25 worst cities for retirement

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One of the biggest questions employees ask themselves before they retire is how they can make their retirement dollars last longer. Moving to a city with a better cost of living can allow retirees to still live the good life without costing them all of their savings. Likewise, avoiding a city with high costs of living is just as important. Some regions of the country are more expensive than others, many of them situated along the West and East coasts of the U.S.

WalletHub, an online personal finance site, researched the Best & Worst Places to Retire by comparing 46 metrics across more than 180 cities, including cost of healthcare, affordability, things to do and quality of life.

Four key dimensions were measured: affordability (including taxpayer-friendliness and adjusted cost of living); activities (theaters per capita and recreation-friendliness); quality of life (including age-friendly community and mild weather) and healthcare (including care facilities per capita and suicide rate for elders). Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for retirement.

Here are the 25 worst cities for retirement, based on WalletHub’s research. (Check out the 25 best cities for retirement here.)

25. Detroit

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Total score: 42.94
Affordability rank: 94
Activities rank: 86
Quality of life rank: 178
Healthcare rank: 148

24. Oceanside, California

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An aerial view of the city of Oceanside, California including the Oceanside Pier located in northern San Diego County.
Total score: 42.92
Affordability rank: 152
Activities rank: 127
Quality of life rank: 24
Healthcare rank: 106

23. Yonkers, New York

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Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of New York. Yonkers directly borders the Bronx and is located two miles north of Manhattan at the municipalities' closest points
Total score: 42.66
Affordability rank: 180
Activities rank: 43
Quality of life rank: 61
Healthcare rank: 64

22. Burlington, Vermont

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Burlington, Vermont, USA at Church Street Marketplace.
Total score: 42.56
Affordability rank: 176
Activities rank: 52
Quality of life rank: 129
Healthcare rank: 16

21. Fort Wayne, Indiana

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Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana Skyline, including Allen County Courthouse.
Total score: 42.40
Affordability rank: 89
Activities rank: 160
Quality of life rank: 146
Healthcare rank: 138

20. Chula Vista, California

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Sunrise over Otay Lakes in Chula Vista, CA. HDR image taken with graduated filters, and with the camera mounted on a tripod.
Total score: 42.39
Affordability rank: 152
Activities rank: 165
Quality of life rank: 18
Healthcare rank: 102

19. Fort Smith, Arkansas

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University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
Total score: 42.38
Affordability rank: 42
Activities rank: 168
Quality of life rank: 168
Healthcare rank: 169

18. Oxnard, California

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Oxnard Palm Trees
Total score: 42.07
Affordability rank: 138
Activities rank: 164
Quality of life rank: 66
Healthcare rank: 145

17. Fontana, California

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Many cookie cutter homes show the overwhelming San Bernardino County growth as seen from North bound 15
Total score: 41.48
Affordability rank: 126
Activities rank: 167
Quality of life rank: 123
Healthcare rank: 156

16. Rancho Cucamonga, California

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Pacific Coast Highway Road Sign
Total score: 41.33
Affordability rank: 140
Activities rank: 146
Quality of life rank: 90
Healthcare rank: 137

15. Riverside, California

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Total score: 41.03
Affordability rank: 124
Activities rank: 162
Quality of life rank: 116
Healthcare rank: 127

14. San Bernardino, California

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Total score: 40.86
Affordability rank: 99
Activities rank: 115
Quality of life rank: 174
Healthcare rank: 162

13. Worcester, Massachusetts

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Winter in Downtown Worcester Massachusetts. Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The city is the second largest city in New England after Boston. A center of commerce, industry, and education, Worcester is also known for its spacious paks and plentiful museums and art galleries
Total score: 40.83
Affordability rank: 141
Activities rank: 116
Quality of life rank: 162
Healthcare rank: 87

12. Wichita, Kansas

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Total score: 40.75
Affordability rank: 125
Activities rank: 136
Quality of life rank: 169
Healthcare rank: 130

11. New Haven, Connecticut

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New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut after Bridgeport and the sixth-largest in New England. New Haven is known for its established theaters, museums, music venues and New Haven-style pizza
Total score: 40.58
Affordability rank: 163
Activities rank: 74
Quality of life rank: 154
Healthcare rank: 83

10. Fresno, California

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Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. It is the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California
Total score: 40.54
Affordability rank: 98
Activities rank: 177
Quality of life rank: 144
Healthcare rank: 151

9. Modesto, California

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This beautiful park in Modesto California is on the east side off of Yosemite Blvd. with picnic area and tables along with lawn, landscaping and beautiful water spray in the small lake with colorful trees and reflections in the water.
Total score: 39.99
Affordability rank: 104
Activities rank: 182
Quality of life rank: 132
Healthcare rank: 168

8. Jersey City, New Jersey

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Total score: 39.19
Affordability rank: 175
Activities rank: 102
Quality of life rank: 60
Healthcare rank: 120

7. Bakersfield, California

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Bakersfield sign
Total score: 38.40
Affordability rank: 96
Activities rank: 178
Quality of life rank: 131
Healthcare rank: 182

6. Providence, Rhode Island

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Providence, Rhode Island, USA city skyline on the Providence River at twilight.
Total score: 37.38
Affordability rank: 168
Activities rank: 53
Quality of life rank: 177
Healthcare rank: 150

5. Stockton, California

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Total score: 36.40
Affordability rank: 112
Activities rank: 179
Quality of life rank: 166
Healthcare rank: 174

4. Baltimore

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Total score: 35.84
Affordability rank: 148
Activities rank: 66
Quality of life rank: 182
Healthcare rank: 163

3. Warwick, Rhode Island

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Pawtuxet Village is a section of the New England cities of Warwick and Cranston, Rhode Island.
Total score: 35.71
Affordability rank: 168
Activities rank: 123
Quality of life rank: 159
Healthcare rank: 152

2. Bridgeport, Connecticut

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Bridgeport is a seaport city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is the largest city in the state and is located in Fairfield County
Total score: 34.83
Affordability rank: 181
Activities rank: 151
Quality of life rank: 133
Healthcare rank: 88

1. Newark, New Jersey

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Assorted cars passing a downtown area of office buildings along State Highway 21 in Newark, NJ. aRGB profile.
Total score: 33.86
Affordability rank: 174
Activities rank: 78
Quality of life rank: 172
Healthcare rank: 171
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