Florida has long been known as a haven for retirees, and for good reason. The southernmost state in the continental U.S. offers 237 days of sunshine per year vs. the nationwide average of 205, earning its nickname “The Sunshine State.” As seniors tend to prefer warmer climates, this alone is one of the main reasons why Florida is so popular with retirees. But the state is also very tax-friendly.
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For starters, there is no state income tax in Florida. This can help stretch the budgets of those trying to live off a Social Security check, and it also means distributions from retirement plans like an IRA or a 401(k) also avoid tax at the state level. While not the lowest in the nation, Florida’s average effective property tax rate is less than 1%, with median taxes paid in 2023 of just $2,143. For retirees moving from high-tax states like New Jersey, where residents pay an average $8,797 thanks to the state’s 2.47% average effective tax rate, moving to Florida can feel like a windfall. Lastly, Florida has the most sales tax holidays in the nation, which exempts certain items like flashlights, batteries and school supplies from sales tax at certain times during the year.
To determine which Florida cities had the highest retirement populations in 2023, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the U.S. Census American Consumer Survey regarding total overall population and the number of residents age 65 or older in each of the largest 100 cities in Florida. Cities are presented below in reverse order based on the total residents 65 and older, with the largest retirement population appearing last. The percentage of residents 65 and older is also provided, based on calculations using the U.S. Census data.
Here are the 20 Florida cities retirees have flocked to this year.
Tallahassee
- Total population: 195,057
- Total residents 65 years and over: 21,133
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 10.83%
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Palm Bay
- Total population: 118,709
- Total residents 65 years and over: 21,478
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 18.09%
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West Palm Beach
- Total population: 115,877
- Total residents 65 years and over: 22,879
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 19.74%
Hollywood
- Total population: 152,597
- Total residents 65 years and over: 23,946
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 15.69%
Lakeland
- Total population: 110,401
- Total residents 65 years and over: 24,069
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 21.80%
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Boca Raton
- Total population: 95,347
- Total residents 65 years and over: 25,038
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 26.26%
Palm Coast
- Total population: 88,313
- Total residents 65 years and over: 25,670
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 29.07%
Spring Hill
- Total population: 114,706
- Total residents 65 years and over: 25,708
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 22.41%
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Clearwater
- Total population: 116,616
- Total residents 65 years and over: 26,828
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 23.01%
Pembroke Pines
- Total population: 170,346
- Total residents 65 years and over: 30,335
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 17.81%
Orlando
- Total population: 302,968
- Total residents 65 years and over: 31,929
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 10.54%
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Fort Lauderdale
- Total population: 182,247
- Total residents 65 years and over: 33,076
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 18.15%
Port St. Lucie
- Total population: 202,177
- Total residents 65 years and over: 41,156
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 20.36%
Hialeah
- Total population: 224,362
- Total residents 65 years and over: 45,013
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 20.06%
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Cape Coral
- Total population: 193,003
- Total residents 65 years and over: 47,034
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 24.37%
Tampa
- Total population: 380,476
- Total residents 65 years and over: 48,807
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 12.83%
St. Petersburg
- Total population: 258,245
- Total residents 65 years and over: 49,782
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 19.28%
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The Villages
- Total population: 76,415
- Total residents 65 years and over: 65,486
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 85.70%
Miami
- Total population: 440,807
- Total residents 65 years and over: 72,132
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 16.36%
Jacksonville
- Total population: 937,690
- Total residents 65 years and over: 130,458
- Percentage of residents 65 and over: 13.91%
Methodology: To find the places in Florida where the retiree population is the largest, GOBankingRates analyzed the cities in Florida to find the total population and the population of people aged 65 and over as sourced from the US Census American Consumer Survey. Using these two data points, GOBankingRates can calculate the percent of retirement population within each city. The top 100 cities in terms of population of people aged 65 and over were kept and sorted to show the most people aged 65 and over. The percent aged 65 and over was included as supplemental information. All data was collected and is up-to-date as-of October 23rd, 2023.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Florida’s Retirees Are Staying: 20 Florida Cities With the Largest Retirement Populations in 2023
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