This City Is The Best Place In MI To Retire In U.S. News Report

Midland is the best place in Michigan and the entire country to retire, according to a new ranking Tuesday from U.S. News & World Report.

The news outlet’s ranking of the 250 Best Places to Retire in the United States includes 28 cities in Michigan.

The rankings are based on how cities meet American retirees’ expectations against measures that include quality of life, affordability, health care, retiree taxes, job market, and, for the first time, population and migration for retirees aged 55 and older.

Midland gets high marks in the ranking for a variety of reason, including affordability and quality of life.

Midland's home value of $206K, which is considerably lower than the $360K national average from Zillow. The median household income is $76K, just below the national median household income of $79K.

Midland also ranked No. 8 for quality of life, which factors in crime rates, temperatures, extreme weather risk, air quality, walkability and leisure accessibility.

Other Michigan cities in the top 10 are:

1. Midland (No. 1 nationally)
2. Rochester Hills (No. 14 nationally)
3. Troy (No. 15 nationally)
4. Farmington Hills (No. 31 nationally)
5. Wyoming (No. 41 nationally)
6. Livonia (No. 47 nationally)
7. Niles (No. 78 nationally)
8. Bay City (No. 80 nationally)
9. Traverse City (No. 82 nationally)
10. Sterling Heights (No. 86 nationally)

The rankings were expanded this year to evaluate more than 850 U.S. cities, and the number ranked was increased to 250 from 150 in prior years. Quality of life was the most heavily weighted factor in the rankings, which also includes indexes for affordability, health care quality, retiree taxes, and the job market.

“The expansion of the 2026 Best Places to Retire rankings to evaluate over 850 cities enables retirees to have a more granular starting point when deciding where to spend their golden years,” Tim Smart, contributing editor and author of U.S. News & World Report’s retirement newsletter, “YOLO: Your Smart Guide to Retirement,” said in a news release.

“Whether seeking a bustling city or a quiet town, retirees are now empowered with a more precise view of the best places to settle down,” Smart said.

U.S. News’ expansion of evaluated cities and new data considerations paved the way for first-time entrant, Midland, Michigan, to secure the No. 1 rank. Midland scored high in affordability and retiree taxes, helping it to lock in the top spot.

The top 10 cities for retirees nationwide are:

1. Midland, Michigan
2. Weirton, West Virginia
3. Homosassa Springs, Florida
4. The Woodlands, Texas
5. Spring, Texas
6. Rancho Rio, New Mexico
7. Spring Hill, Florida
8. Altoona, Pennsylvania
9. Palm Coast, Florida
10. Lynchburg, Virginia