Naples tops safest, best places to live and retire lists

Naples ranks in the top spot for the Safest Places to Live and ranks in the top 15 for Best Places to Live, Best Places to Retire, and Fastest-Growing, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Safest Places to Live

Graphic for Naples ranking for best places to liveThe recently updated list of Safest Places to Live in the U.S. 2022-23, names Naples No. 1 because of its low crime rate. It is based on the murder and property crime rates per 100,000 people for the Naples-Marco Island area. The U.S. News violent and property crime index for Naples is 9.6 out of 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 the best.

Naples isn’t the only Florida city to make the list. In the top five, in order, are Port St. Lucie, FL; Fort Myers, FL; Portland, ME, and Lakeland, FL.

Best Places to Retire

Naples is ranked No. 2 for the U.S. News and World Report Best Places to Retire in the U.S. The rankings were determined by analyzing data for 150 metropolitan areas in the U.S. to assess how well they meet Americans’ retirement needs and expectations. Criteria included happiness of local residents, job market, housing affordability, tax rates, health care quality and desirability of the area.

Eight of the top 10 cities on the list are in Florida. The top ranked city is Sarasota. Daytona Beach and Melbourne were 3 and 4, respectively, while Lancaster, PA, rounded out the top 5.

Best Places to Live

Although Naples is the safest place to live and one of the top two places to retire, overall it ranks No. 12 for the Best Places to Live in the U.S. When determining the list, U.S. News considered job market, average salary, unemployment rate, value of living in the area (housing), household income, quality of life, crime rates, healthcare, desirability, and net migration. Information and data were compiled from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. News and World Report resources and public opinion.

The top 12 Best Places to Live (in order) are: Huntsville, AL; Colorado Springs, CO; Green Bay, WI; Boulder, CO; San Jose, CA; Raleigh & Durham, NC; Fayetteville, AR; Portland, ME; Sarasota, FL; San Francisco, CA; Ann Arbor, MI; and Naples, FL.

Fastest-Growing

Naples is among the Fastest Growing Places in the U.S., making the U.S. News and World Report top 10 list. Coming in at number 9, Naples is one of seven Florida cities to make the top 10. Making the top 10 are:

  1. Myrtle Beach, SC
  2. Lakeland, FL
  3. Sarasota, FL
  4. Fort Myers, FL
  5. Boise, ID
  6. Ocala, FL
  7. Port St. Lucie, FL
  8. Daytona Beach, FL
  9. Naples, FL
  10. Austin, TX

It probably comes as no surprise to Naples residents that the area is growing so quickly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, net domestic migration to the area last year was more than 10,000 and international was nearly 1,000. Statewide, growth was about 1%.

Naples attracts so many residents and was ranked so highly because of the amazing weather, pristine beaches, golf courses, fine dining, and shopping options. U.S. News also points to the lack of a state income tax, low unemployment, and job opportunities as reasons for the growth and popularity.

The popularity and growth also make Naples a great place to invest in property.

If you would like to call Naples home or find an investment home, contact Larry Roorda Realtor® to help you find the best property to fit your needs.