Daily Real Estate News  |  July 24, 2008  |   Ann Arbor, Mich. Named Best City for Retirees
AARP The Magazine with more than 34 million readers has chosen the top 10 healthiest cities to live and retire in.

The magazine evaluated more than 20 measures, including air and water quality, the health habits of the people who live there, opportunities for exercise, availability of doctors and healthcare, as well as housing affordability, the economy, crime and climate.

"The cities we chose are ahead of the healthy living curve with access to healthcare facilities, numerous options for exercise, activities, volunteerism, and a culture that supports vitality," says Nancy Graham, acting editor.

The top ranked cities are:

• Ann Arbor, Mich: Fully 86 percent of residents exercise daily and the city boasts 580 physicians per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. average of 223.

• Honolulu: An impressive 95 percent of residents are covered by health insurance; residents spend more time exercising than almost any other city surveyed.

• Madison, Wisc: Residents have low rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

• Santa Fe, N.M.: The city ranked No. 2 in the U.S. in air quality by the American Lung Association; the rates of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol are among the lowest in the country.

• Fargo, N.D.: Ranks No. 9 in the nation for regular flossing and brushing; it has one of the best air-quality-index scores, and it uses biodiesel fuel to power its transit buses.

• Boulder, Colo.: This is one of the nation's healthiest cities with extremely low rates of smoking and obesity (BMI of 24.94).

• Charlottesville, Va.: Ranks among the top ten cities for family-practice doctors, oncologists and cardiologists, and it ranks fourth among U.S. metropolitan areas in the number of physicians per capita.

• Minneapolis-St. Paul: Residents rank among the top 10 in the country for share of residents who exercise regularly and the state is No. 1 in the nation for the overall quality of its healthcare by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

• San Francisco Bay Area: Residents are among the least likely to be overweight and smoke, plus the city offers free or subsidized health care to uninsured residents.

• Naples-Marco Island, Fla.: Residents received very high scores for regular exercise, healthy eating and not smoking; the area has one of the lowest cancer mortality rates in the country.

Source: AARP, The Magazine (7/23/2008)