If you retire in an affordable city with great weather, retirement can feel like a permanent vacation at its best.
To help you choose the best place to retire, GOBankingRates identified 22 cities across the U.S. that get the highest percentage of sunshine each year and calculated the average cost of living in each place for people ages 65 and older.
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These cities feature good weather year-round — and some might fall within your budget. In some locations, it’s possible to retire well below the $57,818 national average needed to live each year.
Los Angeles — $93,492 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 73%
Annual average high temperature: 72.5 degrees
L.A. is the second most expensive city on this list to retire in, at 61% higher than the national average, but there’s plenty to do in this sunny city if you can swing the high annual expenses.
Los Angeles has diverse culture and art, and it’s a good place to live if you want to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle in your golden years, with lots of health-conscious food options and plenty of ways to stay active.
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Honolulu — $99,158 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 71%
Annual average high temperature: 80.8 degrees
Everyone flocks to Hawaii for its beauty and climate, and the cost of living reflects it: you’ll pay over 71% more than the national average for the privilege of retiring in paradise — Honolulu is the most expensive city on this list. So be sure you have a large nest egg before deciding to retire here.
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Sacramento, California — $73,545 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 78%
Annual average high temperature: 74.3 degrees
California’s capital city is known for its abundance of museums and for the Old Sacramento Waterfront District, which is filled with historically restored buildings that house shops and restaurants. You will pay 27% higher in cost of living here than the rest of the nation, but you get the benefit of California’s often temperate climate.
Albuquerque, New Mexico — $53,193 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 76%
Annual average high temperature: 78.6 degrees
This southwestern city is known for hot air ballooning, and each October, it hosts the famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. But if you prefer staying on the ground, spend a day at the city’s Turquoise Museum or enjoy the many other amenities this city has to offer, with a cost of living that is 8% lower than the national average.
Roswell, New Mexico — $41,166 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 74%
Annual average high temperature: 72.1 degrees
Roswell is the least expensive place on this list to retire, and it could provide an out-of-this-world experience. Tourists flock to Roswell to learn more about the reported 1947 crash of an extraterrestrial flying saucer. The International UFO Museum & Research Center serves to make the public aware of what is called “The Roswell Incident.”
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Dodge City, Kansas — $43,190 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 70%
Annual average high temperature: 79.8 degrees
Dodge City is the second most affordable place to retire on this list, after Roswell. The setting for the old television show “Gunsmoke,” Dodge City embraces its Old West and agricultural roots while adding modern recreational and entertainment amenities. It has a livability score of 72.
Abilene, Texas — $46,370 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 70%
Annual average high temperature: 83.3 degrees
Low living costs and great weather make Abilene a good choice for retirement. The Texas city also has lots of amenities and local events to keep you busy in your post-work days, such as the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in the summer and the Winter Lightfest later in the year.
Pueblo, Colorado — $52,210 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 76%
Annual average high temperature: 77.1 degrees
If you like it warm, but not too warm, Pueblo could be calling your name with its annual average high temperature of 77.1 degrees. The cost of living is almost 10% less than the national average, too.
The locals are partial to stopping by the Hopscotch Bakery to order some menu favorites, which include White Chocolate-Lavender Scones, Orange Beast rolls and Kitchen Sink Cookies.
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Grand Junction, Utah — $57,298 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 71%
Annual average high temperature: 79.5 degrees
In Grand Junction, the cost of living is on par with the national average, but its scenery is spectacular. You’ll be awed by red rocks of the Colorado National Monument, plus recreation aplenty, including whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. Prefer a less bumpy ride? Take a golf cart out on one of the area’s courses.
Miami — $68,746 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 70%
Annual average high temperature: 84 degrees
Although the cost to live in Miami is high compared to the national average — almost 19% higher — you’ll save by not having to pay state income, estate or inheritance taxes. Plus, you’ll be surrounded by sun, sand and sea, and there are many active adult communities there, if you’d like the option to live among other retirees. Its also got a good livability score of 79.
North Little Rock, Texas — $46,659 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 72%
Annual average high temperature: 82.3 degrees
At almost 20% below the national average in cost of living for retirees, North Little Rock could offer just what you — and your pampered pooch — need. The city is dog friendly, with a new dog park, walking trails with a view of the Arkansas River and restaurants that will welcome your pup.
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Odessa, Texas — $48,856 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 74%
Annual average high temperature: 80.2 degrees
Odessa, Texas may be something of a “hidden gem” in West Texas — less famous than other Texas towns, but just as full of amenities, history and activities to keep any retiree happy. With a cost of living that’s about 15% below the national average and a livability score of 76, it might be the perfect place for you.
Key West, Florida — $85,686 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 76%
Annual average high temperature: 85.4 degrees
There’s a reason Florida draws so many retirees — and Key West, located off the coast of mainland Florida, is no exception. With more sunshine than cloudy days here, it’s a beach and warm weather lover’s paradise.
Of course, you pay extra for the privilege — Key West’s cost of living is almost 50% higher than the national average.
Lubbock, Texas — $46,890 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 72%
Annual average high temperature: 80.6 degrees
Lubbock is called “Hub City” because it’s surrounded by five major highways, but it’s also a hub of activity. Lubbock is known for Texas Tech sports — locals love the Red Raiders — as well as for its food, arts and music festivals. It is, after all, the hometown of rocker Buddy Holly.
It’s also almost 20% cheaper to live here than the rest of the nation.
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Reno, Nevada — $68,572 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 79%
Annual average high temperature: 79.8 degrees
Reno, known as the “Biggest Little City in the World,” offers plenty of things for active retirees to do. Hiking and biking on the city’s trails are favorite activities, as is tubing on the Truckee River.
Its cost of living, however, is 18.6% above national average — might be time to hit up Reno’s casinos for a little luck.
Midland, Texas — $53,308 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 74%
Annual average high temperature: 84 degrees
If you’re looking for a small-town feel, Midland could be the sunny spot for you. Whether you want to spend your free time volunteering, reading a book from the local library or going for peaceful sunset walks, you can do that in this city, which has a cost of living that’s almost 8% lower than the national average.
Redding, California — $61,923 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 88%
Annual average high temperature: 84.1 degrees
Located about 160 miles north of Sacramento, Redding has something no other city on this list has: one of the world’s largest working sundials. That’s the Sundial Bridge, which spans 710 feet across the Sacramento River. The glass-surfaced pedestrian bridge provides access to the area’s trail system.
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Tucson, Arizona — $56,083 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 85%
Annual average high temperature: 88.2 degrees
Lots of sun and below-average living costs are both good reasons to retire to Tucson, but the city has even more to offer. It’s a hub for the performing arts, and it also has dozens of retirement communities, a Western flair and beautiful surroundings. The cost of living in Tucson is only a tad bit below the national average — about 3% — but the good weather is a bonus.
Phoenix — $65,334 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 85%
Annual average high temperature: 95.9 degrees
Phoenix is one of the sunniest cities on this list, with 85 percent sunny days on average. That gives you plenty of days to take advantage of all the activities you can do outdoors, including hiking, biking and fishing.
Yuma, Arizona — $52,614 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 90%
Annual average high temperature: 94.9 degrees
Yuma is among the sunniest on the list. It’s a great place to call home if you love tacos and spicy food. You’ll find its livability a decent 72, and its cost of living is about 9% lower than the national average.
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El Paso, Texas — $47,353 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 84%
Annual average high temperature: 85.8 degrees
El Paso is a great place to retire. Not only is it affordable, but it’s also close to the top of the list in terms of sunshine, so you’ll definitely have a warm retirement there. Its livability score is a solid 80, and its cost of living is around 18% lower than the national average.
Las Vegas — $63,947 per Year
Annual average possible sunshine: 85%
Annual average high temperature: 93.8 degrees
Though the cost of living here is 10.6% higher than the rest of the nation, Las Vegas has more to offer than casinos on The Strip. It has a relatively high livability score of 82, undoubtedly due in part to its warmer-than-average weather.
Gabrielle Olya and Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting for this article.
Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.
Methodology: In order to find the cost to retire in America’s sunniest cities, GOBankingRates used data from the National Centers for Environmental Information National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to find the sunniest cities in America, using the cities with the highest percentage average possible sunshine. For each city, the highest average monthly temperature, highest temperature month and livability index were all sourced from AreaVibes. For the city to qualify, it had to have more than 70% average possible sunshine and a livability index higher than 70. For all remaining cities, the cost of living was sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and, using the national average cost of expenditures for people aged 65 and over as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs for each city were calculated. To find the overall best places; the percentage average possible sunshine was scored, the highest monthly average temperature was scored, the livability index was scored, and the annual cost of living was scored, with all scores being combined and sorted to show the places with more sunshine, higher livability, and lower cost of living. All data was collected and is up to date as of Dec. 29th, 2023.
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The Cost To Retire in America’s Sunniest Cities
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