Based on population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, GoBankingRates identified the top 30 retirement towns for middle-class Americans. The study took into account factors such as household median income, home value, cost of living and social security benefits.
Florida’s towns dominated the list with 11 entries, while Arizona and Ohio tied for second with five cities each making the cut. However, you won’t find Phoenix or Tucson on GoBankingRates’ ranking.
Here are the Arizona locales that made the list.
No. 2: Green Valley City
Trailing The Villages in Florida on GoBankingRates’ list, Green Valley City is relatively unknown.Located roughly 30 miles south of Tucson on Interstate 19, this unincorporated community is a hub for golf courses and single-family homes. The median household income is nearly $58,000, and the annual cost of living is only $42,000.
No. 3: Sun City West
This northwest Valley community is a magnet for retirees, with a whopping 86.5% of its residents being ages 65 or older. So, it’s no surprise Sun City West makes the list.The unincorporated community has a median household income of nearly $62,000 and an annual cost of living of just less than $49,000.
Despite being a relatively small community, Sun City West is a hot spot for a favorite retiree activity: golf. The 11-square-mile area offers seven golf courses.
An aerial view of Sun City, Arizona.
Ken Lund/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 6: Sun City
Arizona’s original retirement community, Sun City has been a favorite of Arizona’s retirees for decades. Sun City West is an expansion of the original Sun City.Located west of Peoria and Glendale, Sun City has eight recreation centers designed for active adults ages 55 and older. The median household income in the area is more than $51,000, and the average cost of living is around $44,000.
No. 13: Oro Valley
Situated six miles north of Tucson, Oro Valley is near the beautiful desert landscape of Catalina State Park and the soaring peaks of the Santa Catalina and Tortolita mountain ranges.Residents of this suburb have a household median income of more than $101,000, yet the cost of living remains comparably low at $56,000.
No. 22: Gold Canyon
This unincorporated community is east of Apache Junction and borders the Superstition Mountains.Sometimes mistakenly called Gold Camp, the area is home to several golf courses and is the closest community to Arizona’s Renaissance Festival.
The median household income in Gold Canyon is just more than $83,000, and the cost of living is roughly $55,000 a year.
