This Quiet Coastal Community Was Named the Best Place to Retire in the U.S. for Its Affordability, Tax Benefits, and Weather
xavierarnau/Getty Images Florida continues to be the most popular state for retirees , with one study estimating that about 45,700 senior adults moved to the Sunshine State in 2025. If you also dream of retiring in Florida, then consider moving to the small community of Rio. The quiet town, sandwiched between the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, was recently named the best place to retire in America in Niche.com's annual ranking . The website took into account several factors that are “meaningful for recent or near retirees,” including weather, housing costs, crime rates, and access to health care and entertainment. Rio, located just outside of Stuart (a charming place named by Travel + Leisure as America's best small retirement town of 2024), is a tranquil community where its 1,200 residents enjoy parks, waterfront paths, and easy access to fishing, kayaking, and birdwatching. Homes in Rio are below both the state and national medians—the current home value is $303,800. Rio wasn’t the only Florida community on Niche.com ’s list of the best places to retire. In fact, eight of the top 10 spots are located in the Sunshine State, which draws retirees for its sunny, warm weather, golf courses, and favorable tax structure (retirement income, including Social Security, is not taxable at the state level). Highland Beach, a barrier island between Delray Beach and Boca Raton , came in at No. 2. The small town received excellent scores for weather and outdoor activities. However, real estate here is far pricier than that in Rio: the median home value is $909,200 . Along the state's Gulf Coast, Naples Park ranked No. 3. The north Naples community offers easy beach access and proximity to top-notch restaurants and shops. Back on the Atlantic coast, Hypoluxo and Hillsboro Beach in South Florida took…
xavierarnau/Getty Images
Florida continues to be the most popular state for retirees , with one study estimating that about 45,700 senior adults moved to the Sunshine State in 2025. If you also dream of retiring in Florida, then consider moving to the small community of Rio.
The quiet town, sandwiched between the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, was recently named the best place to retire in America in Niche.com's annual ranking . The website took into account several factors that are “meaningful for recent or near retirees,” including weather, housing costs, crime rates, and access to health care and entertainment.
Rio, located just outside of Stuart (a charming place named by Travel + Leisure as America's best small retirement town of 2024), is a tranquil community where its 1,200 residents enjoy parks, waterfront paths, and easy access to fishing, kayaking, and birdwatching. Homes in Rio are below both the state and national medians—the current home value is $303,800.
Rio wasn’t the only Florida community on Niche.com ’s list of the best places to retire. In fact, eight of the top 10 spots are located in the Sunshine State, which draws retirees for its sunny, warm weather, golf courses, and favorable tax structure (retirement income, including Social Security, is not taxable at the state level).
Highland Beach, a barrier island between Delray Beach and Boca Raton , came in at No. 2. The small town received excellent scores for weather and outdoor activities. However, real estate here is far pricier than that in Rio: the median home value is $909,200 .
Along the state's Gulf Coast, Naples Park ranked No. 3. The north Naples community offers easy beach access and proximity to top-notch restaurants and shops. Back on the Atlantic coast, Hypoluxo and Hillsboro Beach in South Florida took No. 7 and No. 8.
The only northeast town in the top 10 is Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The summer beach town, which is also named the best place to live in The First State, received an excellent A+ overall grade by Niche.com. However, if you are hoping to buy a house and retire here, the median home value is $795,948 (with homes in downtown Rehoboth Beach well over $1 million), and the cost of living is eight percent higher than the national average.
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Explore the full list of the 10 best places to retire in the U.S. below, and see the complete report on Niche.com .
1. Rio, Florida 2. Highland Beach, Florida 3. Naples Park, Florida 4. Pelican Bay, Florida 5. Redington Beach, Florida 6, Windy Hills, Kentucky 7. Hypoluxo, Florida 8. Hillsboro Beach, Florida 9. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 10. Bay Pines, Florida