Best Places to Retire in Texas

Population and Social Characteristics

Welcome to Texas State Sign — Nick Fox / Shutterstock.com

Published: March 20, 2024 2:30 pm

When you think of states within the U.S. that are great for retirement, Texas undoubtedly comes to mind. Popular for so many reasons, Texas remains one of the greatest places to live for people of all ages. It is famous for its country music, barbecues, oil fields, cowboys, rodeos, and state fairs. In other words, Texas has it all.

If you’re looking to retire in the near future, making Texas one of your choices should be top of mind. Along with everything mentioned above, you have great weather, plenty of large cities, a diverse landscape, and all the land you could ever want.

Using data compiled from expert sites like Niche, let’s take a look at the best cities you can find in Texas for retirement in descending order.

17. Olmos Park

Olmos Park. Texas. USA — Olmos Park is a great place to live with many dog-friendly parks and entertainment.

Home to many dog-friendly parks and the ARS Entertainment Hub, Olmos Park is filled with things to do. Located outside of San Antonio, Olmos Park has a population of 2,286 people. Residents have a wonderful selection of dining and drink options while enjoying a low cost of living. This is good news for the 19% of residents who are already at retirement age.

16. Hudson Bend

Hudson Bend is a small town that has plenty to do including a resort & spa.

With a population of 3,672 people, Hudson Bend is a quaint town located near Austin. Home to many outdoor activities, Hudson Bend is famous for its ziplining adventures and the Lakeway Resort & Spa. Plus, you have Canyonland Trails for mountain biking as beautiful weather is enjoyed all year long. This is good news for the town’s residents as 22% of them are aged 65 and over.

15. Palm Valley

Tranquil Texas meadow at sunrise with hay bales strewn across the landscape — Palm Valley is a small town that is great for both fishing and golfing.

A smaller town area-wise, all of Palm Valley’s 1,876 residents live within a 0.6 square mile area. However, small doesn’t mean bad as Palm Valley earns an A- score from Niche for retirees. Almost 31% of residents are over retirement age and enjoy the Harlington Country Club for golf or South Padre Island for saltwater fishing.

14. Highland Park

Pink, white, and red azaleas in Highland Park, TX — Among things to do in Highland Park, you can walk through fields of beautiful flowers.

Located outside of the Dallas area, Highland Park is a well-known Texas city great for retirement. A well-to-do area, the median home value is right around $1.6 million for the town’s 8,840 residents. Right around 19% of residents are of retirement age and take advantage of Highland Park’s many things to do. You have the Frontiers of Flight Museum, Klyde Warren Park, and Lakeside Park along with quick access to many of Dallas’ attractions and dining options.

13. Woodway

The beautiful aerial view of nature on the shore of Lake Waco in Texas — Woodway is the largest town among the best places to retire in Texas according to Niche.com.

A suburb of Waco, Woodway is a somewhat larger area on this list with a population of 9,339 residents. The good news is the larger population means more to do. Woodway is home to the famous Dr. Pepper Museum, Carleen Bright Arboretum, and the Cameron Park Zoo. Rated A+ by Niche, over 23% of Woodway’s residents say they are of retirement age and over.

12. Horseshoe Bay

Texas golf course fairway at sunset — Horseshoe Bay is a welcome place to live if you love golf and walking trails.

With multiple golf courses nearby, Horseshoe Bay is a great place to call home and play 18 holes daily. A population of 4,601 people is regularly found on the golf course or the many trails surrounding Horseshoe Bay. Multiple natural parks are within town limits, including Longhorn Cavern State Park famous for its natural rock formations. Over 50% of the town’s residents are at retirement age and above.

11. Fulton

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) perched on post with Fulton Texas fishing fleet in background. Horizontal format — An inexpensive place to live, Fulton is a great place to fish all year round.

Any retirees looking for a great place to fish regularly should strongly consider Fulton, Texas. While only 1,241 people live in town limits, many of them love to use Fulton’s fishing pier or Harbor Park to find a big catch. The median home value is right around $90,000, which makes Fulton a very inexpensive place to call home. At the end of 2023, 39% of the population was 65 and over.

10. Shenandoah

If you want a family-friendly town great for retirement, Shenandoah might be the place for you.

Located outside of Houston, Shenandoah is a highly-rated location for retirees. Over 44% of the 3,481 population is at retirement age and already taking advantage of things to do in the area. The Shenandoah Park is family-friendly and includes a splash pad and tennis courts. Northshore Park is a great place for picnics and frequent outdoor concerts.

9. Weston Lakes

Weston Lakes. Texas. USA — Weston Lakes is a planned community, so all of the residents live in the same gated area.

A 1,600-acre planned community, Weston Lakes is a terrific place to enjoy some quiet time. Only 3,907 people call Weston Lakes home, though a small town doesn’t mean there is little to do. You have numerous hiking trails in the area along with a golf course and a country club for nicer meals. Lots of retirees already call Weston Lakes home with 24% of the population over 65.

8. Piney Point Village

Piney Point Village gets an A+ rating according to Niche for its great weather and nightlife.

Earning an A+ rating for retirees from Niche, Piney Point Village is a great place to live. Located near Houston, you get excellent weather, a strong nightlife, and plenty of ways to stay active. Plus, a population of only 3,114 people ensures you keep the small-town feeling you’ve been after. Just over 22% of residents are aged 65 and over.

7. Emerald Bay

Texas Lone-star Barn — If you are looking for small-town life in Texas, Emerald Bay is the smallest town on this list.

Anyone looking for a truly small town in Texas to live out the rest of their days should turn to Emerald Bay. A population of just 969 people fills up town limits, so you get both a rural setting and not-so-noisy neighbors. What’s striking about Emerald Bay is that over 57% of the town’s residents are 65 and over. This is great news for making friends and having dinner at the Emerald Bay Club.

6. The Hills

Stunning autumn sunrise in the Texas Hill Country — The Hills offers small-town living while being close enough to the excitement of Austin.

An Austin suburb, The Hills is a great place to live if you love quiet living. A population of only 2,505 residents keeps The Hills feeling very rural. With 33% of the population over 65%, The Hills is well known for being a retirement hotspot. If nothing else, you can spend time looking at rocks at The Hills, which is known to be home to the oldest rocks in the state.

5. Barton Creek

huge mansion homes aboe barton creek west hills of Austin Texas Sunset above rooftops and houses in million dollar Suburb — Barton Creek offers plenty of natural attractions and trails for the over-65 crowd.

Home to a small population of only 3,234 people, the town of Barton Creek is the 5th best place to retire in the state. Great for jobs and health & fitness, Barton offers a host of natural attractions, parks, and a variety of nature trails. Of course, there’s plenty of food and drinks in the city limits as well. A sizable 33% of the town’s population identifies as 65 and over.

4. Lago Vista

An abandoned old barn with the symbol of Texas painted on the roof sits in a rural area of the state, framed by farmland. — Lago Vista is a fast-growing area thanks to the many tech companies moving to Austin.

A lakeside community located 20 miles from Austin, Lago Vista is set on a peninsula with the Colorado River running through next to the city. Within the city limits of Lago Vista, over 9,000 residents call it home. In total, 27% of those residents are aged 65 and over. The area around Lago Vista is growing fast as it’s home to numerous tech companies who are making the move to Texas.

3. West Lake Hills

West Lake Hills. Texas. USA — With a high median home price, West Lake Hills is a great place to retire if you can buy a home.

Located close to Austin, West Lake Hills is another A+ rated town according to Niche. With only 3,360 residents, you get a small-town feel with a whole lot of fun. It’s an affluent community as the medium home value is $1.4 million with 88% of residents owning their home. Toward the end of 2023, 25% of the town identified as 65 and over.

2. DeCordova

The Texas state flag waving along with the national flag of the United States of America. Texas s a state in the South Central region of the United States — Anyone looking at DeCordova will love the greater weather and year-round golf.

Rated A by Niche, DeCordova is the single best place in the state to buy a home. Of the 2023 population of 3,035 people, 30% are aged 65 and over. What’s notable about this city is that the entire town lives within one gated community. With the great weather, you can take full advantage of a golf course that has 27 holes, a clubhouse with a swimming pool, tennis, and a fitness center.

1. Hollywood Park

State flag of Texas against blue sky. Vintage filter effects. — If you want the very best place to retire in Texas, you can’t do any better than Hollywood Park.

A suburb of San Antonio, Hollywood Park is the best place in Texas you can pick to retire. With a small population of just 3,123 people, it’s home to plenty of places to eat, drink, and be merry. Rated A+ as a place to live by Niche, it’s great for jobs, nightlife, health & fitness, and just about everything else. At the end of 2023, over 22% of the population was aged 65 and over.

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Read more: Population and Social Characteristics, texas, Affordable retirement, full retirement age, niche, retirement, retirement age, Texas

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