Florida has long been considered a dream destination for retirees hoping to spend their golden years enjoying sunshine and lower taxes. However, not all Florida cities are the same when it comes to your retirement prospects, and a new survey has named the three cities the ‘worst’ for Florida’s retirees.
According to the report, factors such as affordability, access to activities, quality of life, and healthcare all played major roles. And while Orlando earned the top spot as the best city in the country to retire, these three cities earned bottom marks in the things that will matter most to retirees.
These Florida Cities are the Worst for Retirees
According to WalletHub, which compared 182 U.S. cities while looking at 45 different key metrics, the worst Florida cities for retirees include:
WalletHub’s analysis of these cities focused on their retirement friendliness, according to the report, which ranked 182 cities; these three towns ranked lowest among those in Florida.
“It’s important to choose wisely when picking where to retire, as many retirees are on a fixed income,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a statement about the report. “As a result, 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, if they choose to do so. In addition, the top cities provide high-quality health care and offer plenty of enjoyable activities for retirees.” Here’s why these Florida cities didn’t make the top of the list.
Related: This State Was Just Named the Worst Place To Retire in the U.S.
Jacksonville Ranked 45th on the List
According to the report, Jacksonville was the best of the bottom three, ranking 45th on the list. It ended up with higher marks due to its affordability rating, which ranked the city 21st out of 182 cities. However, it received lower marks in its healthcare rating, placing the city at 122nd on the list.
According to Jacksonville’s own website, the city also appears to have limited public transportation, which could be a deterrent for seniors looking to do away with the responsibilities of owning a car after they retire. Additionally, there’s not much easy access to healthy foods, which could contribute to poorer health outcomes for retirees trying to stay healthy and active in their golden years.
Tallahassee Ranked 55th on the List
Tallahassee is another affordable Florida option, ranking 11th for a lower cost of living. However, poor healthcare options (the city ranked 132nd) and a lack of access to senior-friendly activities (here, Tallahassee was ranked 127th) brought the beloved city down to the bottom of Florida’s list.
Norada Real Estate Investments also notes that the city has a higher-than-average crime rate, which could raise concerns for those seeking peace and quiet in retirement.
Related: The ‘Magic Number’ For a Comfortable Retirement Just Increased—Are You Even Close?
Port St. Lucie Ranked 107th on the List
While the other two Florida cities ranked much higher than the rest of the cities on the list, Port St. Lucie found itself near the bottom, especially when it comes to activities seniors like having access to, where it ranked 170th.
Healthcare was once again a major concern (the city ranked 107th), and it also received low marks for quality of life (91st). However, those looking for affordability may still want to consider Port St. Lucie, which ranked 36th in cost of living.
Now, it’s worth noting that everyone’s retirement plans are different, and what doesn’t appeal to one retiree may be exactly what another person is looking for, which is why it’s important for you to choose your retirement destination with your own wants and needs in mind, even if that means heading somewhere that others may not find as attractive.
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Life section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.