People in all walks of life move for a number of reasons. For example, 24% of recent home buyers said they made a move because they had a desire to own a home. Meanwhile, 9% moved due to a job-related reason, and 8% bought a new home and moved in order to be in a better area or to improve their family’s situation.
But what about the elderly? Where are they, and why do they move in the first place? As the old cliche goes, when people retire, they pack their sunhats and tackiest t-shirts and head to Florida. A new study, however, showed which states retirees are actually flocking to these days, and the results may be surprising.
Recently, the U.S. Census Bureau crunched some numbers and discovered exactly where baby boomers and older generations have relocated. Here are the top three states retirees are moving to as of this year:
1. South Carolina: South Carolina has a plethora of perks to offer retirees. With a number of beautiful beaches, a low cost of living, and low property taxes, South Carolina is a bit of a destination for retirees. In 2014, the net migration of people over the age of 60 moving to the state was 12,295.
2. Arizona: In 2014, this state had four of the top 10 cities that retired individuals locate to, with Mesa, Arizona at number one. Others that made the list were Phoenix, Chandler, and Scottsdale. With pleasant weather and low tax rates, the net migration of people over 60 in 2014 was 18,733.
3. Florida: Are you surprised? We sure aren’t. In 2014, more than 57,724 people moved to Florida due to the beautiful weather and the lack of individual income taxation. Additionally, three Florida cities appeared on the same top 10 list, these cities being Cape Coral, Jacksonville, and Port St. Lucie.