ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida livin' isn't too bad — and we're not the only ones who think so.
U.S. News just dropped its 2022-2023 list of best places to retire across the nation and several cities in the Tampa Bay area made the top half of the list.
It's widely known that the Suncoast makes for a happy retirement. According to U.S. News, Tampa ranked No. 4 for best places to retire. The top five cities included: Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Pensacola, Florida; Tampa, Florida; and York, Pennsylvania.
Coming in sixth – our neighbors to the south: Naples, Florida.
Daytona Beach (No. 7), Sarasota (No. 11), Melbourne (No. 12), Lakeland (No. 13), Ocala (No. 16) and Port St. Lucie (No. 22) all ranked in the top 25.
Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Myers slid in near the 30th mark.
It's no wonder many of the cities in the Tampa Bay area would make the list. Back in September, a study by financial services company Bankrate named Florida the best place to retire in 2022. And, it's not just because of our beautiful beaches (although they're obviously a draw.)
U.S. News ranks the cities based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, in addition to the value of living there and people's desire to live in the city.
Tampa residents can enjoy the laid-back beach life and the fast city lifestyle with professional sports teams like the Buccaneers and Lightning hockey team, entertainment venues and museums, U.S. News said. Tampa also ranked fifth for best places to live in Florida.
While Sarasota ranked 11th for best places to retire, the city came in first for best places to live in the Florida. It can thank its arts scene, beautiful beaches and growing food culture for that unique charm, according to U.S. News.
