Jan. 7, 2026, 1:03 p.m. ET
- Florida is facing competition from other Southern states like Georgia and Texas as a top retirement destination.
- Athens, Georgia, was named the best place to retire in the South by Travel + Leisure for 2026.
- Three Florida locations made the top ten list: Sarasota (No. 6), Lake Nona (No. 7), and The Villages (No. 9).
Is Florida still the best place to retire?
It’s still a strong contender, but other Southern locales are creeping up, according to Travel + Leisure’s 2026 list of 10 Best Places to Retire in the South, even though the Sunshine State still outperforms other states for people moving in.
“In terms of overall states I am seeing retirees move to, the top three are Florida, Texas, and Georgia,” says Jennifer Beeston, executive vice president of national sales at mortgage site Rate. “All three have lower living costs and low to no state income tax.
“Florida has dominated for years, but recently we’ve seen Georgia start to be a contender due to it being more affordable, in many cases, than Florida,” she said.
Travel + Leisure created a list of the top destinations based on picks from Beeston and Leah Robinson-Christian, an associate broker at Engel & Völkers Atlanta. While it didn’t make the top five, Florida was represented with three locations in the Top 10.
No. 1 was Athens, Georgia, chosen for its “charming, affordable lifestyle in a vibrant college town setting,” walkable downtowns, abundance of parks, low cost-of-living index and the state’s policy of exempting Social Security from state income tax and only partially taxing other retirement income.
Florida has no state income tax and does not tax any retirement income, including Social Security and pensions.
The highest ranking Florida city was Sarasota, in No. 6.
Here’s what Travel + Leisure said about the Top 10 best places to retire in the South.
Where are the Top 10 places to retire in the South?
According to Travel + Leisure’s 2026 list:
- Athens, Georgia
- Dallas, Texas
- Peachtree City, Georgia
- Lexington, South Carolina
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Sarasota, Florida
- Lake Nona, Florida
- Asheville, North Carolina
- The Villages, Florida
- Greensville, South Carolina
Sarasota, Florida, ranked No. 6 in list of best places to retire in the South
Sarasota, Florida, landed 6th on the Top 10 best places to retire in the South list for 2026, according to Travel + Leisure.
Robinson-Christian told Travel + Leisure that the Gulf Coast city is “moderately priced for a coastal Florida city,” and the average home value, as of December 2025, was around $407,027. She also mentioned its “white-sand beaches, world-class golf, boating, fishing, arts venues, botanical gardens, and a dynamic social scene.”
Sarasota, Florida, is regularly name-dropped in these rankings, regularly placing on U.S. News and World Report’s Best Places to Retire list (although it didn’t make the Top 10 last year) and named the No. 2 best place to live in Florida and 11th in the country.
Lake Nona, Florida, named No. 7 on ‘best places to retire’ list
“Lake Nona has everything. It’s that simple,” Beeston said. “With some of the best health care in the state, a short drive to every major theme park, and a community designed to emphasize wellness, Lake Nona is on the rise as a great place for retirees.”
It’s also a prime spot for retired golf lovers. Lake Nona’s 18-hole golf course is the home of numerous professional and amateur tournaments.
Lake Nona, a 17-square-mile planned community inside Orlando’s city limits, is about nine miles southeast of Orlando International Airport by State Road 417.
The Villages in Florida makes ‘best places to retire’ list at No. 9
“When I am talking to clients who are moving to The Villages, it is always because of all the activities and amenities,” Beeston said. “There are so many opportunities to make friends at The Villages; it is really an incredible place.”
She cited home prices ranging from $200,000 to upward of $1 million, with an average home value of just below $400,000.
The largest adult community in the United States, The Villages spreads across Sumter County, Lake County and Marion County and six ZIP codes and was named the nation’s fastest-growing metro area, according to the most recent U.S. Census data and the safest place to live in Florida in 2023.
C.A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
