Four Florida cities made this year's Forbes List of the Top 25 Best Places to Retire List, up from just two cities last year.
Cape Coral made a return appearance on the list and is joined by Clermont, Largo, and The Villages.
The list is comprised of 25 places across the country, but their order is not ranked, so that no one place can claim to be Number 1.
Let's take a closer look at the four Florida cities that made the list:
Cape Coral
What Forbes said about it:
“Cape Coral is a sunny planned city along the Gulf of Mexico near Fort Myers with 400 miles of canals and numerous local golf courses. As befitting Florida, it is also warm. Average high temperature is 85 degrees; the average low is 66 degrees. Typical yearly rainfall is 54 inches, but there is no snow. The local economy is good. However, Cape Coral has a low rank on the Milken Institute list of best places for successful aging, being dinged on health care and transportation issues.”
Clermont
Clermont is home to one of the most popular Featured Communities on our site, Trilogy Orlando.
What Forbes said about it:
“An inland Florida city 20 miles west of Orlando, Clermont is a residential enclave on rolling hills not often found in Florida. It is a warm place. The average high temperature is 83 degrees; the average low is 62 degrees. Average year rainfall is 51 inches; there is no snow. Air quality is considered good. Doctors per capita are below the national average. That contributes to Clermont’s low ranking on the Milken Institute index of best cities for successful aging, along with issues of transportation and community engagement. The major local landmark is the 226-foot-tall, 60-year-old Florida Citrus Tower. Local economy is good.”
Largo
What Forbes said about it:
“Largo is a balmy town west of Tampa and north of St. Petersburg between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Average high temperature is 82 degrees; the average low temperature is 65 degrees. On average, 50 inches of rain falls yearly, and there is no snow. Air quality is good. Doctors per capita are about at the national average, but the area has a low rank on the Milken Institute list of best cities for successful aging, which cites deficiencies in local transportation and community engagement. The local economy is solid and improving.”
The Villages
What Forbes said about it:
“The Villages is a senior-citizen-oriented place 60 miles northwest of Orlando. The climate is warm. Average yearly high temperature is 82 degrees; average yearly low is 64 degrees. The area gets 49 inches a year of rain, but no snow. Air quality is good. The local economy is solid. According to the U.S. Census, in 2015, for the third year in the row, The Villages was the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country. Indeed, back in 2000, its population was only 10,000.”
Here's the rest of the Forbes list, if you're interested:
Forbes Best Places to Retire
Arizona
Apache Junction, AZ
Arkansas
Bella Vista, AR
Colorado
Colorado Springs, CO
Georgia
Athens, GA
Idaho
Meridian, ID
Kentucky
Lexington, KY
Michigan
Traverse City, MI
Missouri
Columbia, MO
Nebraska
Lincoln, NE
North Carolina
Brevard, NC
Mount Airy, NC
North Dakota
Fargo, ND
Oregon
Corvallis, OR
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, PA
South Carolina
Bluffton, SC
Tennessee
Smyrna, TN
Texas
Abilene, TX
Grand Prarie, TX
San Marcos, TX
Virginia
Blacksburg, VA
Washington
Walla Walla, WA
You can see the original Forbes Best Places to Retire story here.
Retiring in June…can’t wait!!!!