Bonita Springs makes the top 5 list for best small towns to retire in America

If you love the great outdoors — or even if you prefer the indoor wonders of the local mall — Catalina Foothills, Arizona, might be the perfect place to retire. But if you are looking for a small retirement destination in Florida, Bonita Springs is named the number 5 most desired small town retirement destination in America.

In fact, the small city of around 53,000 people recently earned the top ranking in Money’s 2019 Best Places to Retire list.

Catalina Foothills is located just north of Tucson, near the Santa Catalina Mountains. It boasts nearly 300 days of sunshine annually, and more than half of its population is 50 or older.

According to Money:

“Thanks to the diversity of the area’s landscape, with mountains, deserts and canyons, Catalina Foothills provides a great variety of outdoor experiences. The Sabino Canyon Recreation Area draws over a million visitors a year to experience the area’s natural beauty. But if that’s not your thing, you can stick closer to home and visit the Tucson Botanical Gardens.”

If shopping is more your thing, Catalina Foothills is home to both high-end retail (La Encantada) and discounted retail (Tucson Premium Outlets).

Money picked eight U.S. cities as the top retirement locations by considering data on their economic health, cost of living, health care, safety, diversity, quality of life, amenities and percentage of population above age 50.

The cities are:

• Catalina Foothills, Arizona
• Palm Desert City, California
• West Bloomfield, Michigan
• Northfield Township, Illinois
• Bonita Springs, Florida
• Minnetonka, Minnesota
• Georgetown City, Texas
• Clarkstown, New York

Money has been crafting lists of great places to live — and retire to — for many years. But it’s not the only place to look for such guidance.

Recently, WalletHub released its ranking of the best and worst U.S. cities in which to retire. The best city was one of the usual suspects — Orlando, Florida — but there were a few surprise choices on the list. Find out more in “The Top 10 Cities All-Around for Retirees in 2019.”

Of course, dreaming about retirement is one thing, while actually planning for it is something else — and far more important.