These are the Top 10 Mid-Sized Cities for Seniors

In addition to weather, and location of family, there are many factors retirees consider when they choose a place to live. Those factors, which should be strongly considered by senior living providers eager to expand in growing markets, might include how expensive a city may be for health care, how safe it is and the types of leisure activities that are available. Austin, Texas-based SeniorAdvice has announced the top ten medium-sized cities that are best for seniors using their comprehensive scoring system, SeniorScore, which identifies and measures the livability for seniors.

The assessment considered cities with between 50,000 and 500,000 residents. The unbiased algorithm ranked McLean, Va. as the No. 1 medium-sized city for seniors. Virginia was found to be one of the most senior-friendly states, overall, with McLean standing out due to its high scores on health and safety.

The city has 243 senior living facilities and a large number of Medicare physicians and hospitals in the area. The area also has low property taxes, income taxes and sales tax.

Advertisement

In addition, McLean has plenty of retiree-focused activities such as a number of golf courses, movie theaters and its proximity to Washington, D.C. Public transportation directly to D.C., is a major draw, the survey found.

Taking second place in the ranking, also in Virginia, was Vienna, known for its recreation options including golf courses, parks, gyms and local attractions. The town has numerous senior living communities in the area that fall on the more affordable end of the spectrum, as the average cost of assisted living communities in Vienna is much lower than the national average. The typical community costs less than $30,000 per year.

In third place is Chesterfield, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. The city boasts a very high number of Medicare registered physicians and has 12 hospitals within close range of the city. There are also 141 senior living facilities near the city and a low property crime rate and a very low violent crime rate. The city is already 35% senior and has 89 golf courses in or around the city with 35 parks to provide for recreation.

Advertisement

The full list spans cities in Texas, Florida, and Kansas, to name a few:

1. McLean, Va.

2. Vienna, Va.

3. Chesterfield, Mo.

4. Richardson, Texas

5. Scottsdale, Ariz.

6. Longwood, Fla.

7. Troy, Mich.

8. Overland Park, Kan.

9. Bethesda, Md.

10. Palm Harbor, Fla.

For the cities ranked fourth through tenth, Scottsdale, Ariz. has some notable feats including over 100 golf courses and 20 major parks, over 350 senior living facilities, 34% of the city’s population is over 65 and there is warm weather all year round.

The city with the fewest senior living facilities is Longwood, Fla., with only 86 communities in the area. But the city does have a high percentage of seniors, with 31% of its population 55 and older.

Written by Alana Stramowski

Companies featured in this article:

,