When choosing a place to retire, there’s a lot to consider, including cost of living, healthcare quality, and the local community. Some people prefer to stay close to home, while others choose to move far away or head overseas (after all, there are plenty of excellent reasons to retire abroad). A new study from U.S. News & World Report analyzed data for over 850 American cities and ranked the top 250 best places to retire for 2026. The number one spot? Midland, Michigan.
Quite a change from 2025’s top-ranked city of Naples, Florida, a seaside city with a ritzy downtown, Midland is located in the middle of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, about a two-hour drive from both Detroit and Grand Rapids. Midland has a population of just under 43,000 people. The relatively low cost of living when compared to similar-sized cities is one factor for its ranking, particularly when it comes to housing costs. Midland’s median home value is $206,142 compared to the national average of $370,489. About 23% of Midland’s population is between the ages of 45 and 65, and 20% are over age 65, making it easy for retirees to find a community of people in a similar life stage. Midland also offers attractions that are harder to quantify, for example, an artsy vibe and mid-century modern architecture.
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Midland mid-century modern heritage
A view of the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio and reflecting pool – Craig Sterken/Shutterstock
Though you might associate mid-century modern architecture with California cities like Palm Springs, Midland is also a hub. Alden B. Dow (son of Herbert H. Dow, founder of The Dow Chemical Company) was born in Midland. A celebrated architect who studied with Frank Lloyd Wright and trained in Japan, New York, and nearby Saginaw, Michigan, Dow returned to Midland as an adult and centered his career there. He inspired and trained other architects as well, and today, Midland is home to over 400 remarkable mid-century modern buildings, including over 100 designed by Dow.
The majority of those 400 structures are private residences, but that number also includes dozens of commercial, educational, religious, and public structures. Highlights include the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio (above; now a museum as well as a National Historic Landmark), the 110-acre Dow Gardens, and the Midland Center for the Arts. Thanks to this history, the Chicago Reader has dubbed the city “the Midwest’s mid-century modern mecca,” calling it “arguably the most architecturally unique small town in America” with homes “looking straight out of a 1960s issue of Better Homes and Gardens.”
Arts and culture in Midland, Michigan
The Tridge in Midland, Michigan surrounded by fall foliage – Mktefft2/Shutterstock
Midland’s arts scene expands beyond its mid-century modern history into the present. Colorful murals cover the walls of many buildings, and public art, including sculptures, are dotted throughout the city. Public Arts Midland encourages creativity with art yearly themes, summer finds live music at the scenic three-legged footbridge (the Tridge), and the Midland Center for the Arts hosts an annual Summer Art Fair that draws thousands of arts lovers. With a 1,500-seat auditorium, a 400-seat theater, and 97-seat recital hall, and several art studios, the Midland Center for the Arts encourages the arts throughout the year, hosting award-winning performances, art exhibits, and art classes. Smaller art studios and galleries are scattered throughout Midland, too.
The city’s arts scene is a plus for retirees, Tony Stamas, president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance, told U.S. News & World Report. “Whether attending a symphony concert, taking a painting workshop, or volunteering as a docent, retirees have many ways to connect through creativity and shared experiences.”
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