An Outdoorsy Colorado City Tops The 2026 List For Retiree Community Engagement

Choosing where to retire or spend your golden years isn't a decision to take lightly. It's why the AARP consistently releases its Top 100 Places to Live for Older Adults list each year. And the organization's December 2025 list highlighted Boulder, Colorado, as one of the top six large communities (100,000 to 499,999 people) for 2026, mainly because it had the highest community engagement score among the 24 listed places. This indicates that Boulder, as a city, promotes regular and diverse social interactions with its various venues, social events, and overall connectivity.

Research by the National Institute of Aging has found that loneliness and social isolation can negatively impact physical and mental health. This can include a higher risk of heart disease, obesity, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and cognitive impairment. The reverse is also true, as people who socialize regularly often have improved physical and mental well-being and cognitive function. So you can see why choosing a city like Boulder, where community engagement and interaction are ranked well above the U.S. average, could be beneficial for older adults.

Part of Boulder's high community engagement comes from its voter participation laws, LGBTQ+ antidiscrimination statutes, and human rights ordinance. These LGBTQ+ and human rights protections have been in effect for more than 50 years, helping the city create a diverse and welcoming community for people of various races, backgrounds, and sexual orientations. The city finished sixth overall on the AARP's Large Communities list, which included Arlington County (Virginia), Alexandria (Virginia), Cambridge (Massachusetts), Salt Lake City (Utah), and St. Paul (Minnesota) in its top five. The wider Boulder County region also ranked at No. 21 on the list, an area that includes Boulder, Erie, Lafayette, Nederland, and several other towns.

While the Michigan suburb of Riverview is the Midwest's most affordable, charming city to retire car-free, Boulder is still one of the country's best places for outdoor recreation. It has more protected open space per capita than anywhere else in the country and was named one of the top 10 best places to live in America in 2024-2025 by U.S. News & World Report. In January 2026, Yahoo! also highlighted Boulder as one of America's five best retirement destinations for anyone seeking an active lifestyle. The city's convenient access to Rocky Mountain hiking and biking trails, various festivals, ski slopes, and university-run events helps retirees stay connected to community and nature.

If you enjoy being out in nature, you can drive about 30 minutes to Fourmile Canyon, Colorado's rugged outdoor playground of trails, creeks, and alpine views. It's not the only sight in Boulder's surrounding wilderness, which offers 300 miles of trails, beautiful mountains for skiing, and lakes for fishing and kayaking. The storybook Lake Isabelle, with its waterfalls and wildlife , is yet another natural wonder within an hour's drive of the city. Boulder also has an official guide on accessible trails and camping sites for anyone who needs a walker, wheelchair, or mobility scooter. So those with disabilities can still visit naturally beautiful places like Lost Gulch Overlook, Flagstaff Summit, and Coot Lake.

Older residents in Boulder have access to city-run services and programs, such as Age Well Centers for adults aged 60 and older. These centers run fitness classes, counseling sessions, creative group workshops, tech classes, and social meet-ups and day trips. The city also hosts numerous events and festivals for all ages, such as community art exhibitions, international film festivals, and weekly farmers markets. These all provide opportunities for retired residents to connect with their local communities and feel more at home in the city.