Key Takeaways:
- More than 2.1 million Americans age 65+ relocated in 2025.
- South Carolina led the nation in net gains, adding 5,427 residents age 65+.
- Florida recorded the highest total inbound moves (45,696) among residents 65+, but also saw 44,881 outbound moves, resulting in a net gain of just 815.
- Older adults overwhelmingly favor mid-priced, moderately sized homes, especially 2–3 bedroom, 2-bath properties.
- Las Vegas, NV was the top city destination, attracting 7,854 retirement-age movers in 2025.
Retirement in America is being redefined. It’s no longer just about snowbirds and waterfront communities. Today’s retirees are more mobile, more selective, and more strategic about where and how they live than ever before. Using PGM’s proprietary database of almost 15 million nationwide adult moves in the last 12 months, we analyzed where Americans aged 65 and older relocated, how far they moved, and what kinds of homes they chose. The result is a clear picture of modern retirement migration, one driven by affordability, comfort, and long-term livability.
The State of Retirement Moves in 2025
In 2025, retirement-age Americans continued to relocate in large numbers, with 2,102,587 people aged 65 and older making a move during the year. That accounts for 14.04% of total moves that year, and 3.44% of the older adult population. The average age of retirees who relocated was 75, highlighting that many Americans remain willing and able to undertake major life changes well into their later years.
While many retirement-age Americans still make long-distance moves, the data reveals a clear split in how far they’re willing to go. On average, older adults moved 223.4 miles, reflecting continued interest in regional and cross-state relocation. However, the median move distance of just 11.7 miles tells a different story: a substantial share of retirees are choosing to stay close to home. These shorter moves are often associated with downsizing, relocating to age-friendly housing, or moving closer to family and healthcare providers within the same community.
Seasonality also plays a major role in retirement migration. August was the most popular month for retirement moves in 2025, with 241,896 relocations, making it the clear peak of the year. Late summer offers favorable weather conditions, greater housing inventory, and smoother coordination with family members who may be assisting with the transition. For many retirees, this timing also allows for settling in before fall and winter, when travel and relocation can become more challenging.
Where Retirement-Age Americans Moved in 2025
In 2025, retirement migration patterns revealed a clear shift toward states that balance affordability, accessibility, and long-term livability. While traditional destinations like Florida remain popular, newer regional hubs are quietly gaining ground as older Americans seek environments that support both financial security and quality of life.
States With the Highest Net Gain of Retirement-Age Adults
Several states stood out for their ability to attract and retain retirement-age residents. Leading the nation in net gains (moves into the state minus moves out of the state) was South Carolina, which added 5,427 adults aged 65+ in 2025. This marked the strongest net growth among all states, positioning South Carolina as one of the fastest-rising retirement destinations (and destinations for older adults in general) in the country. Many people moving to the state are coming from nearby and high-cost states, including North Carolina (2,014 moves to South Carolina), Florida (1,862), New York (1,010), Georgia (982), and Pennsylvania (729). South Carolina’s combination of coastal communities, moderate housing prices, and relatively low tax burden has made the state increasingly appealing to older adults seeking both comfort and value.
Texas followed closely behind with a net gain of 5,156 retirement-age moves, reinforcing its role as a national migration magnet across all age groups. Unlike traditional retirement hubs, Texas attracts older adults largely through its economic advantages, including the absence of a state income tax and access to major medical centers. Retirees moving to Texas most often came from California (2,874), Florida (2,048), Ohio (1,714), Arizona (1,183), and Colorado (1,056), highlighting its broad national pull.
Other states that saw high net gain of retirement-age adults included North Carolina (+3,202), Tennessee (+3,191), Arizona (+2,512), Idaho (+1,891), Alabama (+1,828), Wisconsin (+1,815), Georgia (+1,646) and Mississippi (+1,240). Together, these states reflect a growing preference for regions that offer lower living costs, manageable climates, and strong healthcare access without the congestion and expenses of major coastal markets.
States With the Highest Total Inbound Moves of Older Adults
While net gains in the previous section reveal where retirees are settling long-term, inbound move volume shows which states are attracting the greatest number of new retirement-age arrivals. This number is often more correlated with real estate transaction activity and demand for services. In 2025, Florida remained the undisputed center of retirement-age movement, recording 45,696 inbound moves among residents ages 65 and older.
Following Florida, the states with the highest levels of inbound interstate migration for older adults in 2025 were Texas (24,079), California (21,125), Arizona (17,966), North Carolina (17,231), South Carolina (14,007), Georgia (13,515), Pennsylvania (12,449), Tennessee (12,384), and Virginia (11,671). These states continue to attract large numbers of moves due to their combination of affordability, favorable tax environments, and access to healthcare.
However, high activity does not always translate into long-term growth. Despite leading the nation in inbound retirement moves (45,696), Florida’s inbound and outbound flow of residents was nearly identical, resulting in a net change of only +815 older adults. This indicates that while Florida continues to attract large numbers of Americans aged 65 and up, just as many are choosing to leave.
Where Retirement-Age Americans Are Leaving in 2025
While many states benefited from an influx of retirement-age residents in 2025, others experienced significant losses, indicating long-term consideration of where this group truly wants to spend their later years. Outbound migration patterns reveal which states are struggling to retain retirees and older adults, and why financial, environmental, and lifestyle pressures are playing an increasingly important role in relocation decisions.
The States Losing The Most 65+ Adults
California and New York stand out as the nation’s largest departure points for retirement-age residents. In 2025, California recorded a net loss of 12,963 older adults, while New York lost 8,648. These figures reflect long-standing affordability pressures that tend to intensify once residents leave the workforce and transition to fixed incomes, transition to part-time work, or otherwise have less spending power.
Those leaving California most often relocated to neighboring or nearby states, including Arizona (3,716), Texas (2,874), Nevada (2,526), Washington (2,037), and Florida (1,948). These destinations offer lower housing costs and reduced tax burdens.
Similarly, older Americans departing New York have increasingly favored southern and interior states that provide both financial relief and lifestyle flexibility. This sustained outflow underscores how cost-of-living considerations become more influential during retirement than career-driven location choices. Those leaving New York most often relocated to Florida (4,392), New Jersey (2,284), Pennsylvania (1,433), North Carolina (1,139), and South Carolina (1,010).
The States With the Highest Volume of 65+ Adults Exiting
In 2025, several large and historically popular states saw substantial numbers of older adults relocate elsewhere. The highest volumes of outbound interstate moves among those age 65 and older were Florida (44,881), California (34,088), Texas (18,923), New York (18,862), Arizona (15,454), Pennsylvania (14,127), North Carolina (14,029), Illinois (13,808), Virginia (12,507), and Georgia (11,869).
These states account for a large share of the nation’s retirement-age population, so high outbound volumes are partly driven by scale. However, the consistency of these losses also points to deeper structural challenges, including rising housing costs, tax burdens, infrastructure strain, and changing climate risks.
Take Texas and Arizona for example. Both states attracted large numbers of retirement-age moves in 2025, yet also recorded high outbound movement. Texas saw 18,923 older adults leave, while Arizona recorded 15,454 outbound moves. These figures reflect the size and popularity of both states among this age group, but they also indicate that not all find long-term stability after relocating.
Cities Attracting the Most Retirement-Age Americans in 2025
While state-level trends reveal broad migration patterns, city-level data provides a more detailed look at where older adults are choosing to settle day-to-day. In 2025, the most popular destinations were not limited to traditional resort towns or coastal enclaves. Instead, they reflected a diverse mix of large metropolitan areas, regional hubs, and purpose-built retirement communities.
Together, these cities highlight how aging Americans are prioritizing access to healthcare, affordability, transportation, and social infrastructure alongside climate and lifestyle amenities.
The Top Cities Welcoming 65+ Adults
In 2025, the cities attracting the highest number of retirement-age moves were Las Vegas, NV (7,854), Tucson, AZ (7,627), and Houston, TX (7,287).
These rankings demonstrate that retirement-age migration is no longer concentrated in a narrow set of “traditional” destinations. Instead, retirees are increasingly distributing themselves across cities that offer practical advantages alongside lifestyle appeal.
Cities in the Southwest and desert regions continue to play a central role in retirement-age migration. Las Vegas, Tucson, Phoenix, and Mesa all ranked among the top destinations, reflecting long-standing preferences for warm, dry climates and relatively affordable housing.
These cities also benefit from established retirement- and older adult-oriented infrastructure, including specialized healthcare providers, senior services, and active-adult communities. For many, they offer a balance between outdoor recreation, cultural amenities, and manageable living costs.
Several Midwestern cities – Chicago, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Indianapolis – also emerged as major retirement destinations. Their presence reflects an important trend: many older adults are choosing to remain near long-standing social networks rather than relocating to distant climates.
Florida cities continue to play a prominent role, with Naples, The Villages, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale ranking among the top destinations. Each represents a different model of retirement-age living. Naples and Fort Lauderdale appeal to those seeking coastal lifestyles, while The Villages stands out as one of the nation’s largest purpose-built retirement communities. Miami, meanwhile, attracts older adults who value cultural diversity, international connectivity, and urban energy.
How Older Adults Are Housing Themselves in 2025
Where older adults move is only part of the story. Equally important is how they choose to live once they arrive. In 2025, housing choices among Americans age 65 and older reveal a strong preference for balance – homes that offer comfort, flexibility, and long-term practicality without unnecessary size or financial strain.
The Ideal Price Point
Retirement-age homebuyers in 2025 were most active across a broad middle of the housing market rather than clustered around a single price point. Homes priced between $200,000 and $399,999 accounted for nearly 40% of all retirement moves, with $200,000-$299,999 (20%) and $300,000–$399,999 (19%) emerging as the most active price ranges. This concentration highlights retirees’ preference for affordability without sacrificing space, location, or home quality.
Higher-priced homes also played a meaningful role. Properties in the $500,000-$749,999 range accounted for 17% of retirement moves, indicating that many retirees are leveraging home equity and savings to secure homes that offer long-term comfort, modern features, and access to healthcare and community infrastructure. However, once price bands are standardized, this segment appears as part of a wider middle-to-upper market rather than a singular peak.
At the lower end of the market, homes priced below $200,000 represented just 17% of all retirement moves combined, while properties priced at $1 million or more accounted for 7%. Together, these patterns suggest that today’s retirees are largely avoiding both extreme budget constraints and high-end luxury, instead gravitating toward a practical middle ground that supports comfort, safety, and long-term financial stability.
The Ideal Number of Bedrooms
Bedroom counts further reinforce this trend toward balanced living. In 2025, more than seven in ten retirement-age movers chose homes with two or three bedrooms, making this configuration the clear national standard.
Three-bedroom homes, in particular, emerged as the dominant choice, with older adults being 16 times more likely to move into a three-bedroom home than a one-bedroom unit. Two-bedroom homes followed closely behind, while one-bedroom properties represented only a small share of retirement moves.
The Ideal Number of Bathrooms
Bathroom counts show an equally consistent preference. The “sweet spot” for older adults in 2025 was two bathrooms, with homes in the 2–2.9 bath range accounting for the largest share of moves by a wide margin.
One-bathroom homes, once common among older housing stock, were far less popular, while homes with more than two bathrooms attracted progressively fewer retirement-age movers. Properties with 3–3.9 baths recorded 14.5% of the moves, compared to the 54.9% moves into two-bath homes, and volumes fell further in higher-bath categories. This indicates that older Americans value convenience and accessibility – particularly features that support shared living and aging-in-place – without taking on the cleaning and maintenance burden associated with larger, luxury-style homes.
The Preferred Home Age
The average year of construction for homes chosen by 65+ adults in 2025 was 1981, placing most properties in the “middle-aged” housing category. These homes are typically newer than historic properties but older than modern developments, offering a balance between established neighborhoods and manageable upkeep.
At the same time, a meaningful share of retirees are opting for newer construction. Approximately 13.5% of the homes retirement-age movers selected were built in 2010 or more recently, indicating sustained interest in modern layouts, energy efficiency, and accessibility features. This suggests that while brand-new homes are not the dominant choice, they remain an important segment of the retirement housing market.
Taken together, this preference suggests that older adults are not exclusively targeting brand-new construction to avoid maintenance, nor are they gravitating toward much older homes that may require extensive renovation. Instead, many are selecting homes that strike a balance between modern functionality and long-term affordability, often in properties that have already undergone major structural upgrades and renovations.
Conclusion: A More Pragmatic Era for Retirement-Age Americans
The 2025 retirement-age migration data reveals a fundamental shift in how Americans approach their later years. Today’s older adults are not simply chasing sunshine or downsizing to the smallest possible space. Instead, they are making pragmatic, financially informed decisions and choosing moderately priced homes, comfortable layouts, states with favorable taxes and living costs, and communities that support long-term independence.
South Carolina, Texas, and Tennessee are rising stars in this space, while Florida remains influential but increasingly volatile. High-cost coastal states continue to lose ground. Above all, modern retirement is defined by balance: comfort over luxury, flexibility over excess, and stability over speculation.
Methodology
To examine the U.S. migration patterns, we analyzed PGM’s proprietary database of 14,977,223 national moves recorded between January 2025 and December 2025. Each move in this dataset represents an actual relocation, providing a uniquely current perspective on the mobility trends of older adults aged 65 and above during the 2025 calendar year. Housing and demographic attributes were aggregated and anonymized to ensure privacy and statistical accuracy.
Our analysis focused on:
- Origins and destinations of adult moves,
- Intrastate versus interstate flows, and
- Demographic characteristics of people who are moving.
Unlike many studies that rely on outdated U.S. Census Bureau releases or modeled estimates from relocation calculators, this dataset reflects real moves as they occurred. As such, it represents one of the most up-to-date and reliable sources of migration data available in the United States in 2025.
In Partnership With PGM
This migration report used in-depth consumer insights from data provider PGM, part of the Porch Group of companies. PGM’s robust audience data helps businesses reach customers strategically.