Key Takeaways
- Top cities offer retirees affordability, accessibility, and comfort.
- Florida metros lead the list with four in the top five and eight in the top 25.
- Hotspots are emerging in the Northeast, Midwest and Mountain West.
The best home buying cities for retirees
Difficulty in the housing market; it’s not just for millennials and Gen Zs. Rising costs of living and property values have made home buying a tough endeavor no matter your age.
Many retirees are facing financial constraints and tough times finding places to live with the proper amenities and affordable price tags.
About 46% of retirees struggle to pay their expenses, according to a survey from Clever Real Estate. Additionally, 32% of those surveyed said they already spent too much of their retirement savings, and 34% are spending it faster than expected.
While the report did show that the average retiree has $288,700 saved ($261,763 for women; $330,305 for men; down from $308,040 the year before), a 29% share said they have no retirement savings at all.
Retired living and home buying becomes more important as the U.S. sits in the middle of its “Peak 65 Zone,” with about 4.1 million people reaching that age in both 2026 and 2027. So, which cities are best prepared for the surge of incoming retirees (and which can also provide financial solace)?
“With millions of Americans reaching retirement age in 2026, aging well has become the real priority: living longer, living better and staying connected,” said Victor Maghear, senior analyst at StorageCafe. “The metros at the top of our ranking make that possible. Self storage, used heavily by baby boomers, plays a helpful role in that equation, giving retirees the freedom to right-size their homes while holding onto the pieces of life they still want nearby.”
Top places to age in
If you’re retired and looking to buy a home, these metropolitan areas could give you ideas of where you can find combinations of community, comfort, and affordability, according to a report by StorageCafe.
To rank the best cities for retirees, StorageCage analyzed the 108 most-populated U.S. metro areas. It then weighted 15 metrics spread across retiree quality of life (59%), affordability (30%), and comfort (11%).
Below are the top 10 housing markets for retirees in 2026, according to StorageCafe:
Check your home buying options. Start here10. Boise, Idaho
Key stats
Median gross rent: $1,383
Cost of living index: 103.2
Population over 65: 14.6%
9. Madison, Wisconsin
Key stats
Median gross rent: $1,300
Cost of living index: 90.7
Life expectancy: 80.5
8. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia
Key stats
Average house price: $364,999
Median gross rent: $1,416
Cost of living index: 94.8
7. Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Key stats
Population over 65: 15.4%
Median gross rent: $1,374
Cost of living index: 103.2
6. Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh, New York
Key stats
Average house price: $360,312
Median gross rent: $1,568
Population over 65: 15.6%
5. Port St. Lucie, Florida
Key stats
Average house price: $386,604
Median gross rent: $1,491
Cost of living index: 102.4
4. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
Key stats
Retirement income per capita: $42,160
Life expectancy: 80.1
Cost of living index: 102.4
3. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Florida
Key stats
Retirement income per capita: $59,122
Life expectancy: 84
Cost of living index: 102.4
2. New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey
Key stats
Population over 65: 16%
Life expectancy: 80.3
Median gross rent: $1,780
1. Cape Coral–Fort Myers, Florida
Key stats
Average house price: $351,780
Retirement income per capita: $42,094
Life expectancy: 80.6
The top-25 cities for retirees in 2026
The table below shows the top 25 cities for home buying retirees in 2026:
| Rank | Metro Area | House Prices | Median Gross Rent | Retirement Income Per Capita | Life Expectancy | Cost of Living Index |
| 1 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $351,780 | $1,597 | $42,094 | 80.6 | 105.2 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $712,394 | $1,780 | $37,544 | 80.3 | 116.6 |
| 3 | Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | $562,931 | $1,752 | $59,122 | 84 | 102.4 |
| 4 | North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | $413,856 | $1,637 | $42,160 | 80.1 | 102.4 |
| 5 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $386,604 | $1,491 | $35,693 | 78.9 | 102.4 |
| 6 | Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh, NY | $360,312 | $1,568 | $38,147 | 79 | 123.4 |
| 7 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $418,269 | $1,374 | $36,920 | 79.6 | 103.2 |
| 8 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $364,999 | $1,416 | $36,774 | 78.9 | 94.8 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $443,161 | $1,300 | $36,455 | 80.5 | 90.7 |
| 10 | Boise City, ID | $489,667 | $1,383 | $31,781 | 78.8 | 103.2 |
| 11 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $364,374 | $1,497 | $31,759 | 77.1 | 97.2 |
| 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | $232,260 | $1,011 | $27,259 | 76.4 | 98.1 |
| 13 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $539,292 | $1,384 | $32,667 | 79.2 | 111 |
| 14 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $731,476 | $1,940 | $37,310 | 80.5 | 144.1 |
| 15 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $360,312 | $1,230 | $37,159 | 78.6 | 104.8 |
| 16 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $303,558 | $1,151 | $32,209 | 77.9 | 97.6 |
| 17 | Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, FL | $476,603 | $1,770 | $36,548 | 79.8 | 120.3 |
| 18 | Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | $585,086 | $1,729 | $43,210 | 78.9 | 129.6 |
| 19 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $841,809 | $2,054 | $39,383 | 81.7 | 188.4 |
| 20 | Lancaster, PA | $377,558 | $1,289 | $30,344 | 78.8 | 97.6 |
| 21 | Ocala, FL | $277,967 | $1,174 | $29,572 | 74 | 102.4 |
| 22 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $190,491 | $925 | $22,991 | 77.3 | 86.1 |
| 23 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $666,982 | $1,827 | $41,276 | 81.2 | 125.2 |
| 24 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $305,245 | $1,272 | $31,534 | 76.1 | 102.4 |
| 25 | Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | $391,749 | $1,357 | $37,433 | 78.8 | 100.1 |
The bottom line
If you’re a senior looking to buy the right home, these metro areas could be good places for your retirement years.
Talk to a local lender when you’re ready. Ask about low interest loans for seniors, your mortgage options if you’re on Social Security, and if you qualify for financial assistance.
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