This South Carolina tourist town ranks among best places to retire in US. Here’s why
South Carolina is home to one of the nation’s best places for retirees to live, new rankings show.
The popular tourist destination of Charleston ranks No. 9 on a list of cities boasting lower costs, safer environments and activities that appeal to older adults, according to results published Sept. 5.
To create the list of best places to retire, the personal finance website WalletHub said it studied 182 cities across the country, “including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state.” Using data from the U.S. government and other sources, it focused on four categories: affordability, activities, health care and quality of life.
Why was Charleston named a top place to retire?
Charleston was the only place in South Carolina to earn a top 10 spot on WalletHub’s list. It made its mark after scoring higher than many other cities for affordability, a category that measured taxes as well as costs of living and health care.
“Retirement isn’t all about the money, though,” WalletHub wrote in its report. “Retirees want to live in a place where they enjoy safety and access to good healthcare, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ideal city will also have lots of ways to spend leisure time, along with good weather.”
Charleston also scored high when it came to activities, a category that weighed the number of golf courses, music venues and other entertainment options per capita.
Despite ranking in the top 30 for affordability and activities, Charleston didn’t fare as well in other categories.
It ranked No. 78 for quality of life, which considered each city’s crime rate, weather conditions and population trends for people ages 65 and older. Charleston ranked even lower when it came to health care, landing at No. 112 after WalletHub studied access to doctors, quality of care and health outcomes for older adults.
The new rankings add to a list of honors Charleston has received this year. The city was named the nation’s No. 1 favorite vacation spot and also ranked among the best destinations for people wanting a staycation, McClatchy News reported.
Which other cities rank as top retirement destinations?
On the latest list, Columbia was the only other place in South Carolina to be listed in the rankings. It was named the 19th best place to retire.
Across the nation, WalletHub said the top place for retirees to call home was Tampa, Florida. Rounding out the top five:
- Scottsdale, Arizona, at No. 2
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at No. 3
- Orlando, Florida, at No. 4
- Miami at No. 5
