Best small-to-mid US cities for retirees

Home·Best of·Best US cities for retirees (mid-size, accessible prices, stable growth)

Mid-size cities (10k-150k people) with median home values between $150k and $500k, positive growth, and stable-to-rising momentum.

Retiree-friendly cities tend to share a few traits: scale that supports good healthcare and shopping but isn't overwhelming; home prices that allow downsizing while preserving equity; and stable demographics so amenities don't deteriorate.

This list filters for that combination. It does not yet factor in state tax treatment of retirement income — coming in v2.

1Imperial, CAEl Centro · pop 22,10284Hot$440,992median home$440,992median home

2Port Royal, SCHilton Head Island-Bluffton · pop 16,50784Hot$355,796median home$355,796median home

3Bentonville, ARFayetteville-Springdale-Rogers · pop 61,79182Hot$487,573median home$487,573median home

4Marquette, MIMarquette · pop 21,84581Hot$329,169median home$329,169median home

5Tahlequah, OKTahlequah · pop 17,31981Hot$197,136median home$197,136median home

6Morristown, TNMorristown · pop 32,99480Hot$268,046median home$268,046median home

7Howard, WIGreen Bay · pop 21,96180Hot$395,949median home$395,949median home

8Lindenwold, NJPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington · pop 21,91980Hot$268,789median home$268,789median home

9Kaukauna, WIAppleton · pop 18,36380Hot$308,676median home$308,676median home

10Troy, MOSt. Louis · pop 14,96380Hot$313,348median home$313,348median home

11Harrison, WIAppleton · pop 14,25480Hot$446,148median home$446,148median home

12Plover, WIStevens Point · pop 14,20880Hot$352,941median home$352,941median home

13Ottawa, KSOttawa · pop 12,73380Hot$237,259median home$237,259median home

14Little Chute, WIAppleton · pop 11,76180Hot$302,452median home$302,452median home

15Hyrum, UTLogan · pop 11,04380Hot$451,130median home$451,130median home

16Wausau, WIWausau-Weston · pop 40,26279Hot$243,982median home$243,982median home

17Oswego, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 38,77879Hot$420,651median home$420,651median home

18Chickasha, OKOklahoma City · pop 17,01479Hot$157,792median home$157,792median home

19Weston, WIWausau-Weston · pop 15,86679Hot$305,241median home$305,241median home

20Bemidji, MNBemidji · pop 15,73379Hot$216,534median home$216,534median home

21Manchester, TNTullahoma-Manchester · pop 13,48479Hot$326,004median home$326,004median home

22Lewisburg, TNLewisburg · pop 13,47379Hot$296,879median home$296,879median home

23West Plains, MOWest Plains · pop 12,70479Hot$224,796median home$224,796median home

24Mexico, MOMexico · pop 11,48279Hot$182,717median home$182,717median home

25Plymouth, INPlymouth · pop 11,04279Hot$243,264median home$243,264median home

26Farmington, ARFayetteville-Springdale-Rogers · pop 10,47379Hot$333,785median home$333,785median home

27Clinton, TNKnoxville · pop 10,45879Hot$333,030median home$333,030median home

28Auburn, ALAuburn-Opelika · pop 83,75778Hot$417,207median home$417,207median home

29Rogers, ARFayetteville-Springdale-Rogers · pop 75,63978Hot$385,816median home$385,816median home

30Bristol, CTHartford-East Hartford-Middletown · pop 62,19578Hot$341,547median home$341,547median home

31San Luis, AZYuma · pop 40,06478Hot$237,938median home$237,938median home

32Yorkville, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 25,98678Hot$403,231median home$403,231median home

33Perry, GAWarner Robins · pop 24,79278Hot$274,064median home$274,064median home

34Loves Park, ILRockford · pop 23,63678Hot$197,573median home$197,573median home

35Pleasantville, NJAtlantic City-Hammonton · pop 20,92478Hot$242,302median home$242,302median home

36Graham, NCBurlington · pop 19,31178Hot$295,264median home$295,264median home

37Hopatcong, NJNew York-Newark-Jersey City · pop 14,75078Hot$452,878median home$452,878median home

38Glendale, WIMilwaukee-Waukesha · pop 14,38178Hot$354,152median home$354,152median home

39Box Elder, SDRapid City · pop 13,88778Hot$366,882median home$366,882median home

40Neosho, MOJoplin · pop 13,78278Hot$226,240median home$226,240median home

41Plano, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 12,67778Hot$307,844median home$307,844median home

42Burley, IDBurley · pop 12,21178Hot$330,597median home$330,597median home

43Lawrenceburg, TNLawrenceburg · pop 12,11278Hot$241,151median home$241,151median home

44Troy, ILSt. Louis · pop 11,81078Hot$331,233median home$331,233median home

45Pine Hill, NJPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington · pop 10,89478Hot$279,922median home$279,922median home

46Paris, TNParis · pop 10,51778Hot$212,422median home$212,422median home

47Fayetteville, ARFayetteville-Springdale-Rogers · pop 103,13477Rising$380,101median home$380,101median home

48Janesville, WIJanesville-Beloit · pop 66,42877Rising$292,557median home$292,557median home

49Mansfield, OHMansfield · pop 47,59377Rising$150,626median home$150,626median home

50Torrington, CTTorrington · pop 35,67377Rising$297,594median home$297,594median home

Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.