Ready to retire? Then, you may want to consider relocating to the Keystone State.
U.S. News & World Report released its annual Best Places to Retire rankings for 2024. To reach its conclusion, the team analyzed 150 of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., including Puerto Rico, to nail down which are best for retirees.
The researchers weighed each destination on a 10-point scale based on a weighted average of six indexes: affordability, happiness, desirability, taxes for retirees, the job market (if you want to work into your golden years), and health care quality. U.S. News surveyed people approaching retirement age, collecting 3,500 responses, asking participants to indicate “what attributes of a retirement destination were most important to them” based on those indexes.
And after crunching the numbers, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, came out on top.
As U.S. News & World Report explained, Harrisburg came out on top thanks to its high marks in health care, low taxes, and overall happiness of residents.
“You can have a really good quality of life in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,” Joy Daniels, a broker and owner at Joy Daniels Real Estate Group in Harrisburg, told U.S. News & World Report. “It would be a fabulous place to retire because you would never run out of something to do.”
The publication also noted that Harrisburg has plenty going on, from seasonal attractions, several sports teams, and gorgeous summer weather that’s ideal for spending time outside fishing and exploring its natural landscapes.
“We also have a lot of creeks, and all the beautiful views and wildlife around those that all funnel into the Susquehanna,” Catherine Azeles, a partner and investment consultant at Conrad Siegel, additionally told U.S. News & World Report. “And that comes with biking and music and art. And lots of birdwatching.”
As for the other destinations that landed in the top 5, well, it’s a clean sweep for Pennsylvania.
Reading, Lancaster, Scranton, and Allentown were the No. 2 through No. 5 spots respectively. In sixth place was New York City, but that was followed closely by York, Pennsylvania. So, the moral of the story is, if you’re thinking of retiring, absolutely do not sleep on Pennsylvania as a great option.
See how all 150 metropolitan areas ranked in the full report on realestate.usnews.com.