Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie rank in Top 20 'Oldest Cities in the U.S.' by median resident age

Florida's year-round tropical climate and award-winning beaches are hard to resist when considering retirement.

So, it may not come as a surprise that 11 Florida towns were ranked in the Top 20 '"Oldest Cities in the U.S."

Vero Beach — with a median resident age of 54.5 — and Port St. Lucie — at 48 years old —ranked 4th and 20th, respectively, in a Coventry Direct study. The analysis used U.S. Census Bureau data across 50 major cities nationwide to analyze the population age ratios.

The Villages took the No. 1 spot, as residents averaged 67.5 years old. Other Florida cities included:

• Punta Gorda  (No. 2)
• Homosassa Springs   (No. 3)
• Sebring   (No. 7)
• Sarasota  (No. 8)
• Naples   (No. 10)
• Ocala     (No. 15)
• Fort Myers    (No. 17)
• Key West      (No. 19)

Proximity to the beach proved to be a trend in a majority of the cities that ranked in the Top 20, the study analysis said, and younger people moved more inland as older populations moved toward the water. 

The Top 20 "Youngest Cities in the U.S." were also included in the study, but none in Florida made the list.

Catie Wegman is a community reporter who also produces "Ask Catie," an occasional feature to find answers to your burning questions about anything and everything — the more bizarre the better. Support her work with a TCPalm subscription. Contact her at catie.wegman@tcpalm.com or 772-221-4211 and follow her @Catie_Wegman on Twitter and @catiewegman1 on Facebook.