Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Smartest Dollar.
With most seniors out of the workforce and living on fixed incomes or retirement savings, the rapidly rising cost of living has put a financial strain on older households.
Beyond inflation, however, seniors need more money than ever to live comfortably in retirement. The life expectancy of a 65-year-old in the U.S. has risen by more than four years since 1970.
Seniors also face greater health issues than the rest of the population, which comes at a high cost. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that per-capita health care spending for seniors is nearly three times as high as that for the working-age population.
Faced with these circumstances, older Americans are staying in the workforce longer.
To determine the best-paying locations for working seniors, researchers at Smartest Dollar calculated the cost-of-living adjusted median annual wage for seniors working full-time. The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau.
For the purposes of this analysis, seniors were considered to be age 65 and older. Find details on our methodology at the end.
Here are the best-paying U.S. metropolitan areas for working seniors.
15. Oklahoma City, OK
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $60,372
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $56,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $50,669
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 3.8%
- Share of population that are seniors: 14.8%
14. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $60,418
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $57,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $58,298
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 3.8%
- Share of population that are seniors: 15.8%
13. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $61,753
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $74,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $71,767
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.4%
- Share of population that are seniors: 16.7%
12. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $61,898
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $65,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $61,898
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 5.2%
- Share of population that are seniors: 16.2%
11. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $62,254
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $63,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $59,289
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 5.1%
- Share of population that are seniors: 18.1%
10. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $62,752
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $60,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $57,523
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 3.4%
- Share of population that are seniors: 16.7%
9. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $62,807
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $60,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $52,339
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.0%
- Share of population that are seniors: 14.3%
8. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $63,084
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $60,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $56,775
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.1%
- Share of population that are seniors: 19.0%
7. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $64,491
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $72,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $89,570
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.1%
- Share of population that are seniors: 14.5%
6. Tucson, AZ
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $64,570
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $60,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $51,656
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.6%
- Share of population that are seniors: 20.6%
5. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $65,133
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $75,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $52,106
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 3.9%
- Share of population that are seniors: 14.9%
4. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $65,518
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $65,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $62,494
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 5.1%
- Share of population that are seniors: 16.8%
3. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $70,198
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $77,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $68,375
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.8%
- Share of population that are seniors: 16.5%
2. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $70,788
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $72,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $63,906
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.9%
- Share of population that are seniors: 18.3%
1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (adjusted): $73,649
- Median annual wage for full-time seniors (actual): $82,000
- Median annual wage for all full-time workers (adjusted): $70,056
- Share of full-time workforce that are seniors: 4.8%
- Share of population that are seniors: 13.9%
Methodology
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey.
To determine the best-paying locations for working seniors, researchers at Smartest Dollar calculated the cost-of-living adjusted median annual wage for seniors working full-time.
In the event of a tie, the location with the greater unadjusted median annual wage for seniors working full-time was ranked higher. For the purposes of this analysis, seniors were considered to be ages 65 and older.
