By Florentina Sarac, Guest Blogger
Researcher for RENTCafé
As a generation that values individual choice and can easily adapt to change, baby boomers are known to favor certain parts of the country when it comes to retiring.
No longer tied to a particular city, many prefer to pack up their bags and leave for sunnier places. But while some only take a nice climate and entertainment options into consideration when choosing their next destination, others might want to move closer to family. Affordability also plays a big part in their decision as choosing a city with lower taxes can help them save money.
A study by the apartment search website RENTCafé shows that along with popular retirement zip codes in warm states such as Florida and California, baby boomers also prefer living in lively zip codes in New York or Las Vegas.
New York boasts the largest boomer population
Looking at the top 20 zip codes with the largest baby boomer population, 14 alone are in New York – Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens – challenging the popular myth that most seniors choose Florida. In fact, the top four zip codes are all in New York, with zip 11234 – covering Bergen Beach, Mill Basin, and Flatlands neighborhoods – boasting the highest number of baby boomers, 19,450. It’s the perfect place for this cohort, with many cultural activities and social programs, as well as many senior discounts.
Zip 11236 comes second, with a population of 18,672 boomers, followed by Manhattan’s 10025 with 18,672, and Brooklyn’s 11229 with 17,238.
However, another recurring state in the top 20 zip codes is Texas, with three zip codes boasting a large population of seniors: zip code 79936 in El Paso – 15,784 baby boomers (10th place), zip code 77084 in Houston – 14,806 boomers (13th place), and zip code 75052 in Grand Prairie – 14,100 boomers (17th place).
Texas and Arizona are still the go-to places for most boomers, but one Las Vegas zip saw the highest increase
As for the top 20 zip codes with the highest increase in baby boomers, zip 89138 in Las Vegas claims the first spot, with a 79 percent or 1,933 increase in baby boomers, over the course of five years, between 2012 and 2017. It’s easy to see why more boomers prefer living in big cities such as Las Vegas, given the abundant sunshine and wide variety of entertainment.
Another highlight worth mentioning is the fact that popular retirement states such as Texas and Arizona are still top choices among baby boomers, with Texas boasting eight zip codes and Arizona, four. The second position in the top 20 increases is occupied by zip code 78754 in Austin, which saw a 66 percent increase in the baby boomer population. It’s followed by Mesa’s 85212 with a 61 percent increase.
Arizona and Florida zips lead in terms of largest share of baby boomers
The top zip codes with the largest share of baby boomers show that the majority of the zip codes present in the top 20 are mostly spread across top retiring destinations such as Florida and Arizona. Boasting nice weather and an affordable cost of living, zip codes such as 85266 in Boulder and Scottsdale take the first place on the list, with a 35 percent share which translates into 4,351 boomers. The zip codes’ popularity among boomers can be credited to its numerous health care facilities as well as entertainment options.
Check out the full report here, including an interactive map highlighting the top trending baby boomer zip codes by state.
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