Florida & Texas Lead the Way: Best Places to Retire in 2026

Retirenet Media Team

Two retirement powerhouses—sun, savings, and standout 55+ communities for every lifestyle.

By Retirenet Media Team

Florida & Texas Lead the Way: Best Places to Retire in 2026

If you’re searching for the best places to retire in 2026, two states keep rising to the top for the same simple reasons: lifestyle and leverage. Florida delivers year-round sunshine, beach access, and a mature ecosystem of retirement living. Texas brings big space, diverse regions, and strong value in many fast-growing metro areas—plus its own financial perks.

But the real story for 2026 isn’t just “Florida vs. Texas.” It’s how each state lets you customize retirement—from coastal, golf, and waterfront living to resort-style clubhouses, hobby groups, and low-maintenance homes inside well-established 55+ communities. RetireNet’s state directories make it easy to narrow choices by amenities, location, and lifestyle, helping you move from “Where should we go?” to “Which community fits us best?”

Below is a practical guide to why Florida and Texas lead the way this year—and how to choose the right region and community for your next chapter.

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Why Florida is a 2026 retirement favorite

Florida has been the headline retirement destination for decades, and in 2026 it remains a top pick for active adults who want a mix of warm weather, outdoor access, and community living. RetireNet notes Florida’s appeal for the 55+ lifestyle—highlighting sunshine, beaches, golf, and strong healthcare access, plus no state income tax.

What retirees love most about Florida in 2026

• Lifestyle-first living: beach days, boating, golf, and endless outdoor recreation are part of daily life in many regions.

• A deep bench of 55+ options: Florida’s directory spans hundreds of communities, giving buyers and renters the ability to filter by amenities and region.

• Amenities built for connection: RetireNet emphasizes features common in 55+ living—fitness centers, pools, walking trails, and organized activities that keep social life active.

Best Florida regions to watch (and why)

Florida isn’t one market—it’s several. Use regional thinking to get closer to the right fit:

• Gulf Coast: popular for beach access, boating, and a slightly more laid-back pace.

• Central Florida: a strong value-and-amenities mix, often with easier access to major medical networks.

• Atlantic Coast / Space Coast: for ocean proximity with a range of small-town and metro-adjacent options

  RetireNet’s Florida community search also lets you filter by amenities like clubhouse living, pools/spas, pickleball, boating, and more—helpful for turning “we want to stay active” into a short list you can actually tour.

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  Why Texas is surging as a top place to retire in 2026

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  Texas is increasingly a retirement “yes”—especially for buyers who want room to breathe, a wide selection of climates and landscapes, and proximity to major metros without necessarily paying major-metro prices. RetireNet frames Texas as highly varied—almost “a country unto itself”—with lifestyle options that range from hill country charm to coastal living and desert sunshine in the west.

  What retirees love most about Texas in 2026

• Regional variety: you can pick your pace—urban-adjacent, small-town, resort-style, or wide-open.
• Active adult community growth: Texas has a smaller set of listed 55+ communities on the referenced page than Florida, but the options span multiple regions and styles, including manufactured homes, RV-oriented living, and golf-centric communities.
• Financial flexibility: Texas is frequently shortlisted by retirees for its tax structure and overall value proposition (with the important caveat to plan for property taxes and insurance realities based on county and home type)

Florida vs. Texas: how to decide in 2026

Here’s the simplest way to choose: match the state to your non-negotiables.

Choose Florida if you want…

• Coastal access as a lifestyle (not a vacation)

• A massive range of retirement communities and amenities to compare in one state

• A mature “retirement infrastructure” where many services and activities are built around 55+ living

Choose Texas if you want…

• More space and variety across regions—metro suburbs, hill country, borderland warmth, and more

• A smaller directory list (on the referenced page) that still covers multiple living styles and standout community brands

• A retirement plan centered on access to major cities (dining, airports, healthcare) while living in a lower-density community environment

Either way, your best next step is the same: decide your top 3 lifestyle drivers (water, golf, walkability, clubhouse culture, RV storage, maintenance-free living, etc.), then filter communities accordingly.

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Featured 55+ communities to explore on RetireNet

Below are examples of communities shown on the two referenced RetireNet state pages—use them as jumping-off points to browse, compare, and request info.

Florida communities (from the referenced Florida page)

• Country Lakes Village (Palmetto, FL)

• La Costa Village – Sun Communities (Port Orange, FL)

• Vista del Lago MH & RV Resort – Sun Communities (Bradenton, FL)

• Woodlands at Church Lake – Sun Communities (Groveland, FL)

• Island Lakes – Sun Communities (Merritt Island, FL)

• Riverside Club Golf & Marina  – Sun Communities (Ruskin, FL)

• Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach (Ormond Beach, FL)

• The Highlands at Scotland Yards (Dade City, FL)

• The Preserve (Lake Suzy, FL)

• Beach Cove (Sebastian, FL)

Texas communities (from the referenced Texas page)

• Rockrose Ranch (Willis, TX)

• The Mansions of Wylie Active Adult (Wylie, TX)

• Robson Ranch (Denton) – Robson Communities (Denton, TX)

• Rio Norte (El Paso, TX)

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2026 retirement checklist: make your shortlist smarter

Before you fall in love with palm trees or hill country sunsets, run a quick reality check:

1. Total monthly cost: housing + HOA/lot rent + insurance + taxes + utilities

2. Healthcare distance: primary care, specialists, and hospital access

3. Lifestyle match: do you want events every day—or quiet most days?

4. Home type preference: manufactured homes, new construction, rentals, RV living—what fits best?

5. Travel needs: airport proximity and how often you’ll visit family

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The bottom line for 2026

Florida and Texas lead the way because they give retirees something that matters more than a “top 10 list”: options. Florida shines for coastal living, a deep selection of 55+ communities, and a retirement lifestyle that’s practically a local industry. Texas stands out for range—multiple climates, multiple cultures, and an expanding map of active adult communities that can put you close to world-class city amenities without living in the middle of them.

Your next step: use RetireNet to filter by the amenities you’ll actually use—then request info from the communities that feel like “you.” That’s how a broad search for the best places to retire in 2026 turns into a confident move.