Percentage 65 and Older: 16%
You knew this had to be on the list, right? Search for "Miami Seniors" online and you immediately get travel tips, Meetup groups, and more. Who knows when we collectively decided that this was the place to retire, but we decided in droves.
(image via UpstateNYer, CC)
Percentage 65 and Older: 16.1%
Apart from popular retirement destinations, America's industrial centers are also seeing their percent of seniors rise. As factory work becomes a smaller part of the economy, younger families take their kids and head out looking for other opportunities, driving up the mean age as they leave.
(image via kayceeinthed)
Percentage 65 and Older: 16.1%
The history of Independence is strange and fraught with religious conflict, including the 1838 Mormon War. Today the LDS church is back in town, but apparently not in great enough numbers to drive the median age down.
(image via Nationalparks, CC)
Percentage 65 and Older: 17%
Cape Coral was a master-planned, pre-platted community when it was founded in 1957. It was not deliberately built to be a retirement community, but that seems to be happening, regardless. A construction boom in the 1990s brought younger families, and the 18-24 age group is growing faster than average so Cape Coral may not be on the list much longer.
Percentage 65 and Older: 17.1%
Metairie is actually unincorporated, but it would be one of the largest cities in Louisiana if it were. Metairie is a town rich with history, as much of Louisiana is. It's named for the French tenant farmers who were some of the area's oldest inhabitants. Today the area has seen a rise in population as people moved from New Orleans in the wake of Katrina.
(image via PhotogMetairie, CC)
Percentage 65 and Older: 17.8%
Honolulu routinely shows up on lists of the "most livable cities" in both the nation and the world. The name means "calm port," so it only makes sense. Whether they're retirees or natives, the island has certainly made accommodations. They have some 35 senior clubs across the island.
Percentage 65 and Older: 19%
Surprise was founded in 1938 by Flora Mae Statler, who named it because "she would be surprised if the town ever amounted to much." The town is big on both recreation and healthcare. Whether that's a cause or effect of the high number of seniors, who can say?
Percentage 65 and Older: 19.1%
We're back in Florida. Hialeah is part of the Miami metro region. They made the news recently when their 54-year-old mayor attempted to pay an ethics commission fine in pennies. Weird escapades aside, Hialeah is actually pretty cool, a predominantly Cuban community that keeps their culture vibrant in the States.
(image via southbeachcars, CC)
Percentage 65 and Older: 19.8%
Florida has been described as a popular retirement destination. It's also been described as "an elephant graveyard, but for people." According to 2014 population estimates, 4 of the 10 oldest counties in the country are in Florida, and Clearwater City—the second oldest city in the U.S.—isn't even in one of them.
(image via chad_sparkes, CC)
Percentage 65 and Older: 20%
Scottsdale holds a bizarre mix of reputations. It's positioned as a resort town, replete with boutique hotels, golf galore, and plenty of Western charm. It's also a bit of a party town, a frequent fixture of spring break articles. Beyond that, though, Scottsdale is also the city with the highest percentage of residents over the age of 65, jumping up from 9th place in 2000. The median age here is 45.4 years, well above the national average.
(image via Bobak Ha'Eri, CC)
