Twin Cities Ranks Among Best Places To Retire In U.S. ... 131st Best, To Be Exact

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minneapolis-St. Paul ranks among the best places to retire in America, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report. That being said, it's perhaps surprisingly low on that list of places.

The rankings considered happiness of residents, value and affordability, tax rates and quality of health care, the job market, and overall desirability.

The Twin Cities ranked 131st on the list, with a relatively low score in desirability.

"Minneapolis and St. Paul not only have big-city amenities like museums and sports stadiums, but also have an approachable Midwestern feel," U.S. News wrote. "Locals embrace the harsh winters and partake in hockey, ice fishing and cross-country skiing. During the spring, summer and fall, Minneapolis and St. Paul come alive with outdoor music festivals, baseball games at Target Field and recreational opportunities on the area's lakes."

Not helping the metro area's ranking are our winters.

"Winters in the area can be brutally cold," the magazine wrote.

Not that winters hurt the rankings of three places in Wisconsin that all ranked higher than Minneapolis-St. Paul. Green Bay and Madison were back-to-back at 41st and 42nd on the list, with Milwaukee also managing a spot in the top 100, at #96.

In contrast to the Twin Cities' ranking among the best places to retire, they ranked 27th on the list of best places to live in the country overall.

As to what was on top of the pile? Florida dominated, with eight cities in the top 10. Sarasota, Naples and Daytona Beach were the top three.

Click here for the full list.