Nearly half of Brits plan to stay local in retirement – here are the best places to retire in your region

Retirees want to find the best quality of life close to home, according to new research from David Wilson Homes, with almost half (49%) of survey respondents planning to remain in their current town or city when they retire.

To explore what makes a location ideal for later life, David Wilson Homes has created a Regional Retirement Index, ranking local authorities within each region of Great Britain based on factors that matter most to retirees: life satisfaction, housing affordability, access to healthcare, and green space.

Rather than producing a single national ranking, the index focuses on regional leaders, giving a realistic picture of where retirement life is most appealing locally.

The best places to retire close to home

Steve Mariner, Sales and Marketing Director at David Wilson Homes, outlines: “Our research shows that retirement decisions are rarely about moving across the country. Most people want to stay near familiar surroundings, friends and family, so the best place to retire is relative. That’s why we’ve focused on regional insights, helping people see which areas perform best locally so they can make informed decisions about where to enjoy later life.

“Understanding options like RIO mortgages is an important part of planning for later life, alongside choosing the right location, helping retirees make informed decisions for a secure and comfortable future.”

According to the index, the top-ranked areas for retirees in each region are:

Region	Place	County	Average House Price	Life Satisfaction Score	GP Practices per 100k patients	Greenspace per 10k residents	Score
South West England	Cheltenham	Gloucestershire	£323,378	7.41	9	5	67
South East England	Milton Keynes	Buckinghamshire	£342,471	7.51	7	5	65
Greater London	Tower Hamlets	Greater London	£479,284	7.32	8	4	48
East of England	South Cambridgeshire	Cambridgeshire	£432,540	7.41	8	5	61
West Midlands	Staffordshire Moorlands	Staffordshire	£215,635	7.45	14	3	61
East Midlands	Derbyshire Dales	Derbyshire	£331,441	7.68	14	3	63
North West England	Warrington	Cheshire	£253,744	7.45	12	4	66
North East England	Hartlepool	County Durham	£140,180	7.29	11	3	55
Yorkshire and the Humber	North Yorkshire	North Yorkshire	£272,463	7.49	11	3	56
Wales	Vale of Glamorgan	South Glamorgan	£290,152	7.5	9	4	61
Scotland	Argyll and Bute	Argyll and Bute	£182,857	7.75	32	3	98

These findings highlight the variety of retirement options across Great Britain, from rural landscapes to vibrant towns, all within reach of home.

Mariner says: “Every region has something to offer, which is why the Regional Retirement Index looks at multiple factors to create its ranking score.  While some areas provide more readily available access to healthcare, others offer ample opportunities to enjoy serene greenspaces, highlighting the nuances of choosing where to settle. Ultimately, the right choice will differ depending on each individual’s preferences and priorities.”

Planning for retirement: A knowledge gap

Choosing where to retire is only part of the picture, as financial planning plays an equally important role.

Steve Mariner says: “Lifestyle choices aside, our research also highlights a knowledge gap that could impact retirement decisions: almost nine in 10 (86%) homeowners over 45 are unaware of Retirement-Interest-Only (RIO) mortgages, a product designed to help older borrowers manage housing costs later in life.”

Terry Higgins, mortgage expert at The New Homes Group, explains: “A retirement interest-only (RIO) mortgage is designed for older borrowers, typically aged 55+ (with some lenders accepting 50+), who may find that a standard mortgage does not meet their needs. As securing a traditional mortgage can become more difficult later in life, a RIO mortgage provides an alternative, either to borrow against your home in retirement or as an alternative to equity release.

“Like a standard interest-only mortgage, a RIO has two parts: the capital (the loan itself) and the interest. With this type of mortgage, your monthly repayments only cover the interest on the amount borrowed. The capital is usually repaid when the property is sold, when the owner enters long‑term care, or when the owner’s estate is settled.”

For more information about RIO mortgages and to explore the full Regional Retirement Index, visit David Wilson Homes’ interactive retirement report.