The Woodlands earned the No. 4 spot in the nation on U.S. News & World Report's 2027 Best Places to Retire list, released Oct. 27.

The community held the same position for the second straight year, according to 401k Specialist, which reported that The Woodlands and neighboring Spring "maintained their standings" from the prior edition. Spring landed at No. 5.

U.S. News evaluated 859 of the most populated cities in the country and published its top 250. The Woodlands received an overall score of 6.6 on a 10-point scale, according to the rankings page. The community also topped the separate list of best midsized cities for retirement, CultureMap reported.

Midland, Michigan, held the No. 1 spot for a second consecutive year. Homosassa Springs, Florida, and Weirton, West Virginia, rounded out the top three.

How the rankings work

The rankings weigh six categories: value (27%), quality of life (25%), health care quality (16%), retiree taxes (16%), senior population and migration (8%) and job market (8%). Those weights came from a March 2025 survey of 3,500 Americans aged 45 and older, confirmed by a follow-up survey of 500 respondents in February 2026, according to the U.S. News methodology.

U.S. News adjusted its scoring weights this year to reflect what it called "a growing concern for affordability in America."

Megan Wood, assistant managing editor of home services and real estate at U.S. News, said the shift was deliberate. "It's no secret that affordability is top of mind for Americans this year, which is why U.S. News updated its weighting criteria to better align with what retirees prioritize," Wood said, according to 401k Specialist.

The Woodlands by the numbers

The Woodlands' U.S. News profile lists a median household income of $141,281, compared with the national median of $83,181. The median home value sits at $472,814, above the national average of $359,870. The unemployment rate is 4.51%, just below the national average of 4.54%.

About 113,454 people live in The Woodlands, according to the profile. Roughly 15% of residents are over age 65, and another 28% are between 45 and 65.

Texas dominates the list

Texas and Florida together accounted for 86 of the 250 ranked cities, with Texas claiming 44 spots and Florida 42, according to 401k Specialist. Texas placed two communities in the top five and six in the top 15.

First reported by KPRC 2 for the Houston area, Victoria, Pearland and Conroe also appeared on the national list. KPRC placed Victoria at No. 12, Pearland at No. 17 and Conroe at No. 20. 401k Specialist listed Victoria at No. 12, Pearland at No. 13 and Conroe at No. 14. The discrepancy between those secondary sources could not be resolved from the available U.S. News data.

The full 2027 Best Places to Retire rankings are available at realestate.usnews.com.