30 Most Expensive Retirement Towns in America

The nation’s five most expensive retirement towns all have one thing in common: They’re in California.

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How did we determine the 30 most expensive retirement towns in the United States? First, we isolated cities with populations over 25,000 and percentages of residents ages 65+ of at least 25%. Cost-of-living indexes were multiplied by average expenditure costs for retirees, and mortgage and rent costs were added to find the total cost of necessities for retired homeowners.

Key Findings

• California is home to America’s five most expensive retirement towns. Ranked from first to fifth place, they are Saratoga, Rancho Palos Verdes, Walnut Creek, Cerritos and Palm Springs.

• High-priced towns in Massachusetts, Arizona and Florida also cracked the top 10. Among the 10 most expensive retirement towns are two Massachusetts towns (Gloucester at #8 and Barnstable Town at #10), along with Scottsdale, Arizona, (#6) and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (#9).

• 14 Florida towns ranked in the list of 30, accounting for nearly 50% of the nation’s priciest retirement towns: Palm Beach Gardens (#9), Aventura (#11), Bonita Springs (#15), Delray Beach (#16), Dunedin (#19), Tarpon Springs (#20), Sarasota (#21), New Smyrna Beach (#23), Venice (#24), Bradenton (#25), Tamarac (#26), Cape Coral (#28), Largo (#29) and Ormond Beach (#30).

Ranked from most to least expensive, here are the 30 most expensive retirement towns in America.

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1. Saratoga, California

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $4,118,931

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $6,165

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,544

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $282,625

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2. Rancho Palos Verdes, California

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $1,928,908

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,452

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,156

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $144,381

3. Walnut Creek, California

• % of population 65+: 29%

• Average home value: $1,437,769

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,551

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $9,607

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $115,206

4. Cerritos, California

• % of population 65+: 25%

• Average home value: $1,086,360

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,129

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $6,878

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $91,644

5. Palm Springs, California

• % of population 65+: 34%

• Average home value: $1,021,141

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,961

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $6,926

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $86,550

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6. Scottsdale, Arizona

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $954,919

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,120

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,338

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $81,525

7. La Quinta, California

• % of population 65+: 31%

• Average home value: $785,335

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,976

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $6,926

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $71,613

8. Gloucester, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $800,820

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,417

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,029

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $71,334

9. Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

• % of population 65+: 31%

• Average home value: $759,350

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,417

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,012

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $70,601

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10. Barnstable Town, Massachusetts

• % of population 65+: 25%

• Average home value: $741,632

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,377

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,401

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $68,453

11. Aventura, Florida

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $666,041

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,372

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,250

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $65,914

12. Lincoln, California

• % of population 65+: 27%

• Average home value: $656,147

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,293

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,139

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $64,059

13. Palm Desert, California

• % of population 65+: 37%

• Average home value: $642,854

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,936

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $6,926

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $62,572

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14. Prescott, Arizona

• % of population 65+: 41%

• Average home value: $623,194

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,961

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $10,273

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $62,383

15. Bonita Springs, Florida

• % of population 65+: 43%

• Average home value: $609,650

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,328

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $9,456

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $61,349

16. Delray Beach, Florida

• % of population 65+: 28%

• Average home value: $563,507

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,248

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,012

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $58,417

17. Santa Fe, New Mexico

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $612,233

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,006

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $6,521

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $57,749

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18. Lake Havasu City, Arizona

• % of population 65+: 35%

• Average home value: $486,770

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,847

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $10,400

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $53,721

19. Dunedin, Florida

• % of population 65+: 35%

• Average home value: $471,601

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,224

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,227

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $52,200

20. Tarpon Springs, Florida

• % of population 65+: 31%

• Average home value: $450,937

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,219

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,227

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $50,679

21. Sarasota, Florida

• % of population 65+: 29%

• Average home value: $459,792

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,278

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,068

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $50,319

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22. Georgetown, Texas

• % of population 65+: 28%

• Average home value: $445,631

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,713

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,989

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $50,144

23. New Smyrna Beach, Florida

• % of population 65+: 35%

• Average home value: $447,930

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,090

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,147

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $49,745

24. Venice, Florida

• % of population 65+: 60%

• Average home value: $432,874

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,293

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,068

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $49,034

25. Bradenton, Florida

• % of population 65+: 27%

• Average home value: $419,337

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,144

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,901

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $47,928

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26. Tamarac, Florida

• % of population 65+: 26%

• Average home value: $390,907

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,139

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $7,870

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $47,914

27. Banning, California

• % of population 65+: 29%

• Average home value: $422,401

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $4,802

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,092

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $47,141

28. Cape Coral, Florida

• % of population 65+: 25%

• Average home value: $366,430

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,204

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $9,456

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $46,886

29. Largo, Florida

• % of population 65+: 27%

• Average home value: $375,120

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,174

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,227

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $45,895

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30. Ormond Beach, Florida

• % of population 65+: 33%

• Average home value: $387,914

• Average cost of groceries (annual): $5,050

• Average cost of healthcare (annual): $8,147

• Total cost of living for a homeowner annually: $45,794

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates first isolated cities with a total population greater than 25,000 and the percentage of the population of residents ages 65 and over of at least 25%, as sourced from the U.S. Census’ 2023 5-year American Community Survey. After isolating the retirement towns, GOBankingRates found for each city the average rent for all rental types (sourced from Zillow Observed Value Index from May 2025), average home value (sourced from Zillow Home Value Index from May 2025), average mortgage cost (assuming a 20% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from June 26 of 6.77%, sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data) and assuming there is no HOA fees or property taxes, cost-of-living indexes covering grocery, healthcare, utilities, and transportation sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and multiplied  by the average expenditure costs for retirees for each expenditure (sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired households). The expenditure costs were added to the mortgage and rent cost to find the total cost of necessities for homeowners and renters. The cities were sorted to show the highest to the lowest total cost of necessities for retired homeowners. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 27, 2025.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 30 Most Expensive Retirement Towns in America