Retirees Are Packing Up and Relocating to These Surprising Cities

The appeal of Southern life is not lost on America’s older population, with many being lured there in droves thanks to affordable housing and lower tax rates.

Adults aged 65-plus have a growing presence in metropolitan areas—up 9.4% between 2020 to 2003, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest population estimates. And Southern cities have seen the largest growth in that age group, with Myrtle Beach, SC, up 23.1%.

Texas boasts four cities in the top 10 that retirees are moving to, while North Carolina is home to three.

Following Myrtle Beach is Wilmington, NC (+18.4%), and Raleigh, NC (+18.3%), while Texas cities College Station (+17.6%) and Austin (+17.3%) round out the top five.

Boise City, ID (+17.1%), Charleston, SC (+15.7%), Houston (+15.3%), Durham, NC (+15.2%), and Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, and Provo, UT (both at +15.0%), round out the top 10.

Here’s more about the most popular cities for Americans aged 65-plus, along with the median price of a house in each area.

Myrtle Beach, SC 

Median home list price: $315,000

This Atlantic coastal city has long been known as a holiday destination. World-renowned golf courses and 60 miles of beaches are some of the attractions for locals and visitors alike.

“Myrtle Beach attracts a lot of home shoppers from other markets. In fact, 85% of home shoppers browsing property in Myrtle Beach are coming from somewhere else,” says Realtor.com senior economist Danielle Hale. “Shoppers from the New York area as well as nearby Charlotte, Atlanta, and Washington, DC, are among the top viewers.”

The reason this city is such a homebuyer magnet is its affordability.

“At $345,600, the typical home for sale in Myrtle Beach is priced more than $100,000 below the U.S. median,” Hale explains. “This means that housing dollars stretch further and retirees looking to downsize … can bank more of the profits from their previous home sale.”

The largely hospitable climate is one of the central factors for older people settling on the South Carolina coastline, according to Joel Barber, real estate agent at The Advantage Group in Myrtle Beach.

“Some of these main factors would be the climate, the beach, of course,” says Barber. “Another factor would be the affordability of housing compared to many parts of the country. Certainly, if a buyer was looking perhaps down in many parts of the Florida area, they would find that their dollars can go much further here.”

Barber says property tax is also a major factor for relocation to South Carolina. Homeowners pay just 0.53%, one of the lower rates in America.

According to the latest census data, the median household income in Myrtle Beach is $50,558.

Wilmington, NC

Median home list price: $489,900

Situated two hours from Raleigh and three hours from Myrtle Beach, Wilmington is another popular coastal space in the Carolinas for those in the later stages of life. It has become an alternative for those who want warm weather, beaches, and an outdoor lifestyle, all at a relatively modest cost. Residents in the city have an average household income of $63,835.

“The main reason is, people tell me, is they’re tired of the cold,” says Chris Duggins, real estate broker at Aimee and Co. in Wilmington. “They want to be somewhere where it’s more of a milder winter. And they also tell me that Florida is too hot in the summer. So they didn’t really want to go to Florida.”

While some locals hope their little city would stay that way, it’s growing more crowded. Many of Duggins’ clients come from the Northeast.

“The only time I’ve seen people moving out is because of job transfers,” says Duggins. “I’m not saying that that’s all of it, but that’s what I’ve seen—because of a better opportunity for jobs in Raleigh or Charlotte.”

Raleigh, NC

Median home list price: $523,340

Speaking of the state capitol, Raleigh has become a hub for technology in recent years, and although that might not bring retirees directly, it may draw them in as their children and grandkids settle here.

Raleigh is approximately two hours from the North Carolina coast and three hours from the Appalachian mountains.

“We have all four seasons, which they like, and we have excellent medical care,” says Ann Robinson, Compass team leader of distinctive homes in Raleigh. “We have such good job growth, that is attracting the younger families. And of course, the grandparents want to follow in many instances.”

The median household income of Raleigh residents is $75,424.

College Station, TX

Median home list price: $380,000

College Station might be mostly known for the presence of Texas A&M. For many, that is, in fact, the allure to living in East Texas.

“You have a lot of former students who desire to move back here and retire here and enjoy the amenities that Texas A&M affords those who live in the community,” says Jordan Kleckley, owner of Brick and Parcel Real Estate Group in College Station. “We get the Broadway shows and we get concerts, and we get all of those sorts of things like you would in a big city. But again, you don’t deal with the headache of traffic and congestion and long waits at restaurants.”

College Station is situated just 90 minutes from premiere health resources in Houston and two hours from Austin. The median household income in the city is $51,228.

Austin, TX

Median home list price: $639,950

Austin might be a hot spot for the younger generations, but its rich culture and climate have been attracting the older crowd for some time.

Data from the 2020 census shows that the 65-plus populace was the fastest-growing of any demographic.

In addition, 95.5% of demand for property in Austin was derived from outside of the county during the first quarter of 2024.

In 2023, Texas introduced legislation—for the first time in its history—that gives specific property tax breaks to the elderly and disabled. Per the latest census, the median household makes $89,415.