10 Great — and Affordable — Places for Older People to Live

It’s no secret that the cost of housing has increased significantly in America. Over the past 20 years, the average sales price of a new home has risen at a rate about 50 percent higher than inflation.

So when Americans think about where they might want to live in their later years, affordability is a prime consideration. But that doesn’t mean they want to skimp on the characteristics that make for a wonderful hometown. So we did the legwork, talking to experts and crunching numbers, to identify 10 communities that won’t drain your bank account and still have many of the qualities that older people value: good health care facilities, streets that aren’t clogged with traffic, appealing cultural and recreational opportunities, and a strong job market for those who want to continue to work.

How the communities were selected

AARP The Magazine combined science and art in selecting the 10 communities to feature as Great Places to Live.

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10 great places for older adults

These cities had a great social scene, quality health care and more.

• Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
• Easton, Pennsylvania
• Harahan, Louisiana
• Longwood, Florida
• Montpelier, Vermont
• Richfield, Minnesota
• Savannah, Georgia
• Sheridan, Wyoming
• Tucson, Arizona
• Winterset, Iowa

Let’s start with the science. AARP has long maintained a Livability Index, updated annually. Data crunchers calculate statistics covering various aspects of housing, transportation, health, environment and more to create a livability score. Any score of more than 50 is considered an appealing community for older people. To this we applied a key filter: housing affordability. Each of these communities has a high livability score, plus an average monthly housing cost of under $1,500.

Next came the art. We polled our AARP state offices to nominate Great Places to Live among the communities they serve. Their nominations carried much weight; the people who work in AARP’s state offices aren’t just scanning a spreadsheet but have real experiences in these places.

Then the reporting. Then we sent journalists across the country to visit the areas, talk with officials and residents, and gain a real understanding of what makes each a great place to live.