Two upstate New York municipalities are some of the best places to retire in 2025, a recently released study by travel magazine Travel + Leisure says.
The city of Utica and the town of Union were included in the northeast region of Travel + Leisure and Investopedia’s 50 Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2025 list, which analyzed several factors a retiree might consider, including median monthly housing expenses, proximity to hospitals and the distance between a county’s center and the nearest major airport.
“The youngest baby boomers will soon be joining those already retired, and many are facing a major decision—where to live during their golden years,” the study says. “Some retirees will choose to stay put, while others may feel they need less space, lower expenses, and more moderate weather. For those who enjoy the changing seasons, historic sites, and the Atlantic seashore, a home in the northeastern U.S. is ideal.”
Here’s what to know.
Why Utica made it on Travel + Leisure’s list
Reasons for the ranking include Utica’s median home value of $171,100 and access to health care as Oneida County has 14 hospitals and 379 health care establishments. Also included in the report was a nod to the Handshake City’s variety of year-round activities, including boating and kayaking in the Erie Canal and attending concerts and hockey games inside the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Why Union made it on Travel + Leisure’s list
The town of Union made the list for its median county home value of $145,100 and the multitude of athletic events, cultural events and continuing-education opportunities offered by nearby Binghamton University. Broome County, where the town is located, offers year-round activities as well, such as hiking at the IBM Glen, performances at the Cider Mill Stage and visits with animals at the Ross Park Zoo.
The surrounding area is also brimming with history as the village of Endicott is known for being the birthplace of both IBM and the Endicott Johnson Shoe Company and there are many museums to choose from, including the Bundy Museum and Roberson Museum in Binghamton.
What other northeastern places were featured?
Ten locations represented the northeast in Travel + Leisure’s list. Here’s the other eight outside of New York state:
- Hermitage, Pennsylvania
- Johnstown, Pennsylvania
- Altoona, Pennsylvania
- Springfield, Massachusetts
- Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Conway, New Hampshire
- Concord, New Hampshire
- Vineland, New Jersey
How Travel + Leisure determined their top 50 locations
Travel + Leisure and Investopedia compiled 50 destinations by analyzing the cost of living for two adults, housing, transportation, health care, taxes and access to arts, culture and major airports. The places were then broke down by region — northeast, southeast, west, southwest and midwest.
Here’s how the travel magazine compiled its data:
- Cost of living: Median monthly housing expenses and median home values were pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and average monthly costs for food, transportation and taxes from the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator were analyzed.
- Access to travel: This factor was determined by the distance between each county center and the nearest major airport.
- Access to health care: Travel + Leisure calculated the proximity of the locations to hospitals and ambulatory health care services per capita.
- Access to entertainment: Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the entities evaluated the number of arts, entertainment and recreation institutions and establishments in each county per capita.
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
