Four Arizona Cities Rank Among Best for Retirement

U.S. News and World Report included four cities in the state on its 2027 list of the top locations to retire.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Retirement Planning

Screen-print poster illustration of an Arizona desert landscape with saguaro cacti and distant mountain silhouettes, representing top-ranked retirement locations. — U.S. News and World Report's 2027 rankings identified four Arizona cities as top destinations for retirees based on quality of life metrics. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Is Arizona becoming a better place to retire in your area?

U.S. News and World Report evaluated the 250 most populous U.S. cities to determine its 2027 list of top retirement destinations. Only four Arizona cities secured a spot on the ranking this year.

Why it matters

The list provides a benchmark for retirees evaluating locations based on critical factors like quality of life, tax burdens, healthcare quality, and local job markets. The decline in the number of ranked Arizona cities reflects shifts in how these communities compare against national peers.

Surprise leads the state at rank 156, followed by Gilbert at 200, Queen Creek at 205, and Marana at 225. This total of four ranked cities is down from the seven Arizona municipalities that appeared on the 2026 list.

The players

U.S. News and World Report

This media organization publishes annual rankings and consumer advice across various sectors, including education, health, and personal finance.

The details

The evaluation process for these rankings considered six core metrics, including senior population density, regional tax rates, and the quality of local healthcare. Three cities that appeared on the 2026 list—Chandler, Sierra Vista, and Peoria—did not maintain their placement in the 2027 report.

2026: Seven Arizona cities were featured on the national rankings.
2027: The current list includes four Arizona cities.

Market Dynamics

This year's results mark a departure from the 2026 U.S. News and World Report Best Places to Retire list, which included seven Arizona cities. The drop highlights a contraction in the state's presence within this specific national retirement index.

Retirees currently evaluating relocation may use these rankings to compare tax environments and healthcare accessibility across different regions. Residents in cities that fell off the list may see changes in how their local real estate markets are positioned for incoming senior populations.

The takeaway

When choosing a retirement destination, these rankings serve as one of several tools to measure the cost-of-living and service quality in a new community. Prospective movers should verify these findings against their own personal budget and specific healthcare needs.