Phoenix continues to attract more boomers than any other city in the U.S., according to a November 2013 report published by the Brookings Institute. The report revealed that between 2009 & 2012, Phoenix saw a net migration of over 18,000 people age 55 & over. Riverside, CA saw the next highest number of new boomers (11,125).
Brookings analyzed population trends in 51 U.S. cities with populations over 1 million people from 2006 to 2009 and 2009 to 2012, based on data made available from the U.S Census Bureau. Phoenix also saw the largest net migration of boomers (13,114) between 2006 & 2009; nearly double the next highest city for the period: Riverside with 6,785 new boomers.
Top 10 Cities that Attract Boomers (2009 – 2012):
- Phoenix, AZ (18,401)
- Riverside, CA (11,125)
- Tampa – St. Petersburg, FL (8,028)
- Atlanta, GA (5,713)
- Denver, CO (3,966)
- Austin, TX (3,500)
- Orlando, FL (3,495)
- Jacksonville, FL (3,334)
- Charlotte, NC (3,128)
- San Antonio, TX (2,998)
It comes as no surprise that Sun Belt cities well known for attracting retirees remain high on the list: Phoenix, Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Atlanta, and San Antonio.
Interestingly, two cities not known for year-round warmth are drawing an increasing share of the 55-and-up crowd: Denver (#5) and Indianapolis (#17).
Source: Brookings.edu report: Greatest Metropolitan Net Migration Gains (PDF)
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