GoBankingRates ranked retirement cities across the country by safety and wealth — and Oro Valley tops the list for retirees with money.
The personal finance website’s lauds these statistics about Oro Valley, the suburb about 3 miles north of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s city limits that’s home to some 47,000 people:
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.57;
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.41;
- Ages 65-plus average retirement income: $52,098;
- Average single-family home value: $525,380 (according to the Zillow Home Value Index for September 2024);
- Livability score: 81.
Oro Valley
Only cities where at least 25% of the population is age 65 or more were included by GoBankingRates.
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Six other ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ places made the list of 30 cities and towns ranked as the safest and wealthiest for retirement: Prescott (No. 9), Lake Havasu City (13), Scottsdale (14), Prescott Valley (17), Apache Junction (21) and Bullhead City (26).
After Oro Valley, the top five nationally were Pinehurst, North Carolina; Bella Vista, Arkansas; Rancho Palos Verdes, California; and Georgetown, Texas.
Overall, 12 of “the safest and richest retirement towns†are in California, while Florida has none, according to GoBankingRates.
Each city’s livability score was sourced from AreaVibes, which :
- Crime per 100,000 people is significantly lower than the national average, for both violent and property crimes.
- Employment score is high because of the town’s “higher than average median household income, income per capita and lower unemployment rates.â€
- Housing offers “a favorable home affordability ratio, higher home values and appreciation rates.â€
- Health features include “good air quality†as well as nearby hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, fire and police stations.
- Schools earn “a high score due to factors like exceptional test scores†and “strong education levels.â€
On the flip side, AreaVibes says cons to living in Oro Valley include “high cost of living, translating to elevated costs for homes, goods and services, groceries, utilities, health care and transportation;†and that most amenities are not within walking distance.
The study also examined data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey.
