Best cold-weather places to retire

Photo by Roman Hnydin | Unsplash.com

By Stacy Rapacon
Posted on July 10, 2025

Some like it hot; others not so much. If you dream of a retirement destination where you get to bundle up for long winters and enjoy jacket weather in the summertime, head north.

Many of the following locales offer an abundance of winter activities, such as skiing and snowshoeing, as well as several other year-round benefits, including low taxes and affordable living costs.

To determine the best cold weather places to retire, Kiplinger looked at average temperatures, cost of living, the share of the population over age 65 and Kiplinger’s ratings of tax friendliness.

Check out these extra-cool spots if you want to chill out when you retire:

Bangor, Maine

• Average low temperature in January: 9°F
• Average high temperature in July: 81°F
• Cost of living: 14.3% below U.S. average
• Share of population 65+: 20%
• Heat factor: Moderate; 90% of properties are at moderate risk of heat over the next 30 years

Maine’s great outdoors offer crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing, as well as dog-sledding and snowmobiling. In the warmer months, the same trails can be used for walking, hiking or biking.

While the Pine Tree State can be painfully pricey, the relatively small city of Bangor (population: 31,628) is more affordable than other well-known areas such as Kennebunkport (where the wealthy Bush clan has a compound) and Mount Desert (a favorite of the Rockefellers). The average home value in Bangor is $270,310.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

• Average low temperature in January: 15°F
• Average high temperature in July: 81°F
• Cost of living: 4.1% below the average
• Share of population 65+: 20.1%
• Heat factor: Minor; 70% of properties are at minor risk of heat over the next 30 years

New England is notoriously expensive, but Pittsfield offers a small pocket of relative affordability. Overall, living costs are lower than the national average, and much more reasonable than in Boston. Housing is also notably affordable: The average Pittsfield home value is $291,994, compared with $625,065 for all of Massachusetts.

Leaf peeping in the fall may be enough to draw you to the Berkshires. But you have plenty to enjoy all year round, including excellent sites for camping, fishing, hiking and skiing. You can also enjoy musical performances at the nearby Tanglewood Music Center, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

• Average low temperature in January: 17°F
• Average high temperature in July: 84°F
• Cost of living: 5.5% above the average
• Share of population 65+: 12.7%
• Heat factor: Moderate; 89% of properties are at moderate risk of heat over the next 30 years

Another college town well suited to retirees, Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan with all its educational programs (including the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which offers college classes for seniors), sporting events and cultural affairs.

The university also runs the Geriatrics Center and Institute of Gerontology, which focuses on healthcare issues that come with aging. Along with its research and medical facilities and staff, the Center offers programs and classes to help older adults maximize their good health and independence. In fact, U.S. News ranked the University of Michigan Health – Ann Arbor as second-best hospital in Michigan.

A downside to Ann Arbor, however, is affordability. The average home value is $495,371, versus $241,007 for the rest of the state.

Great Falls, Montana

• Average low temperature in January: 18°F
• Average high temperature in July: 87°F
• Cost of living: 12.1% below the average
• Share of population 65+: 20%
• Heat factor: Minor; 98% of properties are at minor risk of heat over the next 30 years

Adventurous retirees (with a high threshold for cold winters) can thrive in Great Falls, located on the high plains of Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front Range. This portion of Big Sky Country hosts its fair share of hiking, skiing, mountain biking and kayaking. And the area has about 60 parks and 40 miles of trails along the scenic Missouri River. If that’s not enough, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are about four and three hours away, respectively.

Another plus: The cost of living is relatively affordable. The average Great Falls home value is $318,332, compared to $452,050 for the state of Montana.

Peterborough, New Hampshire

• Average low temperature in January: 11°F
• Average high temperature in July: 80°F
• Cost of living: 10.7% above the average
• Share of population 65+: 28.5%
• Heat factor: Moderate; 82% of properties are at moderate risk of heat over the next 30 years

Where better to retire and “realize life while you live it — every, every minute” than the place that (in part) inspired Our Town’s Grover’s Corners? The real-life representation of classic small-town America, Peterborough is a peaceful home to 6,500 people.

The area’s average home value is $468,873, compared to $494,992 for the rest of the state. There’s a nice selection of restaurants in town, and if you want to get out, there’s plenty of outdoor recreation to enjoy, including nearby snowshoeing, hiking, skiing and just taking in the scenic mountain views.

Donna Fuscaldo and Erin Bendig contributed to this article.