Media, personal finance, think tanks, and insurance companies web sites are among the many purveyors of best-places-to-live and best-places-to-retire lists even though less than 1 percent of American over age 55 actually moved across a state line in 2015.
Some surveys grade quality of life based on a low cost of living, access to health care, low crime, and cultural offerings. This New York Times article mentions surveys that users can customize to the priorities they want to consider for moving to a community as well as sources for people interested in living abroad and quirky rankings such as lists for the most and least stressful cities, the best and worst places for sleeping, and where to live to avoid a natural disaster.
