The best big city to grow old in is Provo-Orem, Utah.

The best small city is Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

That is according to The Milken Institute, a non-profit think tank in Santa Monica, California. They used 78 indicators of success for seniors like the cost of living, available doctors, and transportation ((for the complete report go here).

These are interesting findings, but it seems to be the best way to grow older happily is to happily grow older. It is more about how you grow older (attitudes, experiences and choices) than where.

Environment helps, but it doesn’t determine happiness. Happiness is a choice, and attitude is a far better determinant of whether you enjoy your latter years than the city where you reside.

To help you keep a positive attitude about growing older, I’ll quote my grandfather Harold Sanborn who used to say:

“Enjoy getting older. It is a privilege denied to many.”