U.S. News in October unveiled its annual list of the best places to retire.
In order to determine its ranking of the best places to retire, U.S. News analyzed 150 metro areas across the country.
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Houston came in at 22 out of 150, outranking the other Texas cities listed except Dallas-Fort Worth, which was ranked the 17th best place to retire.
The best places to retire, according to U.S. News
- Sarasota, FL
- Fort Myers, FL
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Naples, FL
- Lancaster, PA
- Ocala, FL
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Asheville, NC
- Miami, FL
- Melbourne, FL
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- Nashville, TN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Manchester, NH
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Lakeland, FL
- Chattanooga, TN
- Tampa, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Houston, TX
View all 150 metro areas ranked here.
Methodology
Its methodology in determining the best places to retire included ranking retirement scores calculated based on the following indexes:
- Housing Affordability
- Happiness
- Desirability
- Retiree Taxes
- Job Market
- Health Care Quality
The overall retirement score and each index score was calculated on a 10-point scale.
Houston received an overall retirement score of 6.9. Houston’s housing affordability received a score of 6.1 while its health care earned a score 6.4.
Here’s what U.S. News had to say about the city of Houston
"The Houston metro area attracts people with an entrepreneurial spirit and those who want to work at some of the country’s largest companies. Not only is Houston the hub of the oil and gas industries, but it’s also a major center of manufacturing and health care. The region has weathered the economic downturn better than similarly sized metro areas in terms of bouncing back from lost jobs. As the country recouped, Houston was able to gain all of its lost jobs back, and has gone on to add two jobs for every one lost.
"A paycheck goes further in Houston than it does in other major metro areas, with affordable housing and free or cheap attractions like biking along Buffalo Bayou and exploring the 7,800-acre George Bush Park. The affordability of this region, which is located in southeastern Texas and home to more than 7 million residents in the metro area, is attracting new people from across the country and around the world.
“In Houston, dining is a pastime, and the region pleases palates with more than 11,000 restaurants. Houston has everything from award-winning establishments to barbecue joints like Gatlin’s BBQ. The metro area also offers a variety of international cuisine ranging from Ethiopian to Indian.”
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What do you think about the ranking? Did U.S. News get it right? Share your thoughts in the comments below.