California is home to 5 of the 10 worst cities to retire in US, study says. Where are they?
California is home to half of the worst 10 cities to retire in the nation, according to a new WalletHub study.
The personal finance company ranked more than 180 cities across the United States based on 45 key metrics, ranging from “the cost of living and tax laws to the availability of activities and the quality of health care.”
“The best cities for retired people are those that minimize taxes and expenses,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the study. “In addition, the top cities provide high-quality health care and offer plenty of enjoyable activities for retirees.”
Many of the cities that ranked at the bottom of WalletHub’s list of the Best & Worst Places to Retire in 2024 were in California.
San Bernadino landed at No. 182 on the list, marking it the worst city in California and the country for retirees, according to the study.
Stockton was the second worst U.S. city to spend your retirement, WalletHub said, while Stockton came in third place among lowest-ranking California cities.
Here’s where other California cities ranked:
What is the worst city to retire in California and US?
Although WalletHub ranked the state of California at No. 17 on its 2024 list of the Best and Worst States to Retire, cities across the Golden State lagged behind those in other parts of the nation.
San Francisco was the highest ranking city on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Places to Retire list, landing at No. 36 with an overall score of 52.31 out of 100.
San Diego was No. 38 on the list, while Glendale was No. 42 and Los Angeles was No. 45.
In contrast, San Bernardino was the worst place to retire with a total score of 35.71 out of 100.
The Southern California city was one of the lowest ranking cities in the nation in terms of activities, health care and quality of life, WalletHub said.
It also scored relatively low in terms of affordability.
Elsewhere in California, Sacramento was No. 92, Modesto was No. 166 and Fresno was No. 176.
Where are the 10 worst cities for retirees?
Here are the top 10 worst cities to retire in the United States in 2024, according to Wallet Hub:
- San Bernadino
- Stockton
- Rancho Cucamonga
- Bakersfield
- Newark, in New Jersey
- Detroit
- Fresno
- Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Wichita, Kansas
- Fontana
What are the best cities for retirees in the nation?
According to WalletHub, Orlando is the best city in the United States for retirees, with a total score of 61.49 out of 100.
The Florida city scored high marks in affordability and activities, although it ranked lower in terms of health care and quality of life.
“While Orlando doesn’t have a particularly low cost of living, it is the ninth cheapest city for homemaker services and the 20th cheapest for adult day health care” out of 182 cities, WalletHub said.
Orlando is the the second-best city for recreation overall, the site said, thanks to its “especially high number” of music venues, fishing facilities and art galleries.
What’s more, it has the most gerontologists and home health care facilities per capita.
Here are the top 10 best cities to retire in the nation, as ranked by WalletHub:
- Orlando
- Miami
- Minneapolis
- Tampa, Florida
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Cincinnati
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Casper, Wyoming
- Atlanta
How did WalletHub come up with rankings?
To come up with its rankings, WalletHub compared the retirement-friendliness of 182 cities — the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across four key categories:
- Affordability
- Activities
- Quality of life
- Health care
The site then evaluated those categories using a total of 45 metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the “most favorable conditions for retirement.” the site said.
WalletHub then calculated the overall score for each city to complete its list.
“With cost being a significant factor in retirement, our analysis assumes retirees will rely on a fixed income,” WalletHub said. “The lower their expenses, the better retirees will fare in a particular city.”
This story was originally published September 4, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "California is home to 5 of the 10 worst cities to retire in US, study says. Where are they?."