"I have lived in Fort Myers for over 30 years and I couldn't agree with this more. Our community is amazing. There is so much support for local residents and local businesses. It's amazing to watch our community come together when someone is in need (even outside of our community)." -Gibby Eagle
If you currently reside in Fort Myers, you are already ahead of the game!
The list of best places to retire in 2020 is curated based on data analyzed for the 125 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. “to assess how well they meet Americans’ retirement needs and expectations,” according to U.S. News & World Report.
Top criteria taken into account: Happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates and healthcare quality.
U.S. World News & Report described Fort Myers as:
"For many years the Southwest Gulf Coast’s population had little growth and remained somewhat isolated from the rest of the Sunshine State. That seclusion ended in the early 1900s when inventor Thomas Edison and industrialist Henry Ford built winter homes in Fort Myers. At the start of the 20th century, the City of Palms started to boom. And that growth has continued to this day."
"Nestled alongside the Caloosahatchee River in Southwest Florida, Fort Myers is a midsize metro area. It has retained its small-town heritage though, with a charming downtown lined with shops and restaurants, many of which are dog-friendly. Museums, parades, festivals, theaters, parks, historical sites and art galleries pepper the metro area and its social calendar."
"Just a few miles away, Fort Myers Beach, Cape Coral and Sanibel Island are popular among boaters, kayakers, sailors and anglers."
Here are the top 10:
- Fort Myers, Florida (also ranked 35 on the list for best places to live)
- Sarasota, Florida
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas