San Diego placed No. 32 nationally for retirement and ranked second among California cities, making it one of the state's stronger options for retirees.
The ranking considered four core categories: affordability, activities, quality of life, and healthcare, key factors for retirees choosing where fixed-income budgets can stretch.
San Diego benefited from the same broad appeal highlighted in California's top-performing cities: pleasant weather and plenty to do for older adults.
Its placement also reflected a challenge shared by California's major cities: living costs kept strong lifestyle and activity advantages from reaching top-tier status.
In the study's weighting, adjusted cost of living carried roughly triple the weight of a typical metric, showing why affordability matters so much.
For retirement planning in San Diego, the key tradeoff was clear: strong lifestyle appeal helped, while affordability remained the biggest limit on a higher finish.
San Diego Ranks No. 32 for Retirement
