63 percent of retirement-destination counties are located in rural areas

Researchers with USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) classify retirement-destination counties as those where migration resulted in at least a 15-percent increase in the number of residents between the ages of 55 and 74 between the last two Decennial Censuses of Population and Housing (2010 to 2020). There are 305 of these counties identified in ERS’s County Typology Codes data, of which 191 (about 63 percent) are in rural areas. Migration patterns vary considerably by age, and counties that had the highest migration rates of baby boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—tended to be rural areas with natural amenities and mild climates. ERS’ County Typology Codes classify counties based on various demographic characteristics, as well as high concentrations of economic activity in select industries. This figure appears in the ERS County Typology Codes data product, updated in April 2025.