Consumers Digest Names Best U.S. Cities For Retirement

DEERFIELD, Ill., Sept. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-four U.S. cities have been identified as the best retirement destinations by Consumers Digest. The list was generated by a formula into which 12 pieces of data were entered. Among the 24 cities that are recognized, the 12 that rose to the top are (in alphabetical order):

1. Ann Arbor, Michigan
2. Boise, Idaho
3. Cheyenne, Wyoming
4. Fort Wayne, Indiana
5. Gainesville, Florida
6. Jonesboro, Arkansas
7. Missoula, Montana
8. Morgantown, West Virginia
9. Provo, Utah
10. Stillwater, Oklahoma
11. Syracuse, New York
12. Temple, Texas

CD's "By the Numbers: The Best U.S. Cities for Retirement" is included in the publication's September issue. The 12 criteria that were scrutinized include a city's cost of living (compared with the national average); median home price; median rental price; combined city/state sales tax; median household income; job growth; rate of violent crime; hospitals per capita; public colleges per capita; the health ranking of the state in which the city is located; the state's physicians per capita; and so-called walkability. (Consumers Digest constrained its evaluation to cities that have a population of at least 30,000 and at most 500,000. Cites that are smaller than 30,000 typically have limited services, and those that are larger than 500,000 exceed national averages in cost-of-living and crime rates.)

The formula didn't take into account subjective factors, such as climate.

The 12 criteria are at least four more than that which any of nine prominent entities that publish lists of retirement cities take into account.

"The research supporting our retirement destination feature is substantial, balanced and thorough. It offers people a unique blend of facts and figures mixed with practical advice designed to identify a select class of retirement destinations," Consumers Digest Publisher Randy Weber says.

Recognizing that any list of best U.S. cities for retirement might not include a city that appeals to or works for everyone, Consumers Digest produced the companion piece "Priorities & Preferences: How to Choose a Great Retirement Destination." The article examines owning versus renting as well as important elements for those who decide to retire in the place where they currently reside.

The full text of both reports is available at ConsumersDigest.com.

Consumers Digest is designed to inform and educate readers so they can buy with confidence. It is committed to providing practical advice, factual evaluations and specific recommendations that lead consumers to exceptional values in today's complex marketplace.

SOURCE Consumers Digest