healthcare is your number-one priority, Sioux Falls, South Dakota takes the top spot.
But honestly, maybe the best place to retire isn't Orlando.
Maybe it's your own house.
Your favorite chair.
Your own refrigerator.
Your own bed.
Your own TV remote.
Nobody telling you where to be at 8:30 in the morning.
Sounds pretty great, right?
Until your spouse looks over at you on Day Three of retirement and says:
“Now that you're home all day...when are you finally going to finish all those projects?”
And suddenly you're on Zillow looking at condos in Orlando.
Because retirement isn't necessarily about where you live.
It's about who knows where you live.
And whether they have a honey-do list.
