25 Florida retirement cities recently made the TopRetirements.com list of 100 Most Popular Places to Retire.
The Florida cities on this year’s list include Sarasota, Venice, Ft. Myers, St. Petersburg, Pensacola, Naples, Clearwater, St. Augustine, Port Charlotte, Tampa, Jacksonville, Stuart, Fernandina Beach, Delray Beach, Dunedin, Punta Gorda, Cape Coral, Boynton Beach, Vero Beach, Leesburg, Port St. Lucie, Key West, Gulfport, Jupiter, and Palm Coast.
How the List is Determined
According to TopRetirements, while most of the “Best Places” lists are either the subjective opinions of the authors or a ranking from various criteria, this list is different. It is based strictly on the number of online visitors from the 1000+ cities reviewed at TopRetirements during the last 6 months.
Here’s what TopRetirements had to say about each place:
1. Sarasota
“Some consider Sarasota to be the cultural capital of Florida, after Miami. Sarasota has one of Florida’s best downtowns with many interesting neighborhoods. An impressive array of cultural facilities are gathered there, along with high-rise, luxury hotels.”
Read: Spotlight on Sarasota & Bradenton
Read: Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Sarasota & Bradenton
Read: Sarasota and Bradenton Community Profiles
5. Venice
“Originally developed in 1925 by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers as a planned retirement community, Venice is named after the many canals and rivers running through it.”
8. Ft. Myers
Entrance to Valencia Bonita Near Ft. Myers (click image for more info.)
“Located on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River on southwest Florida’s coast, its roots go back to 1886. It has the charming Thomas Edison Museum and a beautifully restored downtown along the river. New developments go off in every direction.”
Read: Spotlight on Fort Myers
Read: Where to Eat, Play, and Stay in Fort Myers
Read: Fort Myers Retirement Community Profiles
13. St. Petersburg
“Saint Petersburg has been a classic retirement and tourist destination since the 1920’s because of its winter warmth, great beaches, and ideal location on a peninsula in Tampa Bay.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight: St. Petersburg
15. Pensacola
Yoga on the clubhouse lawn at Watersound Origins near Pensacola (click image for more info.)
“Pensacola is a popular town for retirement and tourism in the western end of the Florida panhandle. Its location on the Pensacola Bay gives it access to the emerald green waters and sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.”
17. Naples
“Naples represents the gold coast of southwest Florida. Its walkable downtown is as sophisticated as any in the world, but charming too.”
Read: Spotlight on Naples
Read: Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Naples
Read: Naples Retirement Community Profiles
20. Clearwater
“Clearwater, part of the Tampa Bay Metro, has a rich cultural infrastructure-due in part because of the The Clearwater Public Art and Design Project. Nearby St. Petersburg and Tampa are also loaded with cultural venues.”
Read: 7 “Reader’s Favorite” Florida Beaches
42. St. Augustine
“Saint Augustine is the longest continuously occupied European settlement in the U.S., which makes it a historic community with a lot to do that is connected with the city’s rich heritage.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight: St. Augustine
44. Port Charlotte
“Port Charlotte is a suburban community to the northeast of busy Fort Myers. Thousands of snow birds and retirees come because it is warm in the winter and home prices and rents are low.”
Read: Cape Coral and Port Charlotte Make Forbes Best Places to Retire List
56. Tampa
Tiki bar at Villages of Citrus Hills near Tampa (Click image for more info.)
“The city has a spectacular location on Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay, which in turn lead to the Gulf of Mexico, and has every type of cultural resource such as theatres, museums of all kinds, and a vibrant city life.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight: Tampa
61. Jacksonville
“Jacksonville is the most populated city in Florida with 808,000 inhabitants. It is has a mild winter climate and much to offer in terms of culture and recreation.”
64. Stuart
“Stuart is an extremely charming community with a lovely downtown that offers interesting shops and restaurants with a small town feel. There is a very ample coastline thanks to the bays and ocean that surround the town.”
70. Fernandina Beach
“Up from #99 on last year’s list, Fernandina Beach is old Florida. It has a charming downtown with an artsy feel and many quiet neighborhoods featuring Victorian homes.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight on Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island
74. Delray Beach
“Delray Beach is a very popular and upscale retirement community on the east coast of Florida. A Master Plan developed by the city resulted in an extensive and extremely successful renovation of its charming and walkable downtown area.”
Read: Delray Beach Was Built For Boomers
Read: Spotlight On Delray Beach
Read: Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Delray Beach
Read: Delray Beach Retirement Community Profiles
76. Dunedin
“Dunedin is an old sailing town of about 36,000, with a spectacular setting on the west coast of Florida that boasts at least a mile of unobstructed views of Gulf beaches. Settled by Scots, it retains many interesting Scottish traditions and festivals.”
83. Punta Gorda
“Punta Gorda, Florida, is a small community of 17,000 on the Gulf Coast of Florida, between Sarasota and Fort Myers. Many active adults choose this city as their retirement community because of its sub-tropical warmth and its small town feel.”
84. Cape Coral
“Cape Coral is one the nicer communities for retirement in south Florida. One of the most unusual things about Cape Coral is its access to the water, since it is surrounded by it on 2 sides. It also has more than 400 miles of canals.”
Read: Cape Coral, Clermont, Largo and The Villages Make Forbes 2016 Best Places to Retire List
86. Boynton Beach
“Boynton Beach includes sections that are on the barrier island and the connecting mainland to the east. Its many public beaches and parks provide a superb entertainment option.”
87. Vero Beach
“Vero Beach is located in the middle of Florida’s Atlantic Coast. The town is in several parts – a ‘beach” area on the barrier island with a resort feel, and a large downtown across the bay on the mainland.”
89. Leesburg
“Leesburg is fast growing town in central Florida, the result of retirees choosing it as their retirement town. The many lakes in and around the town are a primary attraction.”
90. Port St. Lucie
Entrance to Vitalia at Tradition in Port St. Lucie (Click image for more info.)
“Port St. Lucie, located on the East Coast of Florida, is one of the fastest growing communities in the U.S. according to the 2005 Census Bureau.There are many miles of unspoiled beaches along the ocean, plus many waterways connected to the Intercoastal.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight: Port St. Lucie
91. Key West
“Key West, Florida, is an extremely charming community, the southernmost in the U.S. Many active adults choose this city and island 90 miles north of Cuba because of its sub-tropical warmth, its diversity (home to many gays), and its laid-back charm.”
Read: Retirement Living in the Florida Keys
92. Gulfport
“Located on the southwestern side of St. Petersburg is the small town of Gulfport, home to The Gulfport Casino Ballroom, one of the busiest dance halls in Florida. While it has none of the urban attractions of downtown St. Pete, it does offer a slower pace and less costly alternative that offers easy access to the city.”
93. Jupiter
“The three Florida villages of Jupiter, Tequesta, and Juno Beach combine rich history, culture, and natural beauty to provide a retirement community with an unsurpassed quality of life. There are more than 100 miles of unspoiled beaches along the ocean, rivers, and the intracoastal waterway.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight: Jupiter
100. Palm Coast
“Palm Coast is an enormous planned community of more than 77,000. The City grew 136% from 2000 to 2012, and strives to offer exceptional quality of life, diversified housing, and valued natural, recreational, and cultural resources.”
Read: Retirement Spotlight: Palm Coast
Once again, you can see the entire List of Most Popular Places to Retire here.
Would love to learn more about quaint towns for retirement