5 Best Cities for Single Retirees Looking For Love: Can You Afford To Live Here?
Senior citizens, and specifically those who are retired, tend to get left out of the marketing game when it comes to romance. Sure, some dating apps are tailored to meet the needs of single retirees, but in general — and particularly around this time of year — we’re getting blasted with Valentine’s Day advertising that depicts people who are either in relationships or dating, and usually, they’re on the younger side.
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Also missing from the national conversation around romance when it comes to retirees is the fact that dating can be expensive. A 2024 survey by Self Financial found that the average person spends $58.84 per date. If you’re going on multiple dates a month with new people, that really adds up. And then you’ve got the location factor. If you’re single, retired and looking for love, you probably want to be in a city that abounds with opportunities to meet prospective partners in your age range.
A new study by Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax determined the best cities for single seniors looking to match with someone. It did so by looking at the following 14 factors:
Proximity to cruise lines (about 300 miles or less)
Number of golf courses in the state
Weather (number of sunny days)
Safety (based on number of violent crimes)
Air pollution
Theaters nearby
Pickleball courts nearby
Walkability
Number of physician group practices for healthcare
Parks
Casinos
Religious groups/churches
Museums
Senior centers
Below are the five cities that scored the highest for single seniors. Can you afford to live here?
5. Sarasota, Florida
Unsurprisingly, Florida retiree hotspot Sarasota made the list as the fifth best place for single seniors to retire. The city ranked highly in several key areas including recreational activity opportunities, healthcare accessibility, number of senior centers and, of course, weather. It also has an incredibly high population of retirees (29.3% of its residents are ages 65 and older). Unfortunately, Sarasota isn’t a great place for frugal retirees on a fixed income. The cost of living here is 4% higher than the national average, per PayScale. Housing is especially steep — 14% higher than the national average.
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4. Philadelphia
More than 14% of Philadelphia’s population is ages 65 and older, which may not sound like a whole lot, but consider that the total population of Philly is over 1.5 million people. Sarasota’s total population is under 58,000. Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax ranked Philadelphia highly not only because of its senior population, but also because it has robust healthcare services, happening senior centers and no shortage of indoor and outdoor recreational activities. The cost of living in Philadelphia is 3% higher than the national average, which isn’t too bad, considering that the cost of housing is 1% lower than the national average, according to Payscale.
3. New Orleans
New Orleans may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of “senior centers” or “comfortable retirement.” But The Big Easy comes in strong as a retirement spot for single retirees looking for love. In this city of roughly 365,000 people, over 60,000 (16.5% percent) are ages 65 and older. Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax highlights New Orleans’ supreme walkability and abundance of fun things to do. Though Louisiana is generally an affordable state, costs go up in New Orleans. According to Payscale, the cost of living here is 12% higher than the national average. Housing is egregiously expensive — 49% higher than the national average.
2. Seattle
Situated on the coast of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle summons people from all over with its breathtaking scenery that includes forests and mountains. Seattle has a population of over 755,000 people, and more than 96,000 of them (12.8%) are ages 65 and older. This city takes second place in the race for the best city for single seniors in part because of its abundance of golf courses, pickleball courts, museums, theaters, parks and churches — but for most, this is not an affordable city. The cost of living here is 46% higher than the national average; the cost of housing is 114% higher than the national average, per Payscale.
1. The Villages, Florida
The No. 1 city for single retirees in the mood for romance is The Villages. More than 85% of this Florida city’s population is ages 65 and older. This alone gives it an overwhelming edge in the competition of “best city for single seniors,” as there are simply so many new peers for retirees to meet. The city is very much designed to indulge retirees. Think sprawling golf courses, idyllic beaches and cruise lines. The cost of living in The Villages is not explicitly known. The blog Florida for Boomers estimates you’ll need $4,000 a month to get by.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Best Cities for Single Retirees Looking For Love: Can You Afford To Live Here?
