2 FL Communities Among Most Affordable Retirement Spots In U.S.: List

FLORIDA — Two Florida communities are among the top 10 most affordable retirement spots in the United States, according to a new list from Realtor.com.

One of these communities in the Sunshine State — Sun City Center — even nabbed the top spot on the list.

To determine the best places to retire, Realtor.com pulled together the median list prices for all U.S. cities over the past year, as well as median age data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Economists with the website then combed through all single-family, condo and townhouse listings on the site over the past year to pinpoint the percentage of those listings that used keywords in the description that indicate a retiree-friendly community.

Sun City Center, which is just south of Tampa, ranked at No. 3 in last year’s rankings.

This year the area, which “has the magic combo that aging populations prioritize: a warm beach and a big city nearby,” took the No. 1 spot, according to the website.

According to ranking, 84 percent of the listings are retiree-friendly with a median age of 71 and a median list price of $315,000.

“There’s a good reason why the 55-plus community of Sun City Center just 30 minutes outside Tampa has jumped to the top spot for retirees looking for somewhere new to settle down: Residents who relocate here can ditch many of the trappings of their pre-retirement life, including their car and their lawn mower,” the area’s listing said.

The Villages in Central Florida came in at No. 4 on the list.

Check out the full list here.