In 2024, the top five most popular states where retirees moved were Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, Texas, and North Carolina.1 Notice a pattern? Each destination boasts warm weather (though let’s be honest, “sweltering” may be a better way to put it) and popular shorelines packed full of sandy beaches and skyrises—with the exception of Arizona’s arid deserts.
If you’ve always dreamed of retiring to the Sunbelt, by all means, you should still pursue the plans that will bring you joy and fulfillment in retirement.
But for those soon-to-be retirees with other priorities in mind, living along a hot, coastal region may be unappealing—even stress-inducing. As climate change continues to deliver more extreme and damaging weather patterns, coastal cities and states are getting hit hard with floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and other costly natural disasters. Some insurance companies have stopped offering coverage altogether in Florida and other states with large coastal regions, making it more difficult for residents to obtain coverage—and if they do, it comes at a higher cost.2
If you’d rather stay away from the traditional retirement destinations and head somewhere better suit your interests, here are a few out-of-the-box ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.
For the snow lover…
For some people, a dream retirement may involve more snowy mountain tops than sandy beaches—and there’s certainly no shortage of either! Our country is home to some beautiful cold-weather states filled with world-class snow sports, picturesque views, and cozy cabins.
The cost of living across different cold-weather cities and states will vary greatly, along with the general lifestyle. Some affluent retirees enjoy spending their golden years in exclusive Colorado mountain neighborhoods, while others may be called to explore the remote Alaskan wilderness.
For example, in cities like Juneau, Alaska, retirees can enjoy some incredibly unique views of wildlife—moose, bald eagles, whales, and bears to name a few—as well as the Northern Lights in the wintertime.
While Juneau’s cost of living is high at 28% above the national average, residents do enjoy some worthwhile tax incentives including:3,4
- No state income tax
- No sales tax
- No tax on Social Security or other retirement benefits
- No inheritance or estate tax
Plus, every resident receives a dividend check from the state’s oil wealth fund, called the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD). In 2024, each resident received $1,403.5
If you’d like to stick to the lower 48 or would prefer more of a big-city feel (while still staying conscious of your retirement budget), Des Moines, Iowa may be worth considering as well. With a cost of living below the national average, Des Moines is an approachable, affordable city with Midwest charm and plenty of downtown to-dos—museums, art galleries, shopping, concerts, and more.
For the international adventurer…
Have you ever been drawn to do something daring like move to another country? But for work, school commitments, or other reasons it just never really panned out? Between the high cost of health care and general quality of life, more and more retirees are choosing to live abroad in retirement. In 2024 alone, around 760,000 retirees collected Social Security payments while living abroad.6
Of course, there are a few major considerations to account for before you pack your bags and head for the airport. First, you’ll need to find out what sort of visa process, paperwork, and monthly income is required by the country where you intend to move. Some countries offer retirement visas, which allow people to retire (but not work) in another country.
You may also want to look for countries that financially incentivize seniors to move there. Panama, for example, provides one of the most extensive incentive packages including:7
- 1% interest rate discount on mortgages (for a personal home)
- 50% discount on passports
- 25% discount on plane tickets (including domestic and international flights)
- 30%-50% discount on hotel rooms
And the list goes on to include discounted dentist and doctor visits, meals at restaurants, utilities, and even coffins and urns.
Considering Panama is home to some incredible beaches and boasts a relatively low cost of living, it’s certainly worth considering for those who may be drawn to warmer climates but want a more laid-back lifestyle than what the Sunbelt has to offer.
For the lifelong scholar…
Your college days may be over, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the vibrant, energetic pulse of living in a large college town. Our country is full of incredible hubs and communities all centered around large universities or smaller college campuses.
These areas tend to be walkable and include easy access to buses or other public transportation. Many also include plenty of varied dining options to appease international tastes, as well as cultural centers, lecture series, concerts, and other entertainment.
If you’re not already attached to a certain alma mater, consider checking out some of the country’s most engaging and exciting college towns including:
-
Ann Arbor, Michigan (University of Michigan)
-
State College, Pennsylvania (Penn State University)
- Eugene, Oregon (University of Oregon)
- Northampton, Massachusetts (Smith College, Amherst College, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and more)
- Ithaca, New York (Cornell University and Ithaca College)
For the food and wine enthusiast…
If you’ve always been a lover of the finer things in life, you may want to search out a retirement destination that offers plenty of fine dining options or regions with award-winning wineries close by.
While there are always the classic wine regions like Napa Valley, California and the Finger Lakes, New York, the list certainly doesn’t end there—not to mention, housing costs are generally pretty high in both of these areas.
The Willamette Valley in Oregon, for example, is not only home to 700 wineries, but stunning mountain views as well.8 Thanks to its volcanic soil and fairly mild climate, it offers some unique (and highly sought-after) grape-growing conditions that make it a top-tier wine region within the Pacific Northwest.
Keep in mind that the major cities in the Willamette Valley including Portland, Eugene, and Salem, will have a relatively high cost of living. However, you may be able to find smaller towns, like Corvallis, that offer easy access to the incredible local food and wine scene without the additional big city premiums. In fact, Corvallis has a cost of living that’s 4.9% less than the state’s average—though still around 8.7% higher than the national average.8
For the homesteader…
Gardening is a common retirement hobby, but if you’re interested in taking your love of living off the land to the next level, you may have big plans for retirement. The concept of homesteading regained popularity during the initial onset of Covid, and it’s continued to gain traction as food prices and quality remain a point of contention amongst many Americans.
Of course, raising chickens, tending to a large garden, canning, and doing everything else you’d like to on a homestead takes lots of time—which can make it an appealing lifestyle for people to pursue in retirement.
If this is something you’re interested in, the good news is you can find ways to incorporate homesteading into almost anywhere you live (even an apartment or condo). Though, depending on the seriousness and scale of your plans, you may want to consider moving to a region with a long growing season (unless you plan on buying a greenhouse), plenty of rain, and lots of land for sale.
Some states that fit the bill include Tennessee, Idaho, and Michigan.
Planning on moving in retirement? Do your research first
Your retirement is meant to be as unique as you are, which means the traditional destinations may not meet your needs. As you think about where you’d like to spend this next exciting stage of life, consider what brings you joy and helps you feel fulfilled. This is your time to live life on your terms, and finding the perfect backdrop is important.
Just keep in mind that a change in retirement destination may require you to revisit your saving strategy and anticipated rate of withdrawal, since the cost of living varies so greatly across the country (and around the world).
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