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The Best Places to Retire in Ohio

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Best Places to Retire in Ohio

Thinking of retiring in Ohio? Many cities in the Buckeye State are ideal for retirees, with low tax burdens, a high percentage of senior residents and plenty of access to recreation and a healthcare. We crunched the numbers to figure out the best places to retire in Ohio.

How We Determined the Best Places to Retire

To determine the best cities and towns to retire, we checked out a few different factors, each important to retirement. As health care becomes particularly important as you grow older, we looked at the number of medical centers in each city as a sum of locations per 1,000 residents. We also checked each city’s tax burden, so you can check whether Ohio taxes might be too high for your budget.

On the more fun side, we checked out the number of recreation centers per 1,000 residents in each city. We also look at the number of retirement communities per 1,000 residents. Finally, we looked at the percentage of seniors in each city to ensure you won’t be alone in your retirement.

1. Beachwood

Taxes aren’t everything, and the best place to retire in Ohio is also the place with the highest tax burden on this list at 18.4%. But this Cleveland suburb makes up for its high taxes with amply access to health care, with 13.13 medical centers per 1,000 residents.

A Beachwood retirement won’t be spent alone, either: A whopping 30.3% of the residents are seniors. For fun, you’ll have 2.54 recreation centers (per 1,000 residents) at your disposal, and retirees who want to spend their golden years golfing can hit the links at the Canterbury Golf Club.

2. Chardon

Chardon, a city 30 miles east of Cleveland, offers the highest number of retirement communities in this list, with 0.77 locations per 1,000 residents. It also has the second-highest number of medical centers per 1,000 residents at 7.93.

In your free time, you can take advantage of 2.51 recreation centers per 1,000 residents, as well as the Chardon Lakes Golf Course, Bass Lake Reserve and Walter C. Best Wildlife Preserve.

Chardon has a tax burden of 17.5%.

3. Milford

Just outside of Cincinnati, Milford offers retirees the best access to recreation of the cities in our top ten. You’ll find 2.81 recreation centers per 1,000 residents here, and residents may want to check out the town’s Terrace Park Country Club. Seniors make up 20.7% of the population, and there are 0.30 retirement communities per 1,000 residents in the city.

You’ll also have decent access to medical centers here, with 3.84 centers per 1,000 residents. The city has a tax burden of 16.8%.

4. Cortland

Located about halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, a Cortland retirement offers easy access to the Walnut Run Golf Course and Mosquito Creek Lake. 22.2% of the population are seniors, and you’ll enjoy relatively low taxes here, with a tax burden of 16.2%.

Cortland has decent access to medical centers, with four locations per 1,000 residents.

5. Canfield

Best Places to Retire in Ohio

Residents of Canfield have access to Greasel Park and the larger Sawmill Creek Preserve to the northwest of town. One in five residents are seniors here, and there’s ample access to medical care, with seven medical centers available per 1,000 residents. The tax burden here is 17.2%.

6. Dover

South of Akron and nestled by the banks of the Tuscarawas River, Dover stands out for its relatively low tax burden (17%) and large senior population (25.3% of the town’s residents). Among its local attractions are the Toland-Herzig Famous Endings Museum, which collects memorabilia from the funerals of famous people. There are 0.31 retirement communities and 3.34 medical centers (each per 1,000 residents).

7. North Canton

North Canton offers a number of parks and recreation spots for its residents to enjoy. This includes Price Park, Witwer Park, Hoover Park and Community Recreation Complex and the nearby Sanctuary Golf Club. There are 1.09 recreation centers per 1,000 residents, and the city’s population is almost a quarter seniors, at just 24.3%.

You’ll find about 3.44 medical centers in North Canton (per 1,000 residents) and a relatively low tax burden of 16.8%.

8. Columbiana

Sprawling across two Ohio counties, Columbiana has the second-largest percentage of seniors at 30.9%. You’ll find 0.31 retirement communities here, per 1,000 residents. With a few lakes around and The Links at Firestone Farms for golfers, seniors will have a number of opportunities to get some fresh air.

The tax burden here is 17.3%.

9. Youngstown

Best Places to Retire in Ohio

The largest city on our list, Youngstown boasts a number of cultural attractions, including the Butler Institute of American Art and the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. Youngstown residents can also enjoy Mill Creek Park, Ford Nature Center, Lake Glacier and other outdoor attractions. There’s also plenty of golfing in the area.

While the senior population is relatively low at just 16.4% of the population, there’s ample access to medical centers and a tax burden of 16.7%.

10. Oakwood

To close out our top 10 is Oakwood, a suburb of Dayton. The city is home to a few small parks, including Houk Stream Park, and its entire western border runs along the Dayton Country Club.

If it’s peer company you’re looking for, Oakwood might be the right place for you. The city’s senior population clocks in at a whopping 52.8%, so you certainly won’t be the only retiree there.

Retirement Tips

  • The best way to ensure you’re able to retire is to save a lot of money in tax-advantaged retirement accounts. If your employer offers a 401(k), you should contribute as much as you can; at the minimum, make sure you maximize any matching your employer offers. Meanwhile, IRAs, or individual retirement accounts, can be opened at most online brokerages and funded with investments that make sense for your financial plan. In these cases, it can help to have a financial advisor take a look at your accounts.
  • Like the idea of having a financial advisor guide you in putting together a financial plan? Find one today through our financial advisor match-making tool. Just answer some questions about your finances and we can match you with up to three advisors in your area.

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