Choosing Your Perfect Retirement Haven: Top 25 U.S. Cities That Combine Affordability With Safety

Planning your post-career life involves finding the ideal community where you can enjoy financial peace of mind without compromising on security. We’ve identified 25 communities across the United States that offer both reasonable living expenses and low crime rates, making them excellent choices for those entering their golden years.

The Top-Tier Retirement Destinations

Pinehurst, North Carolina Takes the Crown

Ranking as the safest place to retire in the US, Pinehurst stands out with exceptional safety metrics: a violent crime score of 0.989 and property crime score of 0.983. What makes it particularly attractive is the annual cost of living sits at $68,516—remarkably reasonable for such a secure environment. The demographic composition strengthens its appeal, with nearly 40% of residents aged 65 and older, ensuring you’ll be surrounded by peers in similar life stages.

Rockport, Massachusetts: Safety Meets Coastal Living

Taking the second position, Rockport boasts the lowest recorded property crime rate (0.995) and exceptional violent crime score (0.987). While the annual cost of living reaches $95,952, residents rate livability at 70, reflecting the trade-off between safety and expense in this coastal community.

Mid-Range Champions: Excellence at Moderate Costs

The Iowa Triangle: Frankfort, Urbandale, and Fergus Falls

Frankfort, Kentucky ranks third with an impressively low annual cost of living of $58,228 paired with a livability score of 91. Its violent crime rate of 0.927 and property crime rate of 0.906 demonstrate strong community safety standards.

Urbandale, Iowa secures the fourth position, offering a cost of living identical to Frankfort at $63,189 while maintaining high safety scores. Residents award it an 89 for livability, placing it among the highest-rated communities on this list.

Fergus Falls, Minnesota rounds out this regional cluster with exceptional demographic appeal—over 25% of residents are 65 years or older, creating a genuine retirement community atmosphere. The annual budget of $64,065 accommodates most retirement portfolios comfortably.

Premium Safety Destinations

Montpelier, Vermont: New England’s Best-Kept Secret

As Vermont’s capital, Montpelier delivers on both affordability and security. With a cost of living of $68,735 and scores of 0.897 for violent crime and 0.910 for property crime, it represents solid value. The historic landscape and natural beauty add intangible but significant quality-of-life benefits, earning it an 84 livability score.

Lexington, Massachusetts: Ultimate Security Premium

For those prioritizing maximum safety above all considerations, Lexington stands at the pinnacle with scores of 0.986 (violent crime) and 0.989 (property crime). However, this security comes at a premium: annual living expenses reach $105,583, making it the most expensive community on this list. The exceptionally high livability score of 92 reflects resident satisfaction despite costs.

Heartland Havens: Affordable Midwest Strongholds

Kettering, Ohio: Best Budget Option

If affordability tops your retirement priority list, Kettering, Ohio demands serious consideration. With the second-lowest annual cost of living at just $58,228, combined with strong safety metrics (violent crime 0.984, property crime 0.933), it represents unmatched value.

Beatrice, Nebraska: The Most Economical Choice

Claiming the lowest annual expense at $56,403, Beatrice rounds out the top 10 despite a livability score of 78. The violent crime rate of 0.916 and property crime rate of 0.953 ensure dependable community safety.

Building Your Retirement Decision Framework

Northeast Corridor Options

New Hampshire consistently appears throughout this list, reflecting the region’s strong safety and moderate cost structure. Dover scores 88 for livability while maintaining excellent crime prevention metrics. The annual cost of living reaches $75,010. Brunswick, Maine offers slightly higher expenses at $82,088 but delivers comparable safety credentials.

Connecticut’s Milford demands nearly $80,000 annually but attracts retirees seeking robust communities—nearly 20% of residents are 65 years or older, creating natural social networks.

Mountain and Upper Midwest Selections

Rochester, Minnesota presents cold winters offset by excellent safety and livability (scored at 91). The annual cost of living of $68,735 positions it as reasonable for the region.

Concord and Exeter in New Hampshire both maintain similar crime profiles with violence and property crime scores in the high 0.9s, though Exeter’s higher expenses ($86,758 versus $73,259) reflect its coastal proximity.

Emerging Communities Worth Consideration

Smaller communities like Jonesborough, Tennessee (population 5,747) and Brandon, Mississippi offer genuine affordability—$61,730 and $64,576 respectively—with 27.13% and 17.67% populations aged 65-plus, ensuring substantial senior populations.

Anacortes, Washington provides Pacific Northwest appeal with a livability score of 80 and 28.51% senior population, though costs reach $85,882 annually.

Parma, Ohio combines larger-city amenities (81,000 residents, 19.48% age 65+) with budget-friendly living at $60,563.

Strategic Planning for Your Relocation

The data reveals a consistent pattern: communities with highest safety scores and lowest costs concentrate in the Midwest (Ohio, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska) and secondary tier Northeast locations. These areas consistently deliver annual costs between $56,000 and $75,000 paired with crime scores exceeding 0.90 across both categories.

Conversely, premium coastal and New England locations command expenses exceeding $80,000, requiring prospective retirees to carefully evaluate whether additional amenities justify substantially higher budgets.

The Bottom Line for Prospective Retirees

Whether prioritizing maximum safety above cost considerations or seeking the optimal balance between affordability and security, America’s top 25 retirement communities offer diverse solutions. From Pinehurst, North Carolina’s remarkable safety profile supporting nearly 40% of residents aged 65+, to Kettering, Ohio’s unmatched affordability without sacrificing crime prevention, these communities represent carefully vetted options for meaningful retirement years.

The methodology behind this analysis examined violent crimes reported, property crimes reported (sourced from FBI Crime Data Explorer), overall cost of living index (from Sperling’s BestPlaces), average expenditure costs (from Bureau of Labor Statistics), livability indexes (from Areavibes), total population, and percentage of residents 65 years and older (from U.S. Census American Community Survey). Crime rates were calculated per 100,000 residents to ensure accurate cross-community comparison.

Your ideal retirement location awaits—the question becomes which balance of cost, safety, and community appeals most to your vision for these next chapters.