Key facts
- Midland, Michigan, ranked No. 1 for retirees for the second year.
- Eight of the top 10 retirement cities have median home prices below the national median.
- Altoona, Pennsylvania, has a median home price 60% below the national median.
- Midland homes sell in a median of 42 days, faster than the national average.
- Midland's housing inventory is 1.4 months, less than half the U.S. average.
U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday released its 2027 Best Places to Retire rankings, identifying Midland, Michigan, as the top city for retirees for the second consecutive year. The publication evaluated over 850 U.S. cities based on quality of life, affordability, healthcare, retiree taxes, job market prospects, and population trends among those aged 55 and older. Midland was followed by Homosassa Springs, Florida, and Weirton, West Virginia, in the top three. The rankings were adjusted to reflect affordability concerns, leading to significant jumps for some cities. A HousingWire Data analysis of the top 10 markets revealed that eight have median single-family home prices below the national median of $430,000, with Altoona, Pennsylvania, being 60% lower.