countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in Florida 2026

67 counties ranked by health care, safety, tax burden, and affordability.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in Florida

1Bradford County
60.1
2Sumter County
53.5
3St. Johns County
50.9
4Wakulla County
55.5
5Okaloosa County
52.3

All 67 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Florida

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Bradford County, FL6460.1
2Sumter County, FL6453.5
3St. Johns County, FL6350.9
4Wakulla County, FL6355.5
5Okaloosa County, FL6352.3
6Gilchrist County, FL6261.1
7Calhoun County, FL6262.1
8Gulf County, FL6254.7
9Franklin County, FL6155
10Suwannee County, FL6156.2
11Walton County, FL6152.6
12Gadsden County, FL6051.7
13Highlands County, FL6048.5
14Lafayette County, FL5962.8
15Washington County, FL5953.5
16Glades County, FL5854.1
17Escambia County, FL5848.9
18Jackson County, FL5853.8
19Union County, FL5757.2
20Taylor County, FL5752.9
21Santa Rosa County, FL5747.9
22Nassau County, FL5648.6
23Manatee County, FL5645.3
24Lake County, FL5646
25Liberty County, FL5653.4
26Jefferson County, FL5557
27Flagler County, FL5545.5
28Charlotte County, FL5344.5
29Pasco County, FL5142.3
30Collier County, FL5045.7
31Citrus County, FL5043.2
32Levy County, FL5047.6
33Broward County, FL5041.8
34Madison County, FL5050.3
35Holmes County, FL4951.3
36Martin County, FL4941.6
37Indian River County, FL4945
38Brevard County, FL4941.3
39Baker County, FL4945.7
40Dixie County, FL4851
41Seminole County, FL4841.8
42Monroe County, FL4846.2
43Clay County, FL4844
44Sarasota County, FL4844
45Lee County, FL4536.4
46Columbia County, FL4344.2
47Polk County, FL4338
48Hillsborough County, FL4135.8
49Volusia County, FL4034.2
50Hernando County, FL4038.1
51Bay County, FL4036.9
52Palm Beach County, FL4037.5
53Hamilton County, FL4043.3
54St. Lucie County, FL3936.6
55Marion County, FL3935.4
56Pinellas County, FL3936.2
57Alachua County, FL3732.1
58Leon County, FL3734.4
59Hendry County, FL3734.9
60Putnam County, FL3637.5
61Osceola County, FL3531.8
62Orange County, FL3532
63Okeechobee County, FL3231.6
64DeSoto County, FL3231.5
65Hardee County, FL3134.6
66Miami-Dade County, FL3030.4
67Duval County, FL3030.3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in Florida?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, Bradford County ranks as the top retirement county in Florida with a retirement score of 64.

How many counties in Florida are ranked for retirement?

We rank 67 counties in Florida for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse Florida Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.