Retirees steer clear: These 15 US cities have the worst weather for enjoying retirement
Brace yourself for smoky skies and a twister or two if you plan to live out your golden years in one of these cities.
Location is a big factor while building your retirement plans as the last thing you want to risk is your wellbeing — or your home — by settling down in one of these areas, no matter how large their nest egg.
We pulled together cities that have a reputation for extreme weather conditions or are at high risk for natural disasters for this list.
With devastating storms like this year's Hurricane Ian, many people think of Florida when it comes to dangerous weather. But it is not the only state with residents that are no stranger to wind warnings and evacuation orders — and you won't find any of the Sunshine State's cities on this list.
Here are 15 U.S. cities that deal with harsh heat, heavy snowfall or severe weather events — or all of the above — each year, ranked in no particular order.
Comments from Reddit and Quora are edited for spelling and clarity.
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15. New Orleans, Louisiana
The Big Easy suffers the worst from urban heat, according to a recent report from nonprofit research group Climate Central.
The study found that the city’s abundance of dark, impermeable surfaces, like asphalt roads — which absorb and then radiate back heat — largely contribute to extreme heat events in the city.
For a retiree, this means putting yourself at further risk for heat-related illnesses, which disproportionately affect people who are 65 or older or who have chronic health conditions.
And that’s not all that residents have to deal with. “New Orleans residents have learned to live with the dreaded annual hurricane season. Most seasons are rather quiet, but everyone prepares for these storms which require evacuation,” says Beth Taylor on Quora.
14. Fairbanks, Alaska
Sure, residents get stunning views of the Aurora Borealis in the Last Frontier state, but your average retiree would probably prefer sunshine and beaches to the north’s perpetual cold.
Fairbanks hit record lows for the month of April in 2021 at a chilly -24 degrees, and also experienced a late-season 13-inch snowstorm.
“There’s the horrible freezing weather in a very small city that's pretty far from any large cities with things to do. It gets like -50,-60. People throw hot cups of water out the window to watch it freeze before it hits the ground,” says Kelli L Port on Quora.
13. Houston, Texas
Hot and humid Houston recorded its hottest July on record this year, with an average temperature of 88 degrees. That's up from a record-setting June, where the average temperature was slightly cooler, at 86.7 degrees according ot the National Weather Service.
The city’s also considered one of the worst urban heat islands in the nation and has dealt with several extreme weather events over the years, from tornadoes to snowstorms — in February 2021, the entire state’s power grid collapsed.
The higher temperatures, the more money retirees spend on cooling their homes down as well. “Cost of electricity, and we use a lot of it to cool our homes in this climate, is really high in comparison to other places. In the summer we pay at least $300 a month for our remodeled 100-year-old house,” says Wayne Evans on Quora.
12. Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismark in North Dakota certainly gets chilly, with temperatures falling as low as -45 degrees and snowfall averaging 51 inches each year — and, as if that’s not enough, the city’s no stranger to twisters either.
In 2000, five tornadoes touched down in Bismarck and its surrounding areas, damaging over 40 homes. A blizzard reportedly stormed through the city not long after.
The city air is currently clogged up with smoke from wildfires in the western U.S. and Canada. The elderly — and anyone with an existing heart or lung condition — should stay well away for the time being.
11. Phoenix, Arizona
Often named one of the hottest cities in the country, the Valley of the Sun might lure tourists and vacationers to its high-end spa resorts and desert landmarks, but it’s not ideal for retirees.
In March, Phoenix saw it's firt daily high temperature hit 90 degrees. That might feel nice in March, but there was more than 22 days where the temperature was over 110 degrees in 2022.
The Washington Post says the city’s temperatures have been escalating over the years due to urban sprawl and greater use of heat-absorbing surfaces, like asphalt and concrete. On top of that, greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere across the world have risen as well, making Phoenix even more susceptible to major heat events.
10. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City’s nestled near the heart of Tornado Alley — between 1893 to 2020, 171 tornadoes have racked the area in total — so make sure you’ve got a good home insurance policy to cover any related damages.
May is considered a peak month for all tornadoes, while more dangerous tornadoes are more likely to occur in April. The Washington Post dubbed OKC one of the worst cities for extreme weather in 2021.
9. Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks in North Dakota gets its fair share of blizzards — one of the most recent being Blizzard Aaliyah, which landed in December 2020.
They’re so common, in fact, that the Grand Forks Herald names each snowstorm for a local resident or a famous or mythical figure.
Grand Forks is considered the Peace Garden State’s coldest city — the winter months can drop to subzero temperatures.
8. Santa Cruz, California
Wildfires have been ravaging the state of California for years — the state’s fire record reportedly dates back to 1932 — and the city of Santa Cruz and its surrounding areas are no exception.
This city is prone to both wildfires, flooding and the occasional earthquake. In 2017, mudslides and flooding cost the city over $10 million in damages, and the CZU Lightning Complex fire last year resulted in widespread devastation across the entire Santa Cruz county.
Almost 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed in the 37-day CZU fire and around 65,000 people were evacuated.
7. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas has plenty to entertain a retiree, it’s true, but beyond its (air-conditioned) casinos and vibrant nightlife, the city struggles with an intense heat problem.
In the summer of 2021, Sin City underwent a massive heat wave, with temperatures shooting up to 117 degrees in July. Dust and smoke from nearby wildfires also settled over the valley in a brown haze, says The Guardian.
The city’s reportedly warming faster than almost any other area in the U.S. — and its bustling crowds, concrete and overheating vehicles are only contributing to what’s becoming a serious environmental concern. Heat-related deaths in Southern Nevada are on the rise as well.
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6. Denver, Colorado
Retirees better dig out their shovels and prepare for the winters if they’re settling down in Denver for the remainder of their golden years.
The Mile High City is known for its heavy snowfall — averaging about 54 inches each year, according to The Washington Post.
It’s also prone to volatile temperature swings. During Labor Day weekend in 2020, the city broke a heat record at 101 degrees on the Saturday before swinging into a snow storm a few days later with temperatures in the 30s. Snowfall ended up continuing all the way through May, not uncommon for the area.
5. Tucson, Arizona
Tucson hit a record high for the fifth day in a row in June 2021 at 114 degrees — the previous record was 109 degrees in 1985, over 35 years ago.
The Old Pueblo experiences dry heat for most of the year and humidity during the monsoon season. The Guardian says the elderly who live in the city are especially at risk of heat-related illnesses and deaths.
“Your skin will suffer due to the heat, dry climate and sun — use a lot of moisturizer, lip balm and hand lotion. Even with that expect dry skin and more wrinkles,” warns Kent Thornell on Quora about retiring in Tucson.
4. Riverside-San Bernardino, California
According to FEMA, the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino land in one of the riskiest areas in the country for natural disasters.
The San Andreas Fault, which inspired the 2015 disaster film San Andreas, runs through San Bernardino and has triggered several real earthquakes in the past.
Wildfires aren’t uncommon in the area either. A 30-acre brush fire in Jurupa Valley in 2021 prompted evacuations and caused damage to around 20 homes — thankfully, it wasn’t as widespread as the 150-acre fire that broke out the previous year.
3. Boston, Massachusetts
Remember the infamous “blizzard blitz” of 2015? Boston managed to get nearly an entire season’s worth of snow in just 10 days.
The New England city’s not just pricey to live in, it’s often racked with bad weather, even through the summer. This year marked Boston’s third hottest and dryest July in history, with the average temerature hitting 77.5 degrees.
Since the city’s situated on the coast, it’s also at a higher risk of flooding, particularly as climate change worsens. And while hurricanes are nowhere near as common as snowstorms, Sandy pummeled trees and triggered power outages throughout Boston in 2012.
2. Los Angeles, California
The City of Angels poses several weather hazards to its residents due to its geography — it has many fault lines running through the area and lies near ravines and basins, as well as dry hillsides and brushes.
Los Angeles County overall received the highest score on FEMA’s National Risk Index. It ranked highly in particular for earthquake and wildfire risk, but also relatively highly for tornadoes, heat waves, flooding and lightning.
2017’s fire season hit the city directly in Bel-Air, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents.
1. San Jose, California
The Capital of Silicon Valley is not only expensive to live in and it’s also prone to natural disasters.
No retiree wants to worry about getting caught in a flood or losing their home to a wildfire — insurance website Insurify says San Jose, which lies on the southern shore of the San Francisco Bay, is one of America’s riskiest cities for flooding, and like much of the rest of California, the city’s susceptible to wildfires. It has been made worse by the ongoing drought conditions in the region.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
