10 Best Places to Retire in Massachusetts

Moving to a new state can be exhilarating, but it can also be quite frightening since you’re uprooting your whole life, but when retirement comes that might be the best idea, so today we’re going to take a look at the 10 best places to retire in Massachusetts.

Up north, on the shore of the Atlantic, sits Massachusetts, a state that is home to some 6.8 million people. Out of the 10,565 square miles of territory, over a quarter is water, so there’s plenty of that to enjoy, whether you like fishing, swimming, boating and so on. There are several large bays around the state as well as plenty of rivers, including Charles River. If fishing is your flavor, then you should know there are plenty of freshwater species around here, as well as marine species.

When it comes to the climate, Massachusetts is somewhere between humid continental and humid subtropical with warm summers and cool winters.

While Massachusetts is the seventh smallest state in the USA, it is a big educational center. For instance, both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are located here, in Cambridge.

There’s also plenty of activity going in this state so, even if the new place you choose to move to isn’t that rich in entertainment opportunities, be it cinemas, restaurants or art galleries, there’s always the possibility to take a drive to the nearest big city, such as Boston. Alternatively, you might want to read up on another location, such as the 10 best places to retire in Maryland.

Across Massachusetts, the average home price is $315,200, while the cost of living index is 137.4, which is quite a bit above the national average. The violent crime rate was calculated at 47, which isn’t too great, but not too terrible either. Massachusetts also has 408 physicians per 100,000 residents, well above the 261 national average.

For our list today we took a look at several aspects, such as the average commute time (included as the general state of traffic, since pensioners use the same roads as the commuters to go about their daily activities, albeit not necessarily at the same time), the median home price, the cost of living index, the crime rate and the number of physicians per 100,000 residents for each county in the state, getting information from Sperling’s BestPlaces which centralizes data from various governmental sources. Then we handed out points according to the ratings for each of these categories and offered extra points to those counties that have more physicians than the state’s average since healthcare is such an important issue.

Without further ado, here are the 10 best places to retire in Massachusetts.

10. Suffolk

Score: 16

Median home price: $375,700

Cost of living index: 154.7

Average commute time: 28.87

Crime rate: 62

Doctors per 100K: 1007

The county with the highest density of physicians in the state is Suffolk, home to over 767,000 people. Since the county seat is Boston, it’s easy to figure out why the number of doctors is so high since there are over 20 hospitals of all sorts in this city alone.

Half of the county’s 120 square miles territory is water, so there’s plenty of specific activities to enjoy if you so desire. There are also several protected areas in the county, including the Boston African American National Historic Site and part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, as well as the Boston National Historical Park.

The median home price in the area is a bit high, but that’s to be expected given the big cities in the area – $375,700. Also, the cost of living index is 154.7, which is well above the national average. The crime rate is also a little high, namely 62. On the up side, there are 1007 physicians for every 100,000 residents, so your medical needs should be taken care of.

9. Plymouth

Score: 17

Median home price: $287,300

Cost of living index: 137.5

Average commute time: 32.23

Crime rate: 32

Doctors per 100K: 169

In the east area of the state, you’ll find Plymouth County, home to some 495,000 people. The county has a total area of 1,093 square miles, out of which 40 percent is water. Overall, it is the third largest county in Massachusetts.The county is home, in part, to the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, as well as the Massasoit National Wildlife Refuge, so you have plenty of space to run to if you want to spend some time out in nature.

The median home price in this area is north of $287,000, while the cost of living index is 137.5. The crime rate is lower than in other areas – 32, while the number of doctors per 100,000 people is 169, well below the state’s average and the national average. On the bright side, Boston isn’t too far away in case of need.

8. Barnstable

Score: 20

Median home price: $337,600

Cost of living index: 141.2

Average commute time: 24.49

Crime rate: 35

Doctors per 100K: 261

Southern down in the state is Barnstable County, with a population of over 215,000 people. Although water is a big part of the entire state, it makes up 70 percent of this county’s territory of 1,306 square miles. Among the national protected areas are the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge.

Houses go for north of $337,000 in this county, but they’re not the only things that are expensive here since the cost of living index is 141.2. The crime rate is pretty low, so you should be quite safe here.

7. Middlesex

Score: 21

Median home price: $397,500

Cost of living index: 159.4

Average commute time: 28.19

Crime rate: 32

Doctors per 100K: 475

The most populous county in Massachusetts is Middlesex, where over 1.5 million people live. The 847 square miles territory is in the northern area of the state and it is one that has the least water percentage.

The median home price in the area is close to $400,000, while the cost of living index is just shy of 160, meaning you’ll pay a lot more than you’re probably used to, although this certainly depends on the place you’re coming from. There are 475 physicians per 100,000 people in Middlesex, so that’s great news if you have any medical issues that need attention.

6. Norfolk

Score: 25

Median home price: $378,900

Cost of living index: 154.6

Average commute time: 31.05

Crime rate: 28

Doctors per 100K: 499

Home to over 670,000 people, Norfolk County, separates the state into two. Out of the 444 square miles of the county, 11 percent is water, so there’s plenty of things to do if you want to enjoy the outdoors, near a body of water. There are also several protected areas, such as the Adams National Historical Park, for instance.

The median home price in the area is close to $379,000, while the cost of living index is 154.6, so things are pretty expensive. The crime rate is 28, so it’s quite safe to be out and about. There are nearly 500 doctors for every 100,000 residents in Norfolk.

5. Franklin

Score: 26

Median home price: $180,300

Cost of living index: 111.7

Average commute time: 24.59

Crime rate: 38

Doctors per 100K: 140

One of the least populous counties on our list and in the entirety of Massachusetts is Franklin, which is home to over 71,000 people. The median home price here is rather low compared to what we’ve seen so far – $180,300. The cost of living index is also lower than in many other areas in the state, namely 111.7.

If you have medical issues, you should know there are only 140 physicians per 100,000 citizens.

4. Worcester

Score: 27

Median home price: $220,100

Cost of living index: 113.2

Average commute time: 27.57

Crime rate: 37

Doctors per 100K: 320

With nearly 800,000 residents, Worcester County is the second most populous county in Massachusetts. The county is quite large, occupying 1,579 square miles, out of which 4.3 percent is water.

Houses go for a little over $220,000, so you should find something to suit your needs even if your pockets don’t go that deep. The cost of living index is 113.2, which is quite ok compared to other areas in the state.

3. Hampshire

Score: 29

Median home price: $235,700

Cost of living index: 122.4

Average commute time: 23.22

Crime rate: 39

Doctors per 100K: 378

There are nearly 160,000 people living in Hampshire County according to the latest census. The largest city within the county is Amherst, while the county seat, Northampton follows next.

Houses go for $235,700 in average, which is quite better than in many other areas of the state. The cost of living index is 122.4. When it comes to healthcare, there are 378 physicians for every 100,000 citizens.

2. Hampden

Score: 30

Median home price: $173,800

Cost of living index: 110.2

Average commute time: 22.38

Crime rate: 53

Doctors per 100K: 281

Over in Hampden County, there are some 463,000 residents, according to the 2010 census. The county borders Connecticut on one of its sides. If you’re interested in guns, you can visit the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, which was the primary center for firearms manufacture from the 1700s until 1968.

The median home price is close to $174,000, and the cost of living index is 110.2, which is quite ok compared to other areas.

1. Berkshire

Score: 34

Median home price: $187,300

Cost of living index: 108.5

Average commute time: 20.49

Crime rate: 41

Doctors per 100K: 357

Finally, we reached Berkshire County, home to some 131,000 people. Houses are sold for a little over $187,000, while the cost of living index is 108.5. The average commute time in this county is also more than ok, just a little over 20 minutes.

There are 357 physicians per 100,000 residents in Berkshire so your medical needs should, in theory, be covered. All in all, Berkshire County landed on the top spot among the 10 best places to retire in Massachusetts.