Woodlands, Spring Rank Top Five Retirement Spots
U.S. News & World Report's 2027 Best Places to Retire list places both Houston-area communities in the top five for a second straight year.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Retirement Planning
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U.S. News & World Report ranked The Woodlands fourth and Spring fifth on its 2027 Best Places to Retire list. Both Houston-area communities landed in the top five for a second consecutive year.
Why it matters
The rankings evaluated more than 850 cities and surveyed Americans 45 and older, with affordability weighted most heavily. Texas' lack of a state income tax gives both towns an edge over coastal states for retirees.
The 2027 rankings evaluated more than 850 cities, with The Woodlands placing fourth and Spring placing fifth. The extraction does not detail the scoring methodology beyond noting that affordability carried the most weight.
The players
U.S. News & World Report
A U.S. media company that publishes annual rankings covering education, health care, and places to live.
Erika Pratt
A longtime resident of The Woodlands who co-founded the nonprofit Aging in Place.
The details
Both communities are located in the Houston metro area and appeared in the top five for a second consecutive year. Erika Pratt, who moved to The Woodlands in 1989, co-founded the nonprofit Aging in Place, which provides seniors with rides to appointments and hosts social gatherings.
Timeline
1989: Erika Pratt moves to The Woodlands.
2027 rankings: The Woodlands and Spring are named fourth and fifth on Best Places to Retire.
Season Trajectory
Both communities have held top-five placements in consecutive U.S. News & World Report Best Places to Retire rankings, extending a multi-year pattern in the list's retirement-destination rankings. The continued presence of Texas communities reflects the state's appeal to retirees seeking to avoid state income taxes.
Retirees weighing relocation can use the rankings to compare towns on affordability and tax exposure. Texas' absence of a state income tax may reduce annual costs for those living on fixed incomes.
The takeaway
Lower-cost, tax-friendly communities continue to rank highly for older Americans choosing where to retire. Retirees comparing destinations should weigh local support services alongside tax treatment and cost of living.
Further reading
For more on retirement destinations, see Retirement Planning in the Texas section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hometown Radio KBEC.
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