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Massachusetts might not have 365 days of sunshine a year or consistently warm temperatures, but it does have some pretty great places to retire.
And if you don't believe us, think about this: there are currently 1.2 million Massachusetts residents 65 and older enjoying all that the Bay State has to offer while you're still trying to figure out where you should spend your golden years. But, don't fret. HomeSnacks is here to let you in on the secret: we've created a list of the best places to retire in Massachusetts for 2023 and listed below.
The million dollar question, however: what is it about Massachusetts that makes people want to spend their golden years in this New England state? Is it the Boston Baked Beans? Worcester's world famous chowdah'? Or, that Massachusetts' is one of the best states in America?
Probably all of this and then some, folks; but since we can't give opinions a number, we had to consult the data to determine why Bay Staters are clamoring to get their hands on one of the state's best places to retire. So, we looked at the latest Census data for places in Massachachusetts with at least 10,000 residents and this left us with 69 cities that any retiree would be lucky to call home. We also looked at important factors that most people looking to retire would want to know: like, cost of living, low crime, and how close a place is to an international airport.
So, want to know where you, too, can be part of Massachusetts cool 'silver' crowd? Keep reading.
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Massachusetts For 2023
Why did Hull take the top spot? And where are Boston and Worcester?
People are always asking HomeSnacks why we create these lists and our answer is simply this: we are here to help people find the best living situation possible so there are no regrets. And in Massachusetts' case, we wouldn't want anyone getting stuck spending their precious retirement years in one of Massachusetts' worst places to live. Incidentally, this is our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in The Baked Bean State, so don't wait because the word is out.
So, want to know where the best place is to retire in Massachusetts? Well, the latest data points to the very deserving Hull.
And if you want to know where the rest of Massachusetts' best places to retire are located, take a look below. And if you don't find what you're looking for there, hit that down arrow.
For more Massachusetts state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Cheapest Places To Live In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Massachusetts
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Massachusetts For 2023
/10
Population: 10,120
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Rent: $1,672
Distance to Closest Airport: 6 miles
More on Hull: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 28,382
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Rent: $1,276
Distance to Closest Airport: 9 miles
More on Milton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 18,282
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 3)
Median Rent: $1,366
Distance to Closest Airport: 31 miles
More on Newburyport: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 15,863
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,871
Distance to Closest Airport: 9 miles
More on Longmeadow: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 29,814
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Rent: $1,256
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Gloucester: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 27,041
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 4)
Median Rent: $1,643
Distance to Closest Airport: 10 miles
More on Wakefield: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 28,521
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 3)
Median Rent: $1,140
Distance to Closest Airport: 7 miles
More on Saugus: Real Estate | Data
/10
Population: 10,702
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,322
Distance to Closest Airport: 23 miles
More on Maynard: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 25,483
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,619
Distance to Closest Airport: 12 miles
More on Reading: Real Estate | Data
/10
Population: 46,045
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 1)
Median Rent: $1,797
Distance to Closest Airport: 8 miles
More on Arlington: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Bay State for 2023
To create our list of the best places in Massachusetts to retire, we first used Census data to find all places in the Bay State -- 245 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren't townships. This left us with 69 places from across the state.
For these 69, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI's Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criteria from one to 69, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Hull, with the lowest average rank was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second careers. You can download the data here.
Summary: Maybe You're Not Ready To Retire In Massachusetts Yet...
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Massachusetts goes to Hull.
If you're not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Lawrence
- Brockton
- Worcester
For more Massachusetts reading, check out:
Where Are The Best Places To Retire In Massachusetts?
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hull | 10,120 |
| 2 | Milton | 28,382 |
| 3 | Newburyport | 18,282 |
| 4 | Longmeadow | 15,863 |
| 5 | Gloucester | 29,814 |
| 6 | Wakefield | 27,041 |
| 7 | Saugus | 28,521 |
| 8 | Maynard | 10,702 |
| 9 | Reading | 25,483 |
| 10 | Arlington | 46,045 |
