10 Cities for Retirees Who Want To Take it Easy

When it comes time to pick an area to retire to, many people have just a few simple goals for themselves: learn about the cost of living, don’t waste money, and make sure it’s somewhere you can enjoy.

If you’re looking for a laid-back place to retire, FinanceBuzz crunched some numbers to get data on the best cities for those who like to take it easy.

To do so, we created a scoring system and looked at data points in four areas: resident well-being, economic factors, livability, and the availability of leisurely activities. Below are the 10 most laid-back U.S. cities for retirees hoping to kick back for their third act.

Colorado’s capital city scored extremely well in the resident well-being category, earning it the No. 10 spot on our most laid-back cities list.

Around 73% of Denver residents reported getting at least seven hours of sleep per night, a key on the health and wellness scale. It’s also home to many cannabis dispensaries, for those who wish to partake, making it a top location for retirees looking for rest and relaxation.

The nation’s capital also has a solid wellness score — and was rated as one of the most walkable and bikeable cities in the country, which gave it a high “livability” score as well.

The area where D.C. scored the worst was access to leisure activities. However, it’s still very possible to get to many restaurants, art and performance centers, and farmers markets within the city. Plus, most of the museums and monuments are free.

Orlando may not be top of mind when you think of a relaxing city, given the chaos that tends to surround Disney World and other major theme parks. But its “access to leisure activities” score skyrocketed it to the No. 8 spot on our most laid-back cities list.

Even with the crowds that descend on the city year-round, it has just about every relaxing attraction — from spas to golf courses and beyond — you could think of.

Providence ranked well in several areas for retirees looking to kick back, including livability and access to leisure activities, like coffee shops, golf courses, and art centers.

However, it ranked the lowest on this list for resident well-being, which took into account factors like self-reported mental health scores, hours of sleep per night, and how often residents searched “stress relief” online.

Atlanta has two things really going for it that landed it the No. 6 spot on our list: pleasant weather and plenty to do. For instance, it has more farmers markets than almost every city in the country.

Georgia’s capital scored fairly well in all four categories, though it did leave a bit to be desired when it comes to livability, which factored in things like traffic and walkability.

Utah’s capital city ranked very high when it came to the availability of leisure activities, like yoga studios and spas. Plus it ranked high on economic factors.

Taking the fifth spot on the list, SLC also has a thriving dining scene, and Utah is home to some of the country’s most popular national parks, like Zion and Bryce Canyon.

Pittsburgh was another one that scored high on both the availability of leisure activities and economic factors.

When it comes to the sort of leisure retirees often love, Pittsburgh is a gem. It has the highest number of golf courses per capita in the country plus many art and performing arts centers.

Portland landed in the top three due to high scores in both the resident well-being and livability categories. When it comes to resident health, Portlanders reported extremely good sleep habits

Of the top three cities, it scored the highest on economic factors as well and boasts one of the lowest poverty rates in the country.

Capturing a perhaps surprising second place was Minneapolis. Making up one part of the Twin Cities, it scored high in the well-being category (Minneapolitans apparently get lots of sleep, too) and the economic category.

Plus, with its booming art, dining, and craft beer scenes, it beat out Portland when it comes to leisure activities.

Apparently, no one is sleepless in Seattle, as how much rest residents get contributed to its high well-being score, ultimately nabbing it the No. 1 spot on our laid-back cities list.

Seattle also scored high in the livability and economic categories, as it has many parks and is extremely walkable and bikeable.

Before narrowing down your ideal retirement location, it’s important to answer a few questions. Do you have enough saved up to live in your favorite city? Can you retire early? What factors — a thriving downtown, access to parks and nature, affordability — matter the most to you?

The key takeaway here is that there are excellent, laid-back cities for retirees in every corner of the country. Your retirement destination just depends on what kicking back means to you.