10 Best Towns In Michigan For Retirees
Retirement in Michigan is a great choice to make, especially when affordability and recreation are major criteria. Despite skyrocketing prices that have swept through the US in recent years, Michigan has managed to contain its cost of living, with home prices averaging around $260,000 as of May 2025, far lower than the national average according to Zillow. On top of that, the state is a hub of recreation and entertainment, surrounded by four of the largest Great Lakes and densely forested areas. A closer look at some of the state’s small towns will further amplify its appeal as a paradise for retirement. For instance, Muskegon has a myriad of attractions, including the state’s largest amusement park, and just when it is thought that prices couldn’t go lower, homes in this town sell for an average of $176,000. If that seems too good to be true, wait until you find out about Menominee, Saginaw, Ironwood, and other top towns in Michigan for retirement below.
Bay City
Bay City is a charming waterfront town, with a premium mix of high-quality of life and low cost of living to delight retirees. For a town of its size, homes cost just $117,800 on average, despite hosting some of the state’s best medical facilities like Great Lakes Bay Health Centers, Bayside, and Bay City Medical Office Building. When it comes to recreation, the town also impresses with the Bay City State Park, a roughly 2,300-acre area featuring a sandy beach and seven miles of trails slicing through wetlands, meadows, oak savannah prairies, and marshlands. Retirees will love it in this park as it is also a haven for migratory birds and wildlife watching. As for history enthusiasts, the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum is in this town and is a great place to learn about the US Navy and explore a retired destroyer. In the meantime, seniors will love the Bay City Antiques Center for its huge collection of European and American antiques and collectibles. Those who love entertainment will appreciate the beautiful State Theatre in the downtown area, as it offers a variety of entertainment year-round.
Menominee
The lower-than-state-average cost of living in Menominee is one of the major reasons it is an excellent retirement destination in Michigan. This town is one of the unbelievably affordable places in Michigan, with people acquiring beautiful homes for a paltry price of $168,000 on average, according to Zillow. Other incredible features of Menominee include the town’s serene atmosphere and its beautiful location right on Lake Michigan’s Green Bay. Menominee also has several attractions to help retirees stay active, and John Henes Park is one of them. This small park sits on the bay and has a swimming beach, sports facilities, and trails offering peaceful strolls through the wooded areas where birds and other wildlife are often sighted. The Tourist Park is another great attraction in Menominee, with a beautiful beach and great views of a lighthouse. Additionally, Menominee has a well-maintained marina with 272 slips, as well as a vibrant downtown with attractions such as the Menominee County Heritage Museum, which offers insights into the lives of Menominee Indians, fur traders, and immigrants.
Bridgman
Bridgman is a small town ideal for those seeking to retire away from the hustle and bustle of civilization. Populated by just 2,000 people, this town is a haven for relaxation and outdoor adventures, especially as it is near the Warren Dunes State Park, home to a soft sandy beach, dunes rising up to 260 feet, eight miles of trails winding through forested areas, campgrounds, and picnic areas. The park is wheelchair, and its beach is great for swimming, while birds are a frequent sight in the area. Elsewhere, the Pebblewood Country Club appeals to golf enthusiasts with its 18-hole course built in 1923, a restaurant, and a lounge.
Also, Tabor Hill Winery is in town to please retirees with a generous selection of wines, brews, and spirits. Adjacent to the winery, the Tabor Hill Restaurant is available to elevate the wine tasting experience with some of the region’s culinary delights. For all of those pleasures, housing in Bridgman costs just $309,000 on average, which is still lower than the national average, even though it is slightly above the state average. Besides, the area has several senior living communities, including the Woodland Terrace at Lilac Court, which offers independent and assisted living, as well as memory care.
Muskegon
Muskegon is a friendly town that has consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and retire in the state. Here, retirees will have too much to enjoy, especially when it comes to recreation, as the town has everything from nature and amusement parks to museums and hiking trails. Boredom is not a thing here, not when Pere Marquette Park has a clean sandy beach, picnic areas, playgrounds, fishing piers, and excellent kite surfing conditions. Elsewhere in town, Michigan’s Adventure, the state’s largest amusement park, invites people of all ages to come enjoy over 60 attractions, including slides, seven roller coasters, and three wave pools.
For history lovers, the town hosts the Hackley & Hume Historic Site, where two stunning Queen Anne-style mansions stand. These historic homes were built in the late 1880s by two of Muskegon’s most famous lumber barons, and tours are offered to see the original furnishings and possessions of those who lived in them. Retirees who love art will enjoy spending time at the Muskegon Museum of Art browsing through a diverse collection of American and European artworks, ranging from paintings and sculptures to prints. Meanwhile, the average home value in Muskegon is around $176,000, according to Zillow, which is just a steal for a town of its class.
Saginaw
Saginaw is one of Michigan’s larger towns that ticks all the right boxes for an excellent retirement destination. For starters, the cost of living is incredibly low, with homes selling for $124,000 on average. Also, around 14% of the town’s population is over 65, plus it has several excellent medical facilities like the full-service MyMichigan Medical Center. The town also has senior communities such as Edgewood Assisted Living Center and Traditions of Saginaw. Moreover, attractions are everywhere in Saginaw to keep retirees entertained and active. The Dow Event Center is one such attraction, featuring an atrium, a garden room, a theatre offering a myriad of entertainment from concerts to comedies, and more.
Nearby, the 10,000-acre Shiawasee National Wildlife Refuge is a great place for nature lovers to hike and see wildlife, especially birds, some of which include songbirds, and great blue herons. Saginaw also has lots of museums to delight retirees, like the iconic Castle Museum, which focuses on the people of the Saginaw region, and the Marshal M. Frredericks Sculpture Museum featuring hundreds of artworks, including a 28-foot tall Christ statue.
Ironwood
Acquiring a home for an average price of $96,000 can be seen as daylight robbery in places like New York and New Jersey, but in Ironwood, it’s called reality. This is despite the town’s lower crime rate and easy access to the unsullied natural treasures of Lake Superior’s coast and the surrounding Ottawa National Forest. For retirees in Ironwood, if the Black River Harbor Recreation Area and its spectacular waterfalls, trails, and idyllic beaches do not lighten your heart, then the Little Girls Point and its charming pebble beach will do the job. But even if those are not enough, then the gorgeous trails of the nearby Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park will no doubt offer unforgettable experiences. At 60,000 acres, this secluded state park is the largest in Michigan, and what a pleasure it is to be in proximity to such an affordable town as Ironwood. There is so much to enjoy in this park, from waterfalls to a massive old-growth forest, miles of rivers and streams, and an abundance of wildlife. The park has more than 90 miles of trails for easy access, plus modern and primitive campsites, and the Porcupine Mountains Ski Area, one of the best in the state.
Ironwood is also a haven for viewing the Northern Lights, and it has other great facilities like the Historic Ironwood Theatre, featuring a variety of exciting performances. Additionally, the Aspirus Ironwood Hospital is also in town to offer high-quality medical care. Needless to say, Ironwood is one of the best places to retire in America.
Holland
Holland’s allure is not just in its myriad of outdoor attractions, but also in its vibrant atmosphere. As one of the larger towns in Michigan, it is the ideal place for retirees who want a little bit of urban vibes and diversity. The town also has safe neighborhoods, with a crime rate around 22% lower than the national average, according to Areavibes. In terms of recreation, this town will make retirees more active with attractions like Holland State Park Beach and Saugatuck Dunes State Park. Holland State Park, one of Michigan’s most visited parks, has two large campgrounds, a beautiful beach, and the water of Lake Michigan, offering pleasurable experiences. Although more secluded, the Saugatuck Dunes State Park is also exciting, with over 10 miles of hiking trails winding through natural areas, 2.5 miles of beachfront, and 200-foot-tall coastal dunes. This park is also a great place to see birds.
Additionally, Holland has several gardens like Windmill Island Gardens and Veldheer Tulip Gardens, where retirees can always enjoy natural color therapy. The town is also home to the Freedom Village, a retirement community dedicated to a fulfilling and comfortable retirement. This community has a wide range of amenities, including several apartment options, an arts and crafts center, and a cafe. Although a little on the higher end in terms of home prices, Holland’s great features make the monetary compromise worth it. Moreover, the town’s average home price of $358,031 as of 2025 is still slightly below the national average.
Marquette
A few hundred years ago, people waged war against each other to lay claims to premium lands on the shores of lakes. Today, in a place like Marquette, you only have to pay around $527,000 for a fine home on the gorgeous shores of the world’s largest freshwater lake. While that price might be above the state average, consider the other amazing advantages the town offers, starting from its great outdoors characterized by charming lake scenery, waterfalls, mountains, and dense forests crisscrossed by miles of trails, and teeming with wildlife. More specifically, this town is home to Presque Isle Park, arguably the most famous outdoor attraction in Michigan, covering 323 acres on Lake Superior and featuring lush forests, secluded pebble beaches and coves, and sandstone cliffs. Retirees will enjoy hiking through this park and soaking in its breathtaking scenery, or relaxing in its picnic areas. Marquette is also near exciting trails like the half-mile trail that leads to mesmerizing forest, lake, and rock scenery at the top of the 470-foot Sugarloaf Mountain.
Besides the natural features, Marquette appeals to retirees with historic attractions, one of which is the Marquette Maritime Museum, where tours of an active lighthouse are offered. As one of the snowiest towns in America, Marquette is also a paradise for adventures in winter and even hosts the Marquette Mountain Ski and Bike area, which has more than a dozen runs for all skill levels. Add all that to Marquette’s extremely low crime rate, and this town cements its reputation as one of the best in Michigan for retirement.
Rogers City
Located on Lake Huron, Rogers City is a haven for retirement, with a small population of around 3,000 people, of which approximately 18% are above 65. Retirees here will find like-minded people, plus attractions like the Lakeside Park and the nearby Rogers City Country Club, an 18-hole public golf course. Notably, the Lakeside Park features the Rogers City Marina, a beautiful swimming beach, sports facilities, and picnic tables. Retirees who love history will appreciate the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum as it displays uniforms, equipment, navigational tools, and other artifacts highlighting the maritime history of the Great Lakes and the men and women who lived it.
Elsewhere, the P.H. Hoeft State Park Beach is a cool place for seniors to relax on a sandy beach, camp, or hike four miles of trails through heavily wooded areas. Meanwhile, the average home price in Rogers City is around $179,000; just one more reason it is an incredible place to retire.
Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain is the ideal town for a pocket-friendly retirement. With average home prices at approximately $180,000, retirement budgets will surely last longer here. In addition to the affordability, the town offers other benefits, including a small population, a low crime rate, and quality healthcare establishments like Marshfield Medical Center. In the meantime, attractions such as Iron Mountain City Park and Lakeside Antoine Park are available to help retirees stay in shape outdoors. Both parks have sports facilities and playgrounds, although the Lakeside Antoine offers access to a beautiful lake for swimming, fishing, and boating, while the Iron Mountain City Park has four miles of trails and an enclosed deer habitat.
Furthermore, the Dickinson County Library is in Iron Mountain for retirees who love to read, while the town’s Timberstone Golf Course is one of the top ten best places to play golf in Michigan. This beautiful 18-hole course is located on Pine Mountain, a four-season resort featuring dozens of ski trails, a full-service restaurant and bar, and one of the world’s highest artificial ski jumps.
Retirement is a fulfilling experience that not many people get to experience. For those who are lucky enough to enjoy it, these towns in Michigan are excellent choices. Besides their laid-back atmospheres, friendly people, and exciting attractions, these Michigan towns are designed to empower retirees with a low cost of living, so enough money is left to do other fun things. These beautiful towns in Michigan also check the safety box, with lower-than-national-average crime rates, plus they all have sizable populations of seniors, which bolsters a sense of belonging. Basically, everything in these towns is tailored to offer the best retirement experience anyone can have.
