3 FL Cities Among Best Places To Retire In The South, New List Says

Three Florida communities have landed on a new list from Travel + Leisure highlighting the “10 Best Places to Retire in the South.”

Real estate experts Jennifer Beeston, executive vice president with Rate, and Leah Robinson-Christian an associate broker at Engel & Völkers Atlanta, compiled the list for the magazine.

“In terms of overall states I am seeing retirees move to, the top three are Florida, Texas, and Georgia,” Beeston said. “All three have lower living costs and low to no state income tax. Florida has dominated for years, but recently we’ve seen Georgia start to be a contender due to it being more affordable, in many cases, than Florida.”

Athens, Georgia, nabbed the top spot on the list and was lauded for its charm, affordability and cultural opportunities.

In Florida, Sarasota landed at No. 6. Robinson-Christian said in the city’s listing that it’s “moderately priced for a coastal Florida city,” and the average home value, as of December 2025, was around $407,027.

She also notes Sarasota's “white-sand beaches, world-class golf, boating, fishing, arts venues, botanical gardens, and a dynamic social scene.” Of course, Florida is also a state with year-round warm weather and excellent tax benefits. “There’s no state income tax, and retirement income, including Social Security and pensions, is not taxed,” she says.

Lake Nona, which is in the Orlando area, also made the list at No. 7, and The Villages came in at No. 9.

Check out the full list here.

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