For those reaching retirement age, it is not the sleepy villages that people should flock to. Rather, research shows it is the bustling towns and cities that will ensure older people thrive. When you think of retiring, you may think it is best to escape to a sleepy village in the middle of nowhere, away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. However, research from the Sunday Times reveals that the best places to retire are those very same bustling hotspots that many dream of vacating.
The newspaper ranked the best locations for older people to retire to after spending decades in the workforce. The research, published in January 2026 and supplied by Health Connect Global, is called 'The Sunday Times’ Growing Old Index'. It looked at the healthiest and happiest places to retire in England. The index evaluates six factors: average life expectancy, GP provision, A&E waiting times, referral times for trauma and orthopaedic services, the number of care home beds, and each area’s score in the ONS happiness index.
Nationally, Windsor and Maidenhead chart at the top due to having the fastest trauma and orthopaedic referral times, while Hartlepool comes in second place due to its leading A&E performance. Below are the three West Midlands locations mentioned in the index and why.
1. Solihull
The affluent town of Solihull comes in third place. The Times interviewed retiree Phil Rosenbloom, 74, who praised the area's NHS services, noting that you can usually see a GP within two or three days.
2. Wolverhampton city centre
Wolverhampton comes in fourth place, driven by shorter A&E waits and a higher-than-average number of GP surgeries per 100,000 people. Residents there also reported higher happiness levels than those in York, Sheffield, Reading, and Wokingham.
3. Walsall
Walsall was praised by the Times for having the most GPs per 100,000 people. It is important to note that the town did not make the top ten but was mentioned in the article for this reason.
