This Georgia city is among the most desirable in the nation for retirees, report says
More retirees are putting down roots in Georgia and have made the Peach State home to one of the nation’s most desirable destinations for seniors.
Savannah ranked in the top 10 on a national list of cities attracting Americans aged 60 and older, according to a report released by personal finance website SmartAsset in February.
The coastal town was named the fourth-most popular for those reaching retirement age, rankings show. In 2019, the “Hostess City of the South” added about 1,500 seniors to its population while losing 100 older residents to other states.
“In total, there was a net migration of 1,434 people 60 years and older,” according to the report.
To come up with the rankings, SmartAsset said it reviewed Census Bureau data for 177 of the largest U.S. cities based on the latest available numbers from 2019. The personal finance site took a similar approach to determine the states where retirees are moving.
Researchers looked at the number of people aged 60 and above who moved into a new state compared to those who left. Georgia did not rank among the most popular states for seniors this year but several of its neighbors — Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee — earned spots in the top 10, according to SmartAsset.
Last year’s report showed older Americans were flocking to the Peach State, which ranked seventh among the nation’s most desired destinations retirees in 2020. Only one Georgia city, Columbus, broke into the top 20, however.
A similar report released by WalletHub earlier this year named Georgia as the 26th best place to retire, with several Georgia cities falling on the lower end of the list. Atlanta came in at No. 22, followed by Augusta at No. 75 and Columbus at No. 135, according to separate rankings released in 2020.
SmartAssest’s most recent retirement rankings put Mesa, Arizona, as the top destination eyed by seniors, followed by Scottsdale, Arizona; Henderson, Nevada; Savannah; and Paradise, Nevada, to round out the top five.
Across all 50 states, Florida was named the most popular for retirees, according to the report.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 2:07 PM with the headline "This Georgia city is among the most desirable in the nation for retirees, report says."