Ready for retirement? You may want to look beyond Fresno.
The Central Valley city ranks among the five worst places in the nation to spend your golden years, according to a new study by WalletHub.
The personal finance platform recently ranked the best and worst places to retire in the United States, based on affordability, healthcare and other factors.
Since many retirees are on fixed incomes, it’s important to choose your retirement destination carefully, according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
“The best cities for retired people are those that minimize taxes and expenses, as well as have good opportunities for retirees to continue paid work for extra income,” Lupo said. “The top cities provide high-quality healthcare and offer plenty of enjoyable activities for retirees.”
Here’s where Fresno ranked on the list, and why:
Why does Fresno rank among worst cities for retirees?
Fresno ranked near the bottom of WalletHub’s list of the top cities for retirement, ranking No. 179 out of 182 cities.
That means it’s among the worst spots in the nation for retirees.
The Central Valley city scored particularly low in the activities and healthcare categories, performing slightly better in terms of affordability and quality of life.
For instance, Fresno ranked among the 30 worst cities in terms of adult volunteer opportunities per capita and the percentage of employed adults ages 65 and older.
Fresno was far from the only California city with poor marks.
California was home to six of the nation’s worst cities for retirement, according to WalletHub.
What are the worst US cities for retirees?
According to WalletHub, Stockton was the nation’s worst city for retirees due to low marks across key affordability and healthcare metrics.
According to WalletHub, these were the worst 10 cities for retirees in 2026:
Stockton
San Bernardino
Newark, New Jersey
Fresno
Rancho Cucamonga
Bakersfield
Tacoma, Washington
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Detroit
Fontana
Where are the top 10 places to retire in the US?
WalletHub named Orlando, Florida, the No. 1 city for retirees in the United States in 2026, reinforcing the Sunshine State’s reputation as a haven for older folks.
A primary driver behind Orlando’s top ranking is its favorable tax climate. Florida imposes no state income tax, estate tax or inheritance tax, making it ideal for those living off savings.
Orlando provides a “plethora of recreational activities for retirees,” with high numbers of art galleries, music venues and fishing facilities, WalletHub financial writer Adam McCann said in a Monday, Aug. 31, article. plus
In addition to relatively affordable adult daycare, the Florida city ranks among the top 10 spots in the nation for hospitals specializing in geriatrics and home healthcare facilities per capita.
According to WalletHub, these were the top 10 cities for retirees in 2026:
Orlando, Florida
Miami
Tampa, Florida
Scottsdale, Arizona
Casper, Wyoming
Atlanta
Minneapolis
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Charleston, South Carolina
Pittsburgh
Are you ready for retirement?
More than one-third of Americans lack confidence that they will save enough money to fully retire, according to a new survey conducted by WalletHub.
Specifically, only 21% of workers feel highly confident about possessing adequate funds for retirement, the study found.
As a result, many in labor force anticipate pushing back their target exit dates, WalletHub said.
While the median retirement age remains at 65, nearly three-quarters of workers told surveyers that they intend to stay employed in some capacity after officially retiring.
About 40% of survey participants said hey expect to remain in the workforce for the rest of their lives.
In addition, WalletHub found, more than two in five Americans are prioritizing paying off debts over making routine contributions to retirement accounts.
How did WalletHub rank best cities to spend retirement?
To evaluate retirement friendliness across the nation, WalletHub analyzed 182 cities, including the 150 most populated U.S. municipalities and at least two of the largest cities in every state.
The personal finance website focused on four main categories: affordability, activities, quality of life and healthcare.
Because living expenses form a critical part of retirement planning, the study operated under the baseline assumption that retirees live on a fixed income. Consequently, cities offering lower day-to-day expenditures and better access to support services received higher overall scores.
WalletHub relied on data from sources including the FBI, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau and Council for Community and Economic Research.