Retirees Are Leaving Big Cities in Droves (And Going to These 12 Places Instead)

Once the paychecks stop, the cost of living in a big, expensive area can be hard to justify. In 2025, California had a net loss of 12,963 adults 65 and older, and New York had a net loss of 8,648, according to a HireAHelper study of PGM moving data. For many retirees, moving somewhere cheaper is one of the biggest ways to free up your retirement budget, and plenty are choosing smaller cities that give them more space for the money.

To find out where, our team at FinanceBuzz analyzed Zillow housing data and U.S. Census demographics for hundreds of U.S. cities. We looked for places with fewer than 500,000 residents that are growing faster than the U.S. as a whole and have a larger-than-average share of residents 65 and older.

North Port, Florida

Median rent: $2,020 a month
Average home value: $301,532
Residents 65 and older: 32.7%
5-year population growth: 31.3%

North Port is the largest city in Sarasota County by land area. It's only minutes from Gulf Coast beaches but away from their crowds and prices, with nearly 80 miles of freshwater canals running through town.

Warm Mineral Springs, which the city calls Florida's only natural warm spring, stays around an average of 85°F year-round. Its historic buildings are closed for a restoration expected to finish in late 2027, but the spring itself is open.

The Atlanta Braves also hold spring training at CoolToday Park. The city's population grew more than eight times faster than the U.S. overall, and close to one in three residents is 65 or older.

Palm Coast, Florida

Median rent: $1,831 a month
Average home value: $335,630
Residents 65 and older: 30.1%
5-year population growth: 18.9%

Palm Coast sits on Florida's northeast coast between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, minutes from Atlantic Ocean beaches. The city is built along 70 miles of canals and the Intracoastal Waterway, and it has more than 130 miles of trails and paths for walking and biking.

Golfers can choose from courses that include the Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course at Hammock Beach. Nearly 40% of households have retirement income, so newcomers are likely to find neighbors in the same stage of life.

Daytona Beach, Florida

Median rent: $1,533 a month
Average home value: $241,683
Residents 65 and older: 23.3%
5-year population growth: 24.3%

Daytona Beach is home to Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500. Driving on the beach is a local tradition dating back to the early days of the automobile, and it's still allowed in designated areas at 10 mph.

Winters are mild, with average January highs around 70°F. It has the lowest average home value of the three Florida cities on this list, at about $242,000.

Dothan, Alabama

Median rent: $1,016 a month
Average home value: $199,443
Residents 65 and older: 19.7%
5-year population growth: 6.1%

Dothan sits in the southeast corner of Alabama, about 20 miles from both Georgia and Florida. It proclaimed itself the "Peanut Capital of the World" in 1938, and it celebrates the harvest each fall with the 10-day National Peanut Festival.

Downtown has over 20 murals showing people and events from the region's history. The Florida Gulf Coast is about an hour and a half away, and median rent is about 32% below the national median.

Georgetown, Texas

Median rent: $1,787 a month
Average home value: $421,639
Residents 65 and older: 22.2%
5-year population growth: 27.3%

Georgetown is 27 miles north of Austin. Its downtown square, built around a restored neoclassical courthouse and lined with Victorian architecture, won the inaugural Best Texas Downtown award in 2025.

The 6.6-mile San Gabriel River Trail leads to a historic swimming hole called the Blue Hole. Sun City, Texas, a Del Webb active-adult community for people 55 and older, is on the northwest side of town. Texas doesn't tax individual income, which may help a fixed income go further.

Surprise, Arizona

Median rent: $2,064 a month
Average home value: $417,937
Residents 65 and older: 21.4%
5-year population growth: 18.3%

Surprise is a Sonoran Desert city about 25 miles northwest of Phoenix. It gets more than 300 days of sunshine a year, with average January highs in the mid-60s and July highs around 107°F.

The Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers hold spring training at Surprise Stadium, and White Tank Mountain Regional Park, the largest regional park in Maricopa County, sits on the city's western edge. The Grand, an active-adult community with about 9,800 homes and condos, is in Surprise.

Henderson, Nevada

Median rent: $1,863 a month
Average home value: $481,352
Residents 65 and older: 21.3%
5-year population growth: 9.3%

Henderson is Nevada's second-largest city, just south of the Las Vegas Strip. It's a natural starting point for trips to Hoover Dam, and residents can get on the water at Lake Mead or Lake Las Vegas.

Average summer highs reach about 102°F, and winter highs average around 59°F. Nevada doesn't tax individual wages, so for California retirees it could be a short move with meaningful savings.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Median rent: $1,693 a month
Average home value: $572,026
Residents 65 and older: 27.6%
5-year population growth: 6.9%

Santa Fe was founded in 1610 and is the oldest and highest state capital in the country. It sits about 7,000 feet up at the base of the southern Rocky Mountains.

Canyon Road has more than 100 art galleries in a half-mile stretch, and the Santa Fe Opera headlines the summer arts season. The city gets four distinct seasons with snow in winter and more than 320 days of sunshine a year.

Hemet, California

Median rent: $1,683 a month
Average home value: $435,976
Residents 65 and older: 22.0%
5-year population growth: 8.9%

Hemet, in Riverside County, has a long history as a retirement destination. It became well known as a retirement community in the early 1960s with Sierra Dawn, which the city describes as the country's first mobile home subdivision with lots sold to individual buyers.

Every spring, Hemet stages "Ramona," California's official outdoor play, which has run since 1923 with brief breaks during the Depression and World War II. Nearby Diamond Valley Lake offers hiking, boating, and fishing, and parking costs only $5 for visitors 62 and older.

Bend, Oregon

Median rent: $1,962 a month
Average home value: $719,428
Residents 65 and older: 21.6%
5-year population growth: 6.5%

Bend sits in Central Oregon's high desert at the eastern foot of the Cascades, where the climate is sunny and dry. Mount Bachelor's ski area is about 22 miles away, and the Bend Ale Trail includes more than 30 tasting rooms.

Each summer, more than 250,000 people float the Deschutes River through town. It's one of the most expensive cities on this list, with an average home value above $719,000.

Billings, Montana

Median rent: $1,182 a month
Average home value: $386,338
Residents 65 and older: 18.5%
5-year population growth: 10.9%

The Yellowstone River, the longest undammed river in the lower 48 states, winds right through Billings. Sandstone cliffs called the Rimrocks tower over the city, and there are more than 50 miles of trails.

Winters are cold and snowy. Nearby, the Beartooth Highway leads to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park and is typically open from late May through mid-October. Median rent is about 21% below the national median.

Toms River, New Jersey

Median rent: $1,855 a month
Average home value: $446,520
Residents 65 and older: 22.6%
5-year population growth: 5.5%

Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County. It sits where the Toms River flows into Barnegat Bay, and Ortley Beach offers a sandy shoreline.

Island Beach State Park, an undeveloped barrier beach with one of New Jersey's largest osprey colonies, is reached via Route 37 and Route 35. More than one in five residents is 65 or older.

Bottom line

Retirees don't have to pick between a big city and a remote small town. Each of these 12 cities is growing faster than the U.S. overall and has an older-than-average population, so newcomers may find both momentum and people their own age.

Costs vary widely, from Dothan's $1,016 median rent to Bend's $719,000 average home value. Even in a cheaper city, it helps to have a plan to stretch your retirement dollars further. Before you move, compare housing costs, state taxes, and access to health care so you can be confident the new city fits your retirement budget.

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