A new U.S. News & World Report lists Clifton as the best place to retire in New Jersey in 2027.
Union City is the second-best place to retire in the state, followed by Bayonne, Jersey City and Vineland.
Still, not even Clifton made the national top 250 list, out of 859 evaluated. In fact, it ranked #566. Factors in the score included housing affordability, state tax burdens, resident happiness and access to top-notch health care.
The top towns nationally were dominated by Florida and Texas. Other high rankers included Michigan, West Virginia, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Virginia. Towns in those states received overall scores above 6. New Jersey’s highest ranker, Clifton, scored 4.8.
“It’s no secret that affordability is top of mind for Americans this year, which is why U.S. News updated its weighting criteria to better align with what retirees prioritize,” said Megan Wood, assistant managing editor, home services and real estate. “The 2027 rankings reflect key metrics used to highlight the places that best suit retiree needs.”
Rankers noted that Clifton’s median home value is $463,020, while the national average is $359,870. Though Clifton’s median household income is $105,422, compared with the national median household income of $83,181, unemployment is 5.7% as of 2023, compared with the national average of 4.5%.
In Pennsylvania, Altoona made the top national ranking with a score of 6.3, in part because its cost of living is lower than in similarly sized cities.
