Ohio town ranked among top 10 Best Places to Retire in U.S.

When considering places to settle for retirement, there are a number of factors to consider, including housing affordability, health care access, weather, and more.

While some might assume Florida and Arizona to be ideal retirement destinations, most of the best places to retire are in the Northeast and Midwest – including one in Ohio, according to a new report.

Youngstown, Ohio, is the ninth-best city to retire in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 rankings. Located about halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Youngstown is described as a “Rust Belt city in the midst of a cultural and economic renaissance that combines rich historical tradition with the zeal of a new generation,” according to the report.

Two Ohio cities named Top 100 Best Places to Live in US

“The area is seeing a resurgence of business in its once-empty downtown area, including restaurants, bars, galleries and local shops, while organizations like the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation seek to shore up the urban neighborhoods. The strong work ethic the region is known for is helping to make the revival happen,” U.S. News & World Report writes in its rankings.

“Typical of most Midwestern cities, Youngstown’s residents are friendly and regularly gather to celebrate their community. The downtown area is surrounded by farmland, and residents enjoy shopping at local farms and Amish markets.”

The top 10 best places to retire in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 rankings, are:

1. Harrisburg, PA

2. Reading, PA

3. Lancaster, PA

4. Scranton, PA

5. Allentown, PA

6. New York City, NY

7. York, PA

8. Daytona Beach, FL

9. Youngstown, OH

10. Pittsburgh, PA

Beyond Youngstown, four additional Ohio areas ranked in the top 50 best places to retire in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report’s rankings. Toledo ranks 19th, Cincinnati is 32nd, Cleveland places 45th, and the Ashland, Kentucky-Ohio and Huntington, West Virginia, metro area ranks 48th on the list.

Ohio city named among ‘Happiest Places to Live in U.S.’

In its rankings, U.S. News & World report evaluated the 150 most populated U.S. metropolitan areas and calculated scores based on six indexes: affordability, happiness, desirability, retiree taxes, job market, and health care quality, according to the report’s methodology. Each index was measured via a nationwide online survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report in September which collected responses from 3,500 U.S. adults aged 45 and older.

U.S. News & World Report’s full list of 2024 Best Places to Retire in the U.S. can be found online.