Midland, Michigan tops 2027 best places to retire with affordable housing

U.S. News & World Report released its 2027 rankings for the best places to retire, evaluating over 850 U.S. cities and ranking the top 250 based on criteria important to older Americans, including quality of life, affordability, healthcare, retiree taxes, job prospects, and population trends among those 55 and older, HousingWire reported.

Midland, Michigan, was named the No. 1 city for retirees for the second consecutive year. The city scored highly in affordability and retiree tax metrics, with a median household income of $77,812 and an unemployment rate of 5.73%, according to data analyzed by Applied Geographic Solutions using sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Federal Reserve.

Following Midland, the top retiree cities included Homosassa Springs, Florida; Weirton, West Virginia; The Woodlands, Texas; and Spring, Texas. Most of the top 10 cities have median home prices below $430,000, indicating affordability is a key factor for retirees.

Homosassa Springs, with a population of about 15,000, scored well for affordability, population growth among those 55 and older, and retiree taxes. Its median household income is $52,459 with an unemployment rate of 7.88%. Weirton, population 18,000, also performed strongly in these areas.

The rankings were weighted by a public survey conducted in February 2026 among people aged 45 and older to identify what matters most when choosing a retirement destination, emphasizing the importance of financial safety and quality of life for retirees, according to Megan Wood, assistant managing editor for home services and real estate at U.S. News & World Report.