Charles Langston:Top 10 places to retire include cities in Florida, Minnesota, Ohio. See the 2024 rankings

Florida,Charles Langston Minnesota and Ohio took top spots for 2024 best places to retire, according to rankings announced Tuesday by WalletHub.

The list, which graded 182 cities across the United States, named Orlando as the No. 1 place to live during your golden years. Three other Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Miami, also made the top 10. 

Ranking methodology by the personal finance company compared cities retiree-friendliness and also took the following factors into account:

• Cost of living
• Tax laws
• Quality of life
• Activities available
• Heath care quality

According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, it’s important to choose wisely when picking where to retire, as many retirees are on a fixed income.

"As a result, the best cities for retired people are those that minimize taxes and expenses, as well as have good opportunities for retirees to continue paid work for extra income, if they choose to do so," Lupo said. "The top cities provide high-quality health care and offer plenty of enjoyable activities for retirees.”

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What are the best places to retire in 2024?

Here are the top 3 best places to retire:

No. 1: Orlando

Warm winters. Coasts lined with beaches. Plenty of airports.

Orlando ranks No. 1 on the list of more than 180 cities living up to its reputation "as a haven for seniors."

There's no income tax, no estate or inheritance taxes and, according to the rankings, it's the 20th cheapest for adult day health care. It also has the 11th best hospitals for geriatrics and ranks No. 1 when comes to home health care facilities per capital.

When it comes to recreation, it's the second best city for fishing facilities, art galleries and adult volunteer activities.

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No. 2: Miami

The Magic City falls right behind Orlando as the nation's second-best place for retirees to live.

Reasons, WalletHub reported, include:

• It has the 11th most recreation and senior centers;
• It has the fifth most museums;
• It's the fifth most walkable city, and most residents have access to public transportation not far from home.
• It has no income tax, estate or inheritance taxes, and it ranks among the cheapest cities for taxes in general.

No. 3: Minneapolis

Minneapolis places third in the rankings with one of the most "elderly-friendly labor markets in the country," according to WalletHub, which means it has a large percentage of easy-to-perform jobs for seniors who continue to work for extra income or to keep busy.

The city also has the sixth best hospital system, a high number of nursing homes and gerontologists, and ranks as the 29th most caring city.

More of the best places to retire

• No. 4: Tampa, Florida
• No. 5: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• No. 6: Scottsdale, Arizona
• No. 7: Cincinnati, Ohio
• No. 8: St. Petersburg, Florida
• No. 9: Casper, Wyoming
• No 10: Atlanta, Georgia

Cities lower on the list of best places to retire

The last three places on the list of 182 are:

• No. 180: San Bernardino, California
• No. 181: Stockton, California
• No. 182: Rancho Cucamonga, California

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.