This small town in Florida ranks No. 1 in the nation for retirement. Why it’s special
A Florida beach town is “simply charming” — and has been named an ideal place to retire, a new report finds.
Stuart ranks No. 1 on a list of the nation’s best small towns for retirees.
“Stuart is a place you stumble upon,” Travel + Leisure magazine wrote in its Sept. 5 report. “It’s not always up there in the most searched for spots in Florida, but really, that’s part of its magic.”
To determine the top places for older adults to live, Travel + Leisure editors studied towns across the United States with fewer than 25,000 residents. The magazine also turned to vacation experts and influencers as it focused on the destinations that would most appeal to readers.
To be recognized, a town had to “excel in its category and offer a variety of activities, accommodations, and a timely reason to visit — be it a notable new festival, hotel, restaurant, attraction, or tourism initiative,” Travel + Leisure wrote.
What makes Stuart a special retirement destination?
On the resulting list of “America’s Best Small Towns,” Stuart landed at the top of the retirement category. The town of about 17,000 people is on the Treasure Coast and is a roughly 110-mile drive north from Miami.
In the magazine’s write-up, Stuart was praised for its downtown attractions and community-oriented nature. The author said she understands why her parents decided to spend part of their retirement there.
“Stuart has an essence,” Stacey Leasca wrote. “The sun here feels like it’s kissing you good morning. The beaches resemble an AI rendering of what the input ‘perfect white sand beach with azure waters’ would spit out. The downtown looks like a Norman Rockwell painting, if Norman Rockwell also loved Tommy Bahama shirts. It’s simply charming.”
Despite Stuart reigning supreme in its category, Florida destinations didn’t make the cut on Travel + Leisure’s other small-town lists. Those rankings considered the best places for beaches, lakes, restaurants and other attractions.
The magazine only chose one winner in each category, a spokesperson told McClatchy News in an email.
This story was originally published September 6, 2024 at 10:26 AM with the headline "This small town in Florida ranks No. 1 in the nation for retirement. Why it’s special."
