Pennsylvania appears to have become popular with retirees, as a new list of the best cities to retire to has ranked seven from Pennsylvania for its top ten in the United States.
Meanwhile, the state of Florida – long considered a haven for seniors settling down – only has one city in the top ten.
The list ranked the 150 largest metropolitan areas on a number of criteria: resident happiness, weather, healthcare, dining options and tax rates.
General ‘affordability’ on food, groceries, utilities and housing costs was given the largest share in the rankings.
The capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, topped the list compiled by US News and World Report.
The capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, topped a new list ranking the best cities to retire to compiled by US News and World Report
Harrisburg was rewarded for a median monthly mortgage price of just $945 and a median monthly rent of $1,019; making it friendly to the 17.7 percent of its population over 65.
It’s also a fairly reachable distance from several major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Washington.
Because of the high weight given to affordability, seven smaller cities in Pennsylvania made the top ten.
‘As retirees consider where to spend their golden years, they want areas that not only give them the best bang for their buck, but places where they can live a happy, healthy life,’ personal finance analyst Beverly Harzog told Insider.
Harrisburg, Reading, Lancaster, Scranton, Allentown, York and Pittsburgh all cracked the list due to their cost of living rates.
Youngstown was also in the top ten, which is in Pennsylvania’s neighboring state of Ohio.
While it’s certainly not considered an affordable place to live, New York City also was in the top ten due to the quality of hospitals and dining choices.
Curiously, the state of Florida only has one representative in the top ten, Daytona Beach.
Allentown (pictured) was one of seven Pennsylvania cities placed in the top ten
Scranton – famous for the TV series The Office – also cracked the top ten
Experts suggest that the regularity of hurricanes and other weather disasters outweigh the state’s relatively low tax rates. A mortgage is cheaper in Daytona Beach than in top-ranked Harrisburg, though rent is slightly higher.
‘Over the last year, Americans have observed record-high interest rates in the housing market, steadily increasing cost of goods, and extreme weather patterns impacting the living conditions of our nation, Harzog added.
It comes after a study earlier this year said Florida has officially been usurped as America’s retirement capital after locals complained they had been priced out of the Sunshine State.
Research by finance firm Wallet Hub found that Virginia is now the best state to retire to due to its relative affordability and accessible healthcare.
The study still ranked Florida in second place – though it marked a downgrade from its top position last year.
It was followed by Colorado, Wyoming, Delaware, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho and North Dakota.
Florida has officially been usurped as America’s retirement capital by Virginia after locals complained they had been priced out of the Sunshine State
The study assessed affordability, quality of life and access to health care and ranked them across 50 states.
Researchers factored in data from various agencies including the U.S Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Council for Community and Economic Research.
Virginia came out average in all three areas – ranking 16th for affordability and 11th for both quality of life and healthcare.
But its consistency across the categories meant it won the top spot altogether.
Meanwhile Florida ranked 9th place for affordability, 4th for quality of life – but was let down for its 28th ranking for healthcare.
The worst-ranking state was Kentucky which scored poorly in each category.
It was followed by New Jersey and Mississippi – the latter scored last place for quality of life.