Las Vegas Hits Jackpot as Top Retirement Spot

Go West, young man? It seems retirees, too, are taking that advice and heading for desert and mountain communities.

A survey in the updated version of “Retirement Places Rated” (Macmillan Travel, $19.95) shows that Florida--long the retirement location of choice, with the nation’s largest older population--is being challenged in popularity by places like Las Vegas, which was rated No. 1 in the guide.

Only two Florida communities--St. Petersburg-Clearwater and Melbourne--qualified for the top 10 retirement spots. Five years ago, when the last paperback edition was published, the highest-rated retirement areas were in coastal communities, mostly on the East Coast.

Author David Savageau reviewed 183 locales, up from 151 five years ago, on money matters, housing, climate, personal safety, services, work opportunities and leisure activities. He included communities with a population of 10,000 or more.

Thirty-eight states are represented, but 116 of the profiled communities are in 14 Sun Belt states.

Following Las Vegas, the top 10 in 1995 were:

* St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.

* Bellingham, Wash.

* Ft. Collins-Loveland, Colo.

* Medford-Ashland, Ore.

* Tucson, Ariz.

* Coeur D’Alene, Idaho

* Traverse City, Mich.

* Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.

* Melbourne, Fla.