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GREENVILLE, N.C. — Many American retirees are looking to age in place, while others who have bid adieu to the workplace are seeking new locales. With no shortage of choices, how do they decide?

Some ways to narrow down the list include moving closer to grandkids or settling in a vacation spot that has generated family memories over the years. Folks who get the blues from high taxes and cold weather can find plenty of tax-friendly, warmer places to establish new roots. Those who want to stay active with outdoor recreation or by playing golf have their pick of communities near manicured club courses and the great outdoors.

Big cities have advantages, as do small towns with safe streets and quiet neighborhoods. Some of the best choices are idyllic suburbs—like Piermont, New York, and Shenandoah, Texas—that are just minutes away from the business bustle and cultural attractions of big cities. As always, Florida tends to dominate retirement hotspot lists with its year-round warm weather and pristine beaches.

To help retirees considering a move, Stacker referenced Niche’s 2021 Best Places to Retire study, which lists 50 American small towns that offer the best retirement options. Niche made its determinations according to retiree representation, weather quality, cost and safety, access to healthy living, and a host of other factors. For each town on this list, Stacker included the town’s resident population along with figures for owners, renters, and median household income.

While this data is the most current available, some housing statistics Niche uses to calculate its rankings—such as median home values and housing costs—are not entirely reflective of the current housing market. Since these numbers are subject to frequent changes and housing represents 5% of Niche’s total ranking, those statistics are omitted from forthcoming data points and do not detract from Niche’s overall assessment of the best places for retirees.

Read on to see which locations are the best spots to retire in America and where you might want to go.

Read more.