BestCityFor

Best city for retirement? Fort Lauderdale, FL

C
Score
55/100
Rank #116 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Fort Lauderdale offers a mixed profile for retirement, with relative strengths in typical home value alongside age 65+ share. Overall, it’s a mid-pack option in this dataset (#116 of 200). The main watch-out is commute 45+ min share.

Methodology · Sources · FL rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. Popular retirement destinations can look very different at the metro level.

Why Fort Lauderdale ranks here

  • Age 65+ share: 20% (44% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Typical home value: $455,600 (31% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,878/mo (30% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Commute 45+ min share: 16% (38% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 90% (1% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
183,032
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 52%Female 48%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,878/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Typical home value
$455,600
National median: $347,900
Age 65+ share
20%
National median: 14%
Median age
43
National median: —
Median household income
$79,935
National median: $75,598
Broadband subscription
90%
National median: 91%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and typical home value.
46/100
Retiree Signals
Age mix and income as broad service proxies.
31/100
Connectivity
Broadband access for everyday logistics.
90/100
Comfort
Climate comfort and commute friction.
84/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

10%
Less than HS
50%
HS / Some college
24%
Bachelor’s
16%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 65+ (ACS).

20%
Age 65+
80%
Under 65

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

90%
Broadband
10%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,878/mo
Typical home value
National median $347,900
$455,600
Age 65+ share
National median 14%
20%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$79,935
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
90%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
16%

Similar cities (by score)

#114 Philadelphia, PA
55/100
#115 Lakewood, CO
55/100
#117 Charlotte, NC
55/100
#118 Murfreesboro, TN
55/100

FAQ

›What is Fort Lauderdale’s retirement score and rank?
Fort Lauderdale, FL scores C (55/100) and ranks #116 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Fort Lauderdale city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level retirement patterns can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Population is about 183,032 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
About 52% male and 48% female (ACS 2023).
›How affordable is housing in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,878/mo (national median: $1,441/mo). Typical home value is $455,600 (national median: $347,900).
›What share of residents are 65+ in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Age 65+ share is 20% (national median: 14%).
›How common is broadband internet in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Broadband subscription is 90% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 10%, HS/some college 50%, bachelor’s 24%, advanced 16%.
›Where does this data come from for Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (healthcare access, neighborhoods, taxes, climate preferences, support network).