8 MA Communities Are Best Places To Live For Older Adults, AARP Says

The AARP has released its new rankings for the top communities in the country for older adults to live. The analysis considers factors like a good job market, walkability, and affordable housing.

The list separates communities into four categories based on population size. This year’s No. 1 spots went to San Francisco; Arlington County, Virginia; Cliffside Park, New Jersey; and Great Neck Plaza, New York.

The index used 61 indicators across a range of categories of livability. This includes everything from access to health care to transportation to social opportunities.

For Massachusetts, in the very large communities category, those with a population over 500,000, Boston ranked No. 7. In the large communities category, those with a population from 100,000 to 499,999, Cambridge ranked No. 3.

In the midsize communities category, those with a population of 25,000 to 99,999, Massachusetts did particularly well: Somerville ranked No.7, Brookline was No. 8, Belmont was No. 10, Arlington was No. 19, Malden was No. 24, and Watertown was No. 25.

“There isn't one size or one type of community that fits all,” Rodney Harrell, AARP’s vice president of family, home and community, said. “It’s about knowing how well your community will work for you today and into the future.”

San Francisco topped the list for large communities for the sixth year in a row.

Check out the full list from AARP by clicking here.

See also: The Top 100 Places To Live In Massachusetts: 2025 Rankings

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