Snowbirds didn’t have much say in the best cities to retire, as the winner of the best place to retire is in the Rust Belt.
U.S. News crunched numbers to calculate the best places to retire from the country’s 150 largest metro areas. Get the snow shovels and gloves ready to clear off the shuffleboard courts because cities with four seasons dominate the top 50. In fact, FOX Weather’s Snowiest City in America, Syracuse, New York and the third snowiest, Rochester, were in the top 30.
Pennsylvania is home to seven of the top 10 slots. Cities in Ohio, New York and finally, Florida round out the top.
Six of the 50 of the coldest cities in America, according to NOAA, also made the list.
The first city that doesn’t dip near freezing for average winter lows is Daytona Beach, Florida, coming in at No. 8. Tampa and Sarasota broke into the top 20.
Anchorage edged out Phoenix, ranking 128 and 129, respectively. The sunniest places in the country, Southern California and Arizona, didn’t even make the top 100. Tucson, Arizona, came in at 103. California broke into the list at 115 with San Diego.
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It turns out, weather doesn’t calculate as a very high determination for the best places to retire, according to U.S. News. The publication surveyed 3,500 people 45 years old and up to weigh the most important factors for a comfortable retirement.
Affordable housing and the cost of living accounted for a quarter of the score. The health care quality and retiree taxes took 16% each for a total of 32%. The job market took 8% of the score.
Weather, climate and natural disasters only accounted for a fraction of the scores in the Happiness Index and the Desirability Index.
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So, air quality accounted for 3.3% of the overall score. The risk of natural disasters accounted for 1.1% of the overall score. Moderate temperatures accounted for 1.3% of the overall score. And a person’s choice of where to live accounted for 10.4% of the overall score.
New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are all a couple hours car ride away from Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River. It offers much more affordable housing than the larger cities, though.
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Reading experiences of all four seasons: Snowy winters, crisp autumns, cool springs and warm summers.
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“Many things depend on the season in Lancaster, as each of the four seasons brings distinct conditions: emperate, blossom-filled springs; hot, barbecue-filled summers; crisp, colorful autumns; and frigid, snowy winters,” wrote U.S. News.
On average 27.5 inches of snow falls a year, according to the Millersville University Weather Center.
“Scranton may be the sixth-largest city in Pennsylvania, but the close-knit neighborhoods that surround the vibrant downtown give Scranton its small-town appeal,” wrote U.S. News. “The metro area owes its name to the Scranton family, who helped establish the region as an iron and steel capital back in the 19th and 20th centuries.”
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“Nestled within the Lehigh Valley, with the Blue Mountain range to the north and South Mountain to the southwest, Allentown offers hikers and skiers access to great trails and snow,” wrote U.S. News. “Residents can drive to New York City or Philadelphia in roughly two hours. Allentown’s convenient location, commitment to healthy living and celebration of the arts make it a great place for active folks to live.”
San Jose comes in as the 13th best place to live in the country but the worst metro city in which to retire. The area offers about 300 sunny days a year and is close to the ocean and mountains. But the cost of living is one of the highest in the nation.
“Stockton experiences all four seasons,” wrote U.S. News. “Summer temperatures can reach triple digits, and winters are relatively mild.”
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“Albuquerque enjoys all four seasons. During a typical year, monsoon rains in June and September bring cooler temperatures,” wrote U.S. News. “Albuquerque receives three or four good snowstorms a year, though the snow melts quickly. In all, Albuquerque records around 300 sunny days a year, making it one of the sunniest places in the U.S.”
“Sea breezes keep the heat at bay,” wrote U.S. News. “Hurricanes are always a possibility when living in the Caribbean, as the stormy season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30. The island will sometimes experience hurricanes, large amounts of rain and flooding.”
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“Although the weather in Denver is generally sunny and dry, it can be subject to quick bursts of rain, snow, hail and lightning thanks to its geographical relation to the foothills of the mountains,” wrote U.S. News. “Those unfamiliar with the Mile High City may think that winters are bad, but Denver usually experiences bright blue skies and powdery snow that melts by noon.”
“Vallejo rarely gets the San Francisco-like fog or the searing 100-degree heat of north Solano County and Sacramento,” wrote U.S. News. “Fairfield is typically five to 10 degrees warmer than Vallejo on any given day.”
The cities have warm, dry summer days and cool nights. Winters are cool and wet, but snow is very rare.