Retiring in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale has a real, substantial retiree presence and ranked a genuinely solid #7 among 182 U.S. cities in WalletHub's 2026 retirement study -- but it is not Florida's top retirement-specific market (that distinction belongs to places like Naples, Sarasota, or The Villages), and its 65-and-over population share runs below Florida's statewide figure even though it's slightly above the national one.
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Learn moreWalletHub's 2026 Ranking, and What Drove It
WalletHub's 2026 Best & Worst Places to Retire study ranked Fort Lauderdale No. 7 overall among 182 U.S. cities evaluated, with a total score of 57.49 -- behind Orlando (No. 1), Scottsdale (No. 2), Minneapolis (No. 3), Miami (No. 4), and Tampa (No. 5), and just ahead of Atlanta (No. 6). That overall score comes from four sub-ranks pulling in different directions: a strong activities rank of 14 and a mid-tier healthcare rank of 47, against a weaker quality-of-life rank of 60 and a notably weak affordability rank of 79 (out of 182). Fort Lauderdale earns its solid overall ranking substantially on activities, not on affordability or the study's specific quality-of-life measure.
Broward County's Senior Population Share
Broward County's 65-and-over population was about 379,300 residents in 2024, or roughly 18.6% of the county's total population (source: aggregated 2024 Census-derived reporting) -- below Florida's statewide 21.8% senior share, though slightly above the 18% U.S. national share. That places Broward in a middle position: more retiree-dense than the country as a whole on this measure, but less retiree-dense than Florida overall, and well short of the state's dedicated retirement counties.
No State Income Tax, Same as Anywhere in Florida
Florida's lack of a state income tax applies fully to retirement income (Social Security, pensions, 401(k)/IRA withdrawals) in Fort Lauderdale exactly as it does statewide -- a genuine, real advantage, but not Fort Lauderdale-specific, and it does nothing to offset the insurance-cost and housing-cost realities below (see the Florida state-level page for the full statewide tax picture).
Insurance and Cost of Living Are Real Considerations on a Fixed Income
Homeowners insurance estimates for Fort Lauderdale/Broward County vary enormously by source -- roughly $4,700 to over $17,000/year for comparable dwelling coverage, with a separate Broward-wide 2026 average cited at $9,750 -- a genuinely significant, hard-to-budget line item for a retiree on a fixed income. Combined with a median sale price of $575K-$600K and average rent running around $2,800/month (well above national averages per one 2026 estimate), Fort Lauderdale is a meaningfully more expensive retirement market than Florida's lower-cost interior or Panhandle options, even with the no-income-tax advantage factored in.
A Real, But Not the Region's Top, Retiree Draw
Fort Lauderdale does have a genuine, longstanding South Florida retiree presence, drawn to its climate, boating and canal-front lifestyle, healthcare access, and beach proximity -- but it isn't the state's top retirement-specific market. Naples, Sarasota, and The Villages are built more explicitly around age-restricted and retiree-oriented housing and social infrastructure as the dominant, mainstream pattern across large parts of those counties, a different pattern than Fort Lauderdale's broader mix of marine-industry workers, remote professionals, and retirees within one metro.
Key takeaways
- WalletHub ranked Fort Lauderdale No. 7 for retirement among 182 U.S. cities in 2026 (score 57.49) -- a solid, real ranking driven mainly by a strong activities sub-rank (14th) against a notably weak affordability sub-rank (79th of 182).
- Broward County's 65+ population share is about 18.6% (2024, ~379,300 residents) -- above the 18% U.S. national share but below Florida's 21.8% statewide share, placing it in a middle position rather than at the top of Florida's retirement markets.
- Florida's no-state-income-tax status applies fully in Fort Lauderdale, as it does statewide, but doesn't offset the area's real insurance and housing costs.
- Homeowners insurance estimates vary enormously by source (roughly $4,700 to over $17,000/year for comparable coverage) -- a genuinely significant budgeting consideration for retirees on a fixed income.
- Fort Lauderdale has a real, longstanding retiree presence, but Naples, Sarasota, and The Villages remain Florida's more explicitly retirement-focused, retiree-dense markets.
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