Nine Arizona cities named among best places to retire

PHOENIX — Arizona is host to a great deal of young people, with it having one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation as well as having a number of universities and colleges.

But a new study by WalletHub, a financial social network, finds Arizona to be of the best places to retire as well.

WalletHub used 25 categories, including the availability of recreational activities and the cost of living, to assess the best cities in the nation for retirement.

There were two Arizonan cities in the top 10, with Scottsdale coming in at No. 5 and Peoria at No. 10. Scottsdale’s cost of living was greater than all the other cities in the top 10 but made up for it with its high quality of life, ranked the third best in the country. Peoria’s quality of life was also extremely high at fifth best, and its health care was also viewed very favorably.

Nine Arizona cities in all made the list and all were in the top 50. Ranked as the other retirement hotspots were Tempe, Mesa, Tucson, Gilbert, Chandler, Glendale and Phoenix.

Of the best five in the nation, three of the cities were in Florida, with Tampa taking first prize while Grand Prairie, Texas, took second place.

Retirement location decisions have become ever more important since the Great Recession. The Federal Reserve said in a report that 25 percent of adults who have thought about their retirement plans don’t know how they will pay their expenses. Retirement is getting more expensive even for the wealthy, prompting many to look for guidance as they approach it.