ST. LOUIS – Choosing where to retire can be an overwhelming decision, but new research touts St. Louis as an intriguing destination for locals and prospective movers.
A research team for ConsumerAffairs, which specializes in consumer and financial-planning news, recently released a report naming the “Best and worst cities for retirement in 2023.” St. Louis finished second in the report, only trailing Lincoln, Nebraska.
Cities were primarily ranked based on financial and quality-of-life factors, including, but not limited to:
- Cost of rent
- Food
- Utilities
- Transportation
- Weather trends
- Walkability
- Access to health care
- Population of 65-plus
St. Louis was particularly praised for its cost-of-living situation and overall well-being of elderly residents.
ConsumerAffairs also adds: “St. Louis offers great access to healthier foods and city walkability, and a high percentage of seniors have taken advantage of clinical preventive services. St. Louis does have a higher crime rate and higher rates of physical inactivity compared with other top picks, but offers a significant number of accessible parks.”
Champaign, Illinois, only about a three-hour drive from St. Louis, was recognized as the third-best U.S. city to retire, given all considerations.
Researchers used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI and NYU Langone Health’s City Health Dashboard, among other sources, to rank hundreds of qualified U.S. cities.
