San Antonio among top moving destinations for retirees, study finds

Welcome to Retirement Mecca 2-1-0!

San Antonio ranked as the city with the second-highest net inflow of people 60 and older who relocate here from outside the state, according to a new study by financial site SmartAsset. Only Mesa, Arizona, attracted more older, out-of-state residents.      

After Mesa and San Antonio, Henderson, Nevada; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, respectively rounded out the study’s top five retirement destinations.

The study evaluated 182 U.S. cities using 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data and found that Southern states are popular among retirees for reasons including lower taxes and warmer weather. Cities ranking high on the list also tended to have abundant ways to spend free time and lower living costs, allowing retirees to stretch their savings.

Texas ranked No. 4 on the list of states most popular among retirees. Florida, Arizona and South Carolina grabbed the list’s respective top three positions. Of the 68,754 retirement-age individuals who moved to Texas in 2022, 4,102 ended up in San Antonio, according to the report.

SmartAsset’s study does have some limitations, however. For example, the data doesn’t account for people who moved cities within the same state or those who live in multiple cities throughout the year.

Perhaps the most glaring limitation, though, is that not all U.S. residents 60 and over are retirees. Indeed, studies show more Americans later into life compared to the 1980s.

Retired or not, seniors apparently are flocking to SA. So, so check your road rage and avoid your favorite restaurant until after 5 p.m.

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This article appears in May 1-14, 2024.