Retiring with wealth and security is a dream that nearly every working American likely shares. After all, what better way is there to celebrate your golden years than with the reassurance of great financial stability and comfort?
Let’s say you attain that wealth. Where do you retire with it? What would be the best — and safest — places to settle down with it all?
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Those are questions GOBankingRates recently sought to answer for people retiring on the East Coast. To do so, GOBankingRates sourced retirement towns with populations in which at least 20% were over the age of 65, then found locations with high livability indexes, strong income levels and the lowest crime rates (both violent and property).
What follow are the 20 safest and wealthiest East Coast retirement towns — places in which the crime is low, the wealth is high and the views are a retiree’s dream.
1. Pinehurst, North Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.59
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 2.78
- Average retirement income: $51,767
- Average home value: $558,340
- Livability score: 73
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2. Leland, North Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.96
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 9.83
- Average retirement income: $43,945
- Average home value: $377,268
- Livability score: 66
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3. Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.59
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 6.31
- Average retirement income: $33,619
- Average home value: $300,956
- Livability score: 82
4. Lexington, Massachusetts
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.52
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 3.35
- Average retirement income: $54,503
- Average home value: $1,624,775
- Livability score: 92
5. Shelton, Connecticut
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.42
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 7.09
- Average retirement income: $39,157
- Average home value: $564,821
- Livability score: 76
6. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.61
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 32.23
- Average retirement income: $44,091
- Average home value: $483,626
- Livability score: 69
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7. Long Beach, New York
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.78
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 1.04
- Average retirement income: $44,579
- Average home value: $833,930
- Livability score: 81
8. Fort Lee, New Jersey
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.31
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.00
- Average retirement income: $49,057
- Average home value: $976,067
- Livability score: 88
9. Peabody, Massachusetts
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.55
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 8.37
- Average retirement income: $40,051
- Average home value: $716,774
- Livability score: 78
10. Aiken, South Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 5.69
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 39.58
- Average retirement income: $42,757
- Average home value: $264,669
- Livability score: 68
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11. Charleston, West Virginia
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 5.43
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 31.20
- Average retirement income: $39,561
- Average home value: $160,576
- Livability score: 82
12. New Bern, North Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.63
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 16.16
- Average retirement income: $51,829
- Average home value: $275,477
- Livability score: 69
13. White Plains, New York
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.11
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 17.60
- Average retirement income: $44,143
- Average home value: $866,332
- Livability score: 71
14. Warwick, Rhode Island
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.79
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.47
- Average retirement income: $32,639
- Average home value: $410,272
- Livability score: 77
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15. Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 5.11
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.40
- Average retirement income: $33,534
- Average home value: $306,619
- Livability score: 74
16. Milford, Connecticut
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.17
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 20.96
- Average retirement income: $36,897
- Average home value: $520,959
- Livability score: 88
17. East Providence, Rhode Island
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.74
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 6.81
- Average retirement income: $26,972
- Average home value: $434,694
- Livability score: 72
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18. Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.78
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 5.52
- Average retirement income: $39,684
- Average home value: $790,023
- Livability score: 71
19. Danville, Virginia
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 3.65
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 28.34
- Average retirement income: $20,487
- Average home value: $158,436
- Livability score: 77
20. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 7.65
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 39.80
- Average retirement income: $39,509
- Average home value: $185,930
- Livability score: 71
Editor’s note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations listed.
Methodology: Crime data was sourced from the FBI. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. Average retirement income was sourced from the U.S. Census 2023 5-Year American Community Survey. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index. The percentage of households that spend under 30% of household income on selected monthly owner costs was scored and weighted at 1.00, the percentage of homes with retirement income was scored and weighted at 1.00, the average retirement income for households that receive it was scored and weighted at 1.00, the property crime rate was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the violent crime rate was scored and weighted at 1.00. All the scores were summed and sorted to show the safest and wealthiest retirement towns. All data was collected on Oct. 2, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Safest and Wealthiest East Coast Retirement Towns
