So you’re retiring for good. Good for you! Are you now in the market for a new city to call home? If it’s been a while since you’ve explored different places to live in America, the surveys below could be a fun and informative place to start. They were conducted by Sperling’s BestPlaces, a major source of “best places” studies, and Worldwide ERC and Primacy, full-service relocation firms.

The Best Is Yet To Be

“Best Cities for Seniors,” a new study from Sperling’s BestPlaces produced in partnership with Bankers Life and Casualty Co., identifies cities that offer the best resources for less active seniors. The study analyzed close to 50 categories, including senior living facilities, comprehensive medical care, specialized transportation services, and a significant senior population. According to BestPlaces, the top five winners stacked up as follows.

1. Portland, Ore.

Progressive senior health services, terrific adult day care, a variety of assisted living facilities and senior meal services, and a clean, convenient public transportation system won Portland top honors. The emphasis on senior health care seems to make a difference — Portland residents have a long life expectancy and a low incidence of heart disease. Portland generally gets 40 to 45 inches of rain annually, but the rainfall is spread over an average of 155 days.

2. Seattle

The biggest city in the Pacific Northwest has a low violent crime rate and, like Portland, offers excellent health care and transportation services for seniors. Seattle’s only drawbacks are its high cost of living and a lack of sunny days — averaging the fewest among the nation’s 50 largest cities at 226 cloudy days a year.

3. San Francisco

“The City by the Bay” garnered the highest scores for public transit and special access services and also posted low rates of heart disease and cancer. Known for its mild climate, San Francisco has a high senior population. The downside: San Francisco has the highest housing costs and cost of living of the 50 cities in this study.

4. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has the greatest percentage of senior residents of all the cities in the “Best Places” top 10 ranking. A strong spiritual community, Pittsburgh has numerous religious congregations and one of the highest percentages of church-going residents. The Steel City also has a solid transportation system and a high number of hospitals per capita. The cost of living is low, but so is the number of facilities for assisted living and adult day care.

5. Milwaukee

Milwaukee scores very well in the health category, thanks to many hospitals per capita and exceptional senior living facilities. It ranks among the best in the transportation category, with the shortest commute time in the study and excellent special access services. Milwaukee also offers affordable housing and did not score low in any category.

Easy moves

Worldwide ERC and Primacy teamed up with Sperling’s BestPlaces to determine the “Best Cities for Relocating Families.” The study rates cities on factors that determine the likelihood of a successful relocation, from tax rates, average home cost, and home appreciation to the ability to qualify for in-state tuition, service levels of local utilities, volunteerism, and auto taxes. A Primacy source describes the top choices this way, looking first at the top three large cities or regions, those with populations above 500,000:

1. Greater Metropolitan Washington, D.C.

The more than 20 counties surrounding the nation’s capital, including such far-flung communities as Martinsburg, W.Va.; Spotsylvania, Va.; and Solomon’s Island, Md., enhance the region’s status as a major hub for business, science, and technological innovation.

2. Austin, Texas

The University of Texas is one of the nation’s best public universities. Its out-of-state tuition rates reflect this status, but its residency-qualification policy is transfer-friendly for families and adult students.

3. Colorado Springs, Colo.

Residents value quality care for their older family members, a trend that gives Colorado metro areas an advantage in this survey because of the state’s strong support for oversight of assisted living facilities for the elderly.

The next look is at the top three small metropolitan areas (with populations from 50,000 to 250,000):

1. Athens, Ga.

Northeast Georgia’s cultural, professional, and educational hub is essentially a supercharged college town and home to the world’s largest 100 percent community-built playground. (Volunteering is a great way for “transitionally shy” newcomers to make new friends.)

2. Yolo County, Calif.

Yolo County life is dominated by agriculture and the University of California-Davis. Davis recognizes the importance of open space in maintaining its small-town atmosphere and has created numerous city parks offering a variety of attractions.

3. Cheyenne, Wyo.

Although it’s a state capital, Cheyenne retains an authentic Western flavor; a friendly, small-town character; and a low cost of living.

Home base

From the social to the economic benefits of living near a base, many military retirees choose to live in areas with a strong military presence.

1. San Diego

Known for its near-idyllic climate and 70 miles of pristine beaches, California’s second-largest city encompasses numerous charming neighborhoods and communities, from downtown’s historic Gaslamp Quarter to Chula Vista, Coronado, Escondido, and Little Italy. With nearly a dozen Navy and Marine Corps installations in the area, the military is a strong part of San Diego’s way of life and economic prosperity.

2. Coastal Virginia: Norfolk to Washington, D.C.

This region hosts all of our nation’s military branches, with operating bases all along the coast. Norfolk’s popular symbol, an elegant young mermaid, reflects 300 years of maritime and naval heritage. Norfolk is also a modern city on the move. There’s a good chance your commute to work and back will include brilliant waterfront views, and at day’s end you can enjoy Triple A baseball at Harbor Park, an evening at the opera, or a barefoot walk by the Chesapeake Bay.

Families from around the world have come to call Washington, D.C., home. Our nation’s capital boasts a diverse population, majestic national monuments, world-class museums, and the vast National Mall stretching between the Capitol and the Washington Monument. At about 2,000 acres, the district’s Rock Creek Park offers myriad outdoor recreational opportunities.

3. San Antonio

Famous for its Riverwalk and the Alamo, Tejano culture, and the Tower of the Americas, San Antonio is home to Brooks City-Base, Fort Sam Houston, and Lackland and Randolph AFBs. AT&T Inc., H-E-B supermarkets, Southwest Research Institute, USAA, and Valero Energy Corp. are headquartered in the city.

4. Eastern North Carolina

The eastern half of the state hosts Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, Cherry Hill Marine Corps Air Station, Fort Bragg, and Pope and Seymour Johnson AFBs. The region also includes a 100-mile stretch of natural beaches, dunes, inlets, and sounds as well as rivers and maritime forests that make up the southern end of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

5. Pensacola, Fla.

Aviators for every major conflict during the 20th century have been trained at Pensacola NAS, known as the “cradle of naval aviation.” This area of Florida’s Gulf Coast also is home to nearby Eglin AFB and Whiting Field NAS. Newsweek ranked Pensacola High School one of “America’s Best High Schools” in 2005.