Seeking the best retirement locations? Look no further than Reading or Allentown, according to a new survery

Thinking of places to retire? Reading, Berks County is topping a new survey

Reading, Pennsylvania is ranked number two in a new survey of the best places to retire in the U.S. and residents couldn't be more proud.

READING, Pa. - Would you retire in Reading, Berks County? Or Allentown, Lehigh County?

Apparently, many people say yes, as they are among the top five best cities to retire, according to a new U.S. News & World Report survey.

Harrisburg grabbed the No. 1 spot thanks to its "great outdoors," annual festivals and proximity to Hershey Park.

Pennsylvania's capital is closely followed by Reading, Lancaster, Scranton and Allentown, with York and Pittsburgh rounding out the Top 10.

Happiness, housing affordability, tax rates and health care quality were all taken into account to determine how the 150 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. met retirement needs.

Here's how the top Pennsylvania cities ranked, and why:

No. 1 - Harrisburg: "The great outdoors are easily accessible in Harrisburg."

No. 2 - Reading: "History steeped in innovation."

No. 3 - Lancaster: "A balance between natural and commercial spaces that residents appreciate."

No. 4 - Scranton: "Close-knit neighborhoods that surround the vibrant downtown give Scranton its small-town appeal."

No. 5 - Allentown: "Vast collection of historic homes and buildings, commercial structures and century-old industrial buildings."

No. 7 - York: "When it comes to historical punching power, this small metro area more than holds its own."

No. 10 - Pittsburgh: "On the verge of greater heights."

"Affordability was the biggest factor this year, but health care quality is very important to retirees. You want to make sure that you've got excellent health care facilities nearby and Pennsylvania does," said Beverly Harzog, Credit card expert at U.S. News & World Report. "So many of these cities that made the top five are also fairly close to major large cities. That helps to give you a little more access. So that was one of the reasons why Pennsylvania did so well this year."

In addition to the factors mentioned earlier, Harzog said a FEMA Risk Index was added, taking into account extreme weather events.

"Of course, Florida is known for hurricanes and so that's on people's minds. That's a concern. So, when we added all of these factors, Florida slipped a little bit," Harzog remarked.

New York was ranked as the sixth-best place to retire, which may be a surprise, considering the high cost of living.

"For those who do have financial resources, New York is a fabulous place to retire. There's so much to do. The reason it came in so high and is number six is because it's number one in health care quality," explained Harzog. "You've got world-class health facilities that people have access to and so that was a big factor, but they also scored high in happiness, because there's so much to do. Also with the job market, many retirees do want to continue working in some fashion."