Best Counties for Retirement in Michigan 2026

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

Top 5 Retirement Counties in Michigan

1Keweenaw County

All 83 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Michigan

Rank	County	Persona Score	Overall Score
1	Keweenaw County, MI	73	71.6
2	Leelanau County, MI	72	60.9
3	Presque Isle County, MI	71	70.1
4	Dickinson County, MI	69	58.2
5	Menominee County, MI	66	56
6	Livingston County, MI	66	54.6
7	Emmet County, MI	66	55.3
8	Alger County, MI	65	64.3
9	Midland County, MI	64	52.4
10	Houghton County, MI	64	54.6
11	Antrim County, MI	63	54.7
12	Ionia County, MI	61	50.7
13	Benzie County, MI	61	52.8
14	Ontonagon County, MI	61	63.5
15	Gogebic County, MI	61	55.5
16	Montmorency County, MI	60	52.5
17	Charlevoix County, MI	60	55.2
18	Ottawa County, MI	60	52.1
19	Alcona County, MI	60	62.1
20	Grand Traverse County, MI	59	50.7
21	Huron County, MI	59	55.5
22	Lapeer County, MI	59	49.3
23	Marquette County, MI	59	51
24	Sanilac County, MI	58	51.8
25	Delta County, MI	58	49.5
26	Baraga County, MI	58	55.7
27	Mason County, MI	58	52
28	Alpena County, MI	58	52.2
29	Lake County, MI	57	55.2
30	Iron County, MI	57	60.4
31	Chippewa County, MI	57	52.8
32	Iosco County, MI	56	50.3
33	Barry County, MI	56	46.2
34	Newaygo County, MI	56	50
35	Crawford County, MI	54	49.5
36	Osceola County, MI	53	51.2
37	Arenac County, MI	53	51.9
38	Oscoda County, MI	53	54.3
39	Missaukee County, MI	52	50.2
40	Gladwin County, MI	52	49.4
41	Cheboygan County, MI	52	51
42	Roscommon County, MI	52	47.4
43	Oakland County, MI	52	43.7
44	Otsego County, MI	52	50.8
45	Gratiot County, MI	50	43.1
46	St. Clair County, MI	50	42.3
47	Monroe County, MI	50	43.1
48	Tuscola County, MI	50	46.5
49	Luce County, MI	49	50
50	Schoolcraft County, MI	49	55.6
51	Mecosta County, MI	49	42.1
52	Eaton County, MI	48	39.7
53	Hillsdale County, MI	48	45.3
54	Ogemaw County, MI	48	41.7
55	Manistee County, MI	48	41.9
56	Shiawassee County, MI	47	42.7
57	Lenawee County, MI	47	40.3
58	Ingham County, MI	47	37.9
59	Cass County, MI	47	41.1
60	Allegan County, MI	46	40.2
61	Bay County, MI	46	39.4
62	Kalkaska County, MI	46	46.2
63	Mackinac County, MI	45	45.9
64	Oceana County, MI	45	46
65	Montcalm County, MI	44	38
66	Washtenaw County, MI	44	38
67	Clare County, MI	43	43.1
68	Van Buren County, MI	43	38.2
69	Clinton County, MI	42	33.8
70	Kent County, MI	42	36.8
71	Macomb County, MI	41	37.3
72	Wexford County, MI	40	36.8
73	Branch County, MI	40	37.2
74	Isabella County, MI	40	35.7
75	Berrien County, MI	38	32.7
76	St. Joseph County, MI	38	38.4
77	Genesee County, MI	37	31.5
78	Jackson County, MI	37	33.3
79	Muskegon County, MI	36	33.8
80	Kalamazoo County, MI	36	31
81	Saginaw County, MI	34	31.8
82	Calhoun County, MI	29	28.9
83	Wayne County, MI	26	25.6

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in Michigan?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, Keweenaw County ranks as the top retirement county in Michigan with a retirement score of 73.

How many counties in Michigan are ranked for retirement?

We rank 83 counties in Michigan for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

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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.