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The Best Place to Retire in 2020 Is …

Oct 08, 2019
Photo credit: Getty Images/Allexxandar

Mortgage professionals on the hunt for an older customer base may want to concentrate on Florida and North Carolina, which dominated the 2020 Best Places to Retire list published by U.S. News & World Report.
 
Four Florida metro areas and two North Carolina metro areas ranked in the top 10, with the Sunshine State’s Fort Myers taking the top spot after coming in second last year. Sarasota, Fla., jumped from last year’s third place to this year’s second place, while last year’s top ranked Lancaster, Pa., fell from first to third.
 
The remaining top 10 localities cited on the list were Asheville, N.C., Port St. Lucie, Fla., Jacksonville, Fla, Winston-Salem, N.C., Nashville, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Dallas-Fort Worth. This year’s last covered 125 metro areas, up from 100 last year, and the criteria for judging the list involved issues related to quality of life, housing affordability, health care, retiree taxes and job market ratings.
 
"Deciding where to retire is an important part of your life plan," says Emily Brandon, senior editor for Retirement at U.S. News. "When considering potential retirement spots, you should look for an affordable cost of living, proximity to health care services and a strong economy, especially if you plan to work part-time. The Best Places to Retire includes information about housing affordability, access to quality hospitals and job market strength that can help you find a retirement spot that will meet your needs."

 
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