Many seniors looking for a great place to retire turn to Florida or Arizona, but there are so many more great, unexpected locations for senior living, such as Cincinnati, Ohio.
WalletHub recently ranked U.S. cities to learn the best places to retire, comparing 48 different metrics of 180 cities, from cost of living to health infrastructure to taxes. Cincinnati, home to Senior Living’s The Seasons community, was the seventh best place to retire in these rankings, ahead of Florida retirement havens Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and other Arizona locations.
Here is the full Wallet Hub list:
- Orlando, Florida
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Tampa, Florida
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Denver, Colorado
- Cincinnati
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Miami, Florida
- Atlanta, Georgia
There are a number of reasons Cincinnati ranked so high above some other cities that seniors typically choose. For example, in the WalletHub study, Cincinnati ranked third best in activities for seniors.
Learn some of the reasons why moving into senior living in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a good decision.
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10 Reasons Cincinnati Is a Good Place To Retire
Lincolnwood and the surrounding Illinois towns and cities are home to many parks, beaches, museums and other attractions. Here are some of the most popular.
1. Beautiful Parks
The Cincinnati Parks system has been ranked as the eighth best in the country by U.S. News and World Report. About 14% of the city land is dedicated to parks, while three-quarters of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
Cincinnati parks offer biking, dog parks, picnic grounds, playgrounds, sports fields and miles of hiking and walking paths. Devou Park even features a public golf course on its 700-acre expanse.
2. Diverse Neighborhoods
The Cincinnati area is filled with diverse, self-contained neighborhoods. Each has its own culture, with its own traditions and foods.
Cincinnati is 48% white and 42% black, with other races making up the rest. The city is also divided almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans.
3. Excellent Medical Care
Cincinnati ranks highly for its hospitals and medical clinics. Healthgrades’ National Health Index recently ranked Cincinnati as #4 in “cities getting healthcare right.”
Top hospitals include the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Mercy Health, both highly regarded for knee replacement surgery, and Cincinnati Children’s, which is ranked highly for several juvenile specialties.
4. Family-Friendly Environment
There is plenty for visiting family and friends to do in and around Cincinnati. Along with the parks and playgrounds mentioned earlier, there is the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, the second-oldest zoo in the nation. Nearby are the California Woods Nature Preserve and the Mount Airy Forest.
For children, there’s The Children’s Museum and the Kings Island amusement park, along with the Newport Aquarium just over the river in Kentucky.
5. Great Libraries
The Cincinnati Public Library system has been given a top Five-Star Library ranking by the Library Journal for many consecutive years. It’s considered one of the five best libraries overall in the United States.
The library has nearly 20 million checkouts a year, and leads the nation in digital circulation. Other rankings indicate it’s the third-busiest library in the nation and a leader in library visits, overall circulation, program attendance and public internet use.
6. Lively Culture
Cincinnati grew rapidly beginning in the 1800s, and many of those buildings are still standing. Dozens of those downtown buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The city features historic neighborhoods and the scenic Ohio River. Art Deco architecture abounds alongside the landmarks, museums and other homes of the arts and history.
7. Low Cost of Living
Cincinnati has a relatively low cost of living for a major city. A 2022 ranking by U.S. News and World Report lists the city as the 22nd most affordable place to live in the nation. Housing costs are below the national average, and such everyday expenses as groceries and transportation are lower than the national average.
Overall, the U.S. News analysis says Cincinnati is a better value than metropolitan areas of similar size when housing costs are compared with median household income.
8. Tasty Food
Food in Cincinnati begins with the city’s own unique take on chili. Cincinnati chili features spicy chili sauce over noodles with diced onions and mound of cheese.
A large number of well-regarded restaurants are located in Cincinnati. They range from the Skyline Chili diner to Jeff Ruby’s upscale steakhouses. Arnold’s Bar and Grill has also been recognized as one of the nation’s best.
9. Temperate Weather
Cincinnati has moderate weather with four seasons. Summer days can be hot and humid but they average in the mid 80s. Winters can be gray and rainy, with some snow. Temperatures hover in the 30s and 40s. Fall and spring tend to hover in the 50s.
Cincinnati gets a good amount of precipitation, about 44 inches of rain and 15 inches of snow each year. However, Best Places ranks Cincinnati’s “Comfort Index” at 7.2 out of 10, making it one of the most pleasant cities in Ohio.
10. Vibrant Downtown Area
Cincinnati’s downtown is filled with restaurants and bars, along with sports stadiums for football and baseball. Downtown features art, ballet, choir, opera and theater opportunities. Public art includes murals and statues scattered throughout the area.
The city also hosts events and festivals throughout the year, featuring art, food and drink, music and celebrations of German and Spanish culture.
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Make a Home in Comfortable, Exciting Cincinnati
Cincinnati is a jewel of the Midwest, with plenty to see and do. For seniors seeking a home, it’s one of the best. The Seasons is one of the best retirement communities in Cincinnati.
The Seasons offers safe, secure living in a caring atmosphere, with Independent Living and Assisted Living to serve you at your own pace. Find out more about Senior Lifestyle or schedule a tour today.