Relocation
Best Counties to Retire In: Life Expectancy, Healthcare, and Low Crime
By Marcus Webb · July 14, 2026
Where you retire determines how long you live, how well you're treated when sick, and how safe you feel day to day. These counties score highest on all three measures, and several sit in states that also offer serious tax advantages.
Where you retire is one of the most consequential health decisions you will ever make. Counties in the top quartile for healthcare access show life expectancy gaps of up to 6.4 years compared to counties in the bottom quartile, according to County Health Rankings data (as of late 2025, the most recent county-level figures available).
Why Counties Matter More Than States
State-level retirement rankings miss the real story. Florida is a tax haven, but Miami-Dade County's violent crime rate runs nearly three times higher than Sarasota County, just 75 miles north. Pennsylvania has mixed tax treatment of retirement income, but Chester County consistently ranks among the top 20 counties nationally for health outcomes. The county you pick inside a state shapes your daily reality far more than the state's branding.
We pulled data across three metrics: life expectancy at the county level, hospital quality scores from CMS, and FBI-reported violent crime rates per 100,000 residents. Here are the counties that came out on top.
Top Counties for Life Expectancy and Healthcare
Douglas County, Colorado posts a life expectancy of 83.4 years, the highest of any large county in the Mountain West. It sits within driving distance of UCHealth and SCL Health systems, both of which carry 4-star or higher CMS ratings. Median home values are high, around $620,000, but the surrounding Parker and Castle Rock areas offer more affordable options, and Colorado exempts the first $24,000 of pension income from state income tax for residents 65 and older.
Collier County, Florida (Naples) records a life expectancy of 82.9 years and a violent crime rate of 117 per 100,000, well below the national average of 380 per 100,000. NCH Healthcare System operates two hospitals in the county, both with strong cardiac and orthopedic ratings. Florida has no state income tax and no estate tax, which is a substantial advantage for retirees drawing down savings. See our breakdown of best states for retirees to avoid taxes for the full picture.
Loudoun County, Virginia reports a life expectancy of 83.1 years and a violent crime rate of 74 per 100,000, one of the lowest among counties with populations above 400,000. Inova Loudoun Hospital holds a 5-star CMS rating. Virginia taxes Social Security only for residents with federal adjusted gross income above $50,000, and the state offers an age deduction of up to $12,000 for residents 65 and older.
St. Johns County, Florida (Ponte Vedra, near Jacksonville) combines a life expectancy of 82.6 years with a violent crime rate of 96 per 100,000. Median home prices have risen to around $480,000, but the county's property tax rate of 0.94% is low, and Florida's tax structure means no income tax on Social Security, pensions, or investment withdrawals. Check our post on states that don't tax Social Security to see how that stacks up nationally.
Low Crime Is a Retirement Variable, Not a Bonus
Crime directly affects health outcomes for older adults. A 2024 NIH-cited study found that seniors living in high-crime ZIP codes show measurably higher cortisol levels and faster cognitive decline than peers in low-crime areas. This is not a lifestyle preference issue. It is a longevity issue.
The lowest violent crime rates among retirement-age-heavy counties (where 20% or more of residents are 65 and older) belong to:
- Ozaukee County, Wisconsin: 88 per 100,000 violent crimes
- Los Alamos County, New Mexico: 74 per 100,000
- St. Johns County, Florida: 96 per 100,000
- Loudoun County, Virginia: 74 per 100,000
What These Counties Cost
None of these top-ranked counties are the cheapest options available. But cost should be measured against what you get. A retiree in Collier County paying $480,000 for a home faces zero state income tax, low crime, and access to high-rated healthcare within 20 minutes. The same retiree in a lower-cost county in a high-tax state may pay less for housing but lose thousands annually to state income and estate taxes.
Use our retirement cost calculator to model your specific income, assets, and spending against the actual tax and cost-of-living profile of any county you are considering.
Key Takeaways
- Loudoun County, VA and St. Johns County, FL both post violent crime rates below 100 per 100,000, compared to a national average of 380 per 100,000.
- Life expectancy gaps between top and bottom counties reach 6.4 years, making county selection a direct health variable.
- Florida counties dominate the intersection of low crime, strong healthcare access, and zero state income tax, with Collier and St. Johns counties leading the combined ranking.
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