U.S. News & World Report ranks Florida cities as best places to retire

Last month, U.S. News & World Report ranked Port St. Lucie as the 19th best city to retire out of 150 cities surveyed.

Port St. Lucie was weighted based on research for the most important considerations when people choose where to live: happiness (27%), affordability (25%), and quality of health care (15%) It received a score of 6.7 out of 10 in six categories. , retirement taxes (13%), desirability (12%), and job market (8%).

The study lists the following key factors: There are some good and bad points.

Climate: Average precipitation is 0.01 inch, and average temperatures are 69 degrees in winter, 77 degrees in fall, 76 degrees in spring, and 83 degrees in summer. Crime: Violent crime and property crime rates are lower than the national average. Age: More than one-fifth of the population is 65 years old. Employment: A healthy job market with an unemployment rate of 5.7% compared to 5.3% nationally. Top industries include tourism, call centers and health care, including the Cleveland Clinic and HCA Hospital of Florida. Social: There are fewer single people than the national average, with 46.6% single and 53.4% ​​married. Homes: Low in value, with an average home cost of $293,943. That’s $281,900, compared to a national median household income of $75,874, which is $75,149. Median monthly rent is $1,736. Education: The college readiness score is a low 4.1 and the student-teacher ratio is 25:1. Commute time: 36 minutes, four minutes longer than the national average. Some residents commute to nearby cities such as West Palm Beach.

Port St. Lucie has a population of 220,637 and is the sixth largest city in Florida.

“Retirees are attracted to Port St. Lucie’s warm climate, low cost of living, access to waterways, and extensive medical facilities,” the study states. “The area’s schools and low crime rate also attract families.”

The study said the city is more expensive than South Florida and has a “more relaxed atmosphere” than Miami or Orlando, but that “as Port St. Lucie’s popularity grows, so will the cost of housing here. ‘ On the other hand, housing, groceries, and dining out are more affordable than in central and northern Florida.

US News & World Report: Port St. Lucie ranks among the top 100 places to live in the United States

Money Magazine: Port St. Lucie named one of the 50 best places to live in the United States

The research points out the following advantages:

“Its clean streets and quiet neighborhoods are woven around scenic waterways and lush golf courses,” the study said, adding, “Locals can wear sandals almost year-round. “It can be done,” he said.

US News & World Report was founded in 1948 and has been publishing rankings for 30 years. Its “Best Cities to Retire” ranking “aims to help readers make informed decisions when choosing where to settle.”

Best Places to Retire: Florida Cities

Fourteen Florida cities made the list. Here are their rankings:

1: Naples 4: Sarasota 7: Jacksonville 17: Pensacola 18: Tampa 19: Port St. Lucie 20: Melbourne 24: Fort Myers 34: Lakeland 55: Orlando 69: Tallahassee 77: Daytona Beach 81: Ocala 127: Miami

Best Places to Retire: U.S. Cities

The following cities made it into the top 25.

Virginia Virginia New York City Idaho Boise Idaho Raleigh North Carolina Huntsville Alabama North Carolina Charlotte Indiana Fort Wayne Indiana Green Bay Wisconsin Washington, DC Charleston, South Carolina San Francisco California South Bend, Indiana Lexington, Kentucky Anchorage , Seattle, Alaska, Oklahoma City, Washington, Omaha, Nebraska

Rachelle Barrett is a general assignment reporter at TCPalm. Contact me at rachelle.barrett@tcpalm.com.