Where Retirees Are Moving in 2026: The Data Behind the Shift

• By Steven Hill
Where Retirees Are Moving in 2026: The Data Behind the Shift

Florida used to be the obvious answer.

For decades, the retirement migration story was straightforward: leave the cold, the taxes, and the high cost of living behind, and head to the Sunshine State. In 1990, more than one in four retirees who crossed state lines moved to Florida. Seven of the top ten cities for migrating retirees were in Florida. 1

That story has changed — gradually at first, then all at once.

In 2025, Florida remained the number one state for retiree inbound moves. But it was also the number one state for retiree outbound moves. Nearly as many adults aged 65 and over left Florida as arrived. Sixteen other states posted stronger net gains among retirement-age residents. 2

What is driving this shift, where retirees are actually going, and what the numbers say about the financial pressures behind those decisions — that is what this page covers. For a look at the specific ZIP codes experiencing the fastest growth as a result, see Fastest Growing ZIP Codes in America. For the savings data behind the financial pressure, see The Retirement Savings Crisis.

How Many Retirees Are Moving

Just over 2.1 million Americans aged 65 and older moved in 2025. Of those, nearly 1 in 5 relocated to a different state. 2

Nearly one million people aged 60 and over crossed state lines in 2023 — the most recent year for full ACS data. That figure has held relatively steady even as the overall U.S. moving rate has declined from 20% of the population per year in the 1980s to under 9% today. Retirement-age Americans who do move tend to be making longer-horizon decisions — and that makes the data on where they go more meaningful as a signal. 3

The States Gaining the Most Retirees

South Carolina: The New Leader

South Carolina led the nation in net retirement-age migration in 2025, adding 5,427 adults aged 65 and over on a net basis. The people arriving came primarily from North Carolina (2,014), Florida (1,862), New York (1,010), Georgia (982), and Pennsylvania (729). 2

More than 1 in 8 of the roughly 14,000 older adults who moved to South Carolina in 2025 came directly from Florida. The Hilton Head-Bluffton area specifically reached the top domestic migration spot nationally in 2025 — climbing from 17th place in 2022 to number one. 4

Florida: Still Number One in Volume, No Longer Dominant

Florida remains the top retirement destination by raw inbound numbers. Approximately 45,700 adults aged 65 and over moved to Florida in 2025. But nearly 44,900 left — also more than any other state. The net result placed Florida well below South Carolina, Texas, and North Carolina in net retirement-age migration. 2

Florida’s once-unrivaled affordability has eroded. Homeowner’s insurance typically runs $4,000 to $6,000 per year — compared to $1,200 to $1,800 in states like Pennsylvania. One AARP-interviewed retiree who left Florida after 30 years put it simply: “It’s not affordable like it used to be. That’s why a lot of people are moving out.” 2

The Full Top Five

The five states receiving the most retirement-age residents in net terms in 2025: 5

  • South Carolina — 5,427 net gain, ages 65+
  • Texas — large inbound volume, strong net positive
  • North Carolina — consistent top-tier performer
  • Arizona — Mesa ranked as the top city nationally for net retiree gain
  • Florida — top in raw inbound volume, though net gains now trail multiple competitors

Rising Stars: Tennessee and Idaho

Tennessee emerged as one of the more notable climbers. Its lack of income tax continues to attract residents, but the newer draw is economic momentum centered around Nashville. Idaho saw consistent monthly inflows from retirees and remote workers throughout the year — not seasonal spikes but steady, year-round demand. 6

The States Losing the Most Retirees

California and New York: The Long Goodbye

California recorded a net loss of 12,963 older adults in 2025. New York lost 8,648. Those leaving California most often relocated to Arizona, Texas, Nevada, and Washington. 2

California loses roughly 230,000 residents per year on a net domestic basis across all age groups. With immigration declining sharply in 2025, the buffer that previously offset those losses has largely disappeared. 7

The Pattern Across High-Cost States

The states losing the most retirement-age residents share a common profile: California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut. All are high-tax, high-cost states where retirement income does not stretch as far. The primary motivations retirees cite for leaving: lower cost of living, no income tax on retirement income, and climate. 5

Why Retirees Are Moving: The Financial Pressure

The Fixed-Income Squeeze

Social Security’s 2026 cost-of-living adjustment was 2.8% — adding approximately $56 per month to the average benefit. At the same time, Medicare Part B premiums rose 9.7%, from $185 to $202.90 per month. For most retirees, Medicare premiums are deducted directly from Social Security — meaning the raise was effectively reduced before it arrived. 8

The Tax Calculation

As of 2026, 42 states do not tax Social Security benefits. For retirees in states that do, the cumulative cost over a 20-year retirement can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Florida, Texas, and Tennessee have no state income tax at all — a meaningful advantage on a fixed income. 9

A 2026 federal provision adds another variable: adults aged 65 and older now qualify for a $6,000 additional tax deduction that can reduce or offset taxes on Social Security income. Eligible individual filers must have income under $75,000; couples under $150,000. The provision runs through 2028. 8

Healthcare Access and Cost

A 65-year-old retiree can expect to spend approximately $172,500 in after-tax savings on healthcare costs throughout retirement — not including long-term care. Healthcare inflation is running faster than COLA adjustments. Moving to a lower-cost state can reduce housing and tax expenses, but healthcare availability varies significantly by geography — a trade-off that is often underestimated before a move is made. 10

The 53% Who Move Again

Approximately 53% of high-income retirees who relocate move again within five years. The costs that catch people off guard most often: insurance (particularly in Florida and coastal markets), travel to maintain family relationships (averaging $6,800 per year for relocated retirees), and the challenge of rebuilding social networks and medical relationships from scratch. 11

Generational Patterns Within the Retirement Migration Data

  • Baby Boomers — In 2024, nearly 94,000 boomers moved to Florida — more than twice the number who moved to any other single state. Florida recorded a net gain of approximately 38,000 boomers, the highest of any generation for any state 12
  • Gen X — Many are choosing Florida ahead of retirement, locking in locations while home prices still work in their favor. Gen X also carries the most debt of any generation ($6.69 trillion in 2025) 12
  • Silent Generation (75+) — Lowest moving numbers of any generation, reflecting the aging-in-place preference. Those who do move follow the same Sun Belt pattern — Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas

One data point unites every generation: they are all leaving California. The state records the highest negative net migration rate among all age groups. 12

What the Trend Line Looks Like Going Forward

Florida’s Rebalancing

Florida will almost certainly remain a top-five retirement destination by volume. What has changed is the assumption that it is automatically the right choice. Rising insurance costs, a more expensive housing market, and the accumulated experience of retirees who left have created space for competing destinations.

South Carolina’s Ascent

South Carolina’s run to the top of the net migration rankings did not happen overnight. The combination of coastal access, lower costs than Florida, favorable taxes, and proximity to both Florida and the Northeast gives it structural advantages that are difficult to replicate quickly.

The Healthcare Access Variable

As Baby Boomers move deeper into their 70s and 80s over the next decade, healthcare access will become a more dominant factor. States and metros with both affordability and strong medical infrastructure — cities like Nashville, Charlotte, and Raleigh — will have a significant competitive advantage over rural retirement communities that offer lower costs but thinner healthcare networks.

The Financial Pressure Is Not Going Away

The potential for a 23-25% Social Security benefits cut by the early 2030s — if Congress does not act on the trust fund shortfall — would materially accelerate the financial pressure to reduce living costs. States with no income tax, lower insurance costs, and manageable property taxes are likely to continue benefiting from that pressure for years to come.

Sources

Page last updated: April 2026. State-level Census ACS migration data updates annually. Monthly moving activity data from HireAHelper / PGM updates each quarter.

Footnotes

  1. Urban Institute, “The Shifting Retiree Migration,” research analysis comparing 1990 to 2005-2010 Census migration patterns. https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/shifting-retiree-migration ↩

  2. AARP, “Top 10 States Where Retirees Moved in 2025,” citing HireAHelper / PGM data on approximately 15 million moves, March 2026. https://www.aarp.org/money/retirement/retirees-top-states-2025/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  3. SmartAsset, “Where Retirees Are Moving — 2025 Study,” Census Bureau 2023 ACS data, June 2025. https://smartasset.com/data-studies/where-retirees-move-2025 ↩

  4. U.S. Census Bureau, “Jobs, Warm Weather and Retirement Destinations Contribute to Domestic Migration Patterns,” Vintage 2025 analysis, March 2026. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2026/03/county-domestic-migration-trends.html ↩

  5. SafeMoney.com, “Retirement Migration Statistics 2026: Where Americans Move,” March 2026. https://safemoney.com/retirement-statistics/retirement-migration-statistics/ ↩ ↩2

  6. HireAHelper, “The 2026 HireAHelper Moving Migration Report,” analysis of nearly 15 million moves in 2025, January 2026. https://www.hireahelper.com/moving-statistics/migration-report/2026/ ↩

  7. KNSI / Multiple sources, “Where Americans Are Moving in 2026,” citing Census Bureau Vintage 2025 and United Van Lines 49th Annual National Movers Study, March 2026. https://knsiradio.com/2026/03/19/where-americans-are-moving-in-2026-the-cities-gaining-and-losing-the-most-residents/ ↩

  8. AARP, “How 2026 Social Security Changes Could Affect You,” January 2026. https://www.aarp.org/social-security/biggest-2026-changes/ ↩ ↩2

  9. Retirely, “6 Social Security Changes in 2026 Every Retiree Needs to Know,” March 2026. https://retire.ly/2026/03/23/6-social-security-changes-in-2026-every-retiree-needs-to-know-before-filing-taxes/ ↩

  10. DeMar Consulting Group / Fidelity Investments 2025 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, December 2025. https://demarconsultinggroup.com/insights/why-rapidly-rising-healthcare-costs-medicare-adjustments-make-late-2025-retirement-planning-more-urgent-than-ever/ ↩

  11. Langan Financial Group, “Should You Move States in Retirement? Why 53% of Movers Come Back,” 2025. https://langanfinancialgroup.com/should-you-move-states-in-retirement/ ↩

  12. RetirementLiving.com, “Where Each Generation Is Moving Across the U.S. in 2025,” November 2025. https://www.retirementliving.com/generational-moving-trends ↩ ↩2 ↩3

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