While cities in sunny Florida dominate the top of the list, some towns in the D.C. area are among the top spots to retire, according to a new study.
Columbia, Maryland, ranked in the top 25 best cities in the country to retire to, according to a study conducted by WalletHub.
Chip Lupo, an analyst for WalletHub, said they looked at four factors: affordability, activities, quality of life and health care.
“It’s more or less situated between Baltimore and Washington. It ranked 23rd as the best place to retire, second in quality of life and fifth in health care. And I think that proximity there also comes into play,” Lupo said.
While not as affordable as the national average, Lupo said it did do well compared to other D.C. suburbs.
D.C. was in the top 50 and ranked No. 2 overall for activities for seniors, boasting top marks in recreation and senior centers, art galleries and book clubs per capita, as well as an abundance of adult volunteer activities.
“Where it got dinged and hit hard was in the affordability dimension. It ranks 148th in affordability,” Lupo said. “A lot of seniors are on fixed incomes, so there’s not a lot of wiggle room there.”
If you want to retire in the Old Dominion, your best options are a few hours outside the nation’s capital. Richmond, Virginia, ranked No. 26. Lupo said there are plenty of historical activities to do there.
Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, Virginia, also ranked in the top 100.
In a separate study, WalletHub found that 50% of people don’t think it is realistic for the average American to retire comfortably.
“Forty-three percent of people say they expect to work until they die. So pretty sobering numbers there,” Lupo said.
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