Orlando and Ottawa crowned best US and Canadian locations to retire.
Our new research reveals the best locations to retire in across the United States and Canada, with Orlando and Ottawa taking the top spots.
For those dreaming of a relaxed retirement built around green spaces, golf courses and good coffee, the findings highlight the places offering the greatest combination of amenities and affordable local transport.
By comparing the number of green spaces, golf courses and cafes in each places, alongside local transport costs, our online casino team has identified the top 15 retirement destinations in the US and the top five in Canada, with each location receiving a final indexed score out of 100.
The Best US Places to Retire In
Below is the list of the top 15 places in the United States and their final scores.
Rank | Location | State | Green Spaces | Golf Courses | Cafes | Local Transport Cost $ | Final Score |
1 | Orlando | Florida | 67 | 36 | 208 | 2.00 | 97.49 |
2 | Tampa | Florida | 152 | 18 | 149 | 2.00 | 90.11 |
3 | Scottsdale | Arizona | 57 | 36 | 90 | 2.30 | 77.85 |
4 | Colorado Springs | Colorado | 115 | 10 | 102 | 1.75 | 70.51 |
5 | Boise | Idaho | 70 | 8 | 52 | 1.50 | 54.00 |
6 | Chattanooga | Tennessee | 56 | 11 | 41 | 2.00 | 50.67 |
7 | Fort Wayne | Indiana | 30 | 13 | 30 | 1.50 | 47.49 |
8 | Asheville | North Carolina | 60 | 2 | 64 | 2.00 | 47.13 |
9 | Huntsville | Alabama | 40 | 5 | 33 | 2.00 | 41.45 |
10 | Palm Coast | Florida | 20 | 11 | 11 | 2.50 | 37.94 |
11 | Casper | Wyoming | 25 | 3 | 10 | 1.00 | 36.93 |
12 | Greenville | South Carolina | 42 | 8 | 41 | 5.00 | 35.69 |
13 | Midland | Michigan | 23 | 3 | 14 | 2.00 | 33.85 |
14 | The Woodlands | Texas | 14 | 4 | 19 | 2.50 | 32.06 |
15 | Lynchburg | Virginia | 13 | 1 | 16 | 2.00 | 30.55 |
Orlando claims the top spot with an impressive final score of 97.49, supported by 208 cafes and 36 golf courses. Its combination of leisure amenities puts it ahead of Tampa, which follows in second place with 90.11.
Florida is particularly well represented, with three cities making the top ten. Tampa boasts 152 green spaces, the highest number of any city in the US rankings, while Palm Coast rounds out the state’s representation in tenth place.
Scottsdale in Arizona takes third place with a score of 77.85, matching Orlando’s 36 golf courses. Colorado Springs follows in fourth with 115 green spaces and 102 cafes, while Boise completes the top five with a score of 54.00.
Further down the rankings, Chattanooga, Fort Wayne, Asheville and Huntsville occupy positions six to nine. Asheville stands out for its 60 green spaces and 64 cafes, while Chattanooga records a final score of 50.67.
Casper in Wyoming ranks 11th but has the lowest local transport cost in the US top 15 at 1.00. Greenville, meanwhile, has the highest transport cost at 5.00, despite ranking 12th overall.
Midland, The Woodlands and Lynchburg complete the US rankings, with Lynchburg taking 15th place on 30.55.
The Best Canadian Places To Retire In
Meanwhile, in Canada, Ottawa leads the way with a final score of 96.77, comfortably ahead of the other four locations included in the study.
Rank | Location | Province | Green Spaces | Golf Courses | Cafes | Local Transport Cost (CAD) | Final Score |
1 | Ottawa | Ontario | 156 | 24 | 184 | 4.05 | 96.77 |
2 | Kelowna | British Columbia | 59 | 17 | 67 | 2.50 | 68.22 |
3 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 42 | 15 | 70 | 3.00 | 54.35 |
4 | Victoria | British Columbia | 46 | 5 | 132 | 3.00 | 52.70 |
5 | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | 32 | 5 | 16 | 2.38 | 37.86 |
Ottawa takes first place with 156 green spaces, 184 cafes and 24 golf courses. Its final score of 96.77 makes it Canada’s leading retirement destination in the study, although its local transport cost of 4.05 CAD is the highest among the five cities.
Kelowna in British Columbia follows in second place with a score of 68.22, supported by 59 green spaces and 67 cafes. Halifax takes third on 54.35, with 15 golf courses and 70 cafes.
Victoria ranks fourth with a score of 52.70. The British Columbia city has 132 cafes, the second-highest total in the Canadian rankings, despite having just five golf courses.
Rounding out the list is Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, which scores 37.86. It has the lowest local transport cost of the five Canadian cities at 2.38 CAD, alongside 32 green spaces and five golf courses.
Methodology
The top retirement destinations in North America were identified by analysing cities across the United States and Canada.
Each city was assessed using the number of green spaces, golf courses and cafes listed on Tripadvisor, alongside local transport costs sourced from Numbeo.
The data was then weighted and combined to calculate a final indexed score out of 100, with US and Canadian cities scored separately and ranked from highest to lowest.
Data correct as of September 2026.
