Dreaming of the Golden State as the golden years creep up behind you? Well, if you want to retire in California, you may be in luck.<\/p>\n
Four West Coast cities made a new national list of the best places for upper-middle-class retirees<\/a> \u2014 but only if you have the cash to flash. Using the Pew Research Center\u2019s middle-class range<\/a>, a MoneyLion<\/a> analysis examined retirement destinations for upper-middle-class households, or those earning around $125,000 to $160,000 annually.<\/p>\n The study ranked 18 towns across the United States, where over 25% of residents are aged 65 or older, calculating the cost of living by averaging each destination\u2019s mortgage and expenditure costs to determine if they fit comfortably within upper-middle-class means.<\/p>\n La Quinta, a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, ranks as No. 18 for retirees. Getty Images<\/p>\n And California landed four spots on the list:<\/p>\n Lincoln, northeast of Sacramento, topped other California cities to make No. 9 on the list. Getty Images\/iStockphoto<\/p>\n If you\u2019re upper-middle-class and love the desert heat, the Palm Desert could be the top retirement spot for you. Matt Gush \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n For those with the financial means, these four cities offer a mix of golf courses, desert landscapes, access to vineyards and local attractions, and suburban charm \u2014 provided your retirement savings and investments can cover the premium price tag.<\/p>\n The study factored in livability scores, percentage of seniors within the community, and the doubled cost-of-living necessities, using the 50\/30\/20 budgeting rule<\/a>, to determine what retirees need for a comfortable lifestyle. Necessities in these California cities range from about $65,000 to $76,000 per year, a scope that shines a spotlight on the state\u2019s famously high cost of living even for relatively affluent retirees.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia’s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Fair Oaks near Sacramento is a retirement spot for wine lovers who don\u2019t want to be in the heart of Wine Country. squeemu \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Six of the top spots were dominated by Florida communities, with Estero, Delray Beach, Bonita Springs and Palm City taking the first four positions and Arizona\u2019s Prescott rounding out the top five.<\/p>\n The findings come as more Californians \u2014 including high earners<\/a> \u2014 consider leaving the state due to taxes, housing costs and quality-of-life concerns<\/a>. <\/p>\n Still, the appeal of California\u2019s weather, amenities, access to diverse nature and lifestyle keeps some retirees committed to staying in-state.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/strong><\/p>\n California Post News<\/strong>: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\n
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