Bizjournals.com, the Web site of American City Business Journals Inc., identified 100 cities nationwide where the number of residents over 65 has increased rapidly in the last five years. The business-newspaper chain compared 938 markets in eight statistical categories, to come up with a list that includes communities all over the country, from the beaches to the mountains and everywhere in between.

Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev., ranked as the hottest spot for retirees. The small town near Lake Tahoe is within a four-hour dive from San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento, Calif. Its senior population soared by 45 percent between 2000 and 2005 — nine times the national growth rate of 5 percent for the same age group. In addition, 19 percent of its residents are 65 or older, a higher concentration than 900 of the nation's other 937 markets.

Here's the full list of the top 10 retirement locations, as identified by Bizjournals:

1. Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev.
2. Punta Gorda, Fla.
3. Pahrump, Nev.
4. Crossville, Tenn.
5. Homosassa Springs, Fla.
6. Sebring, Fla.
7. Del Rio, Texas
8. Brevard, N.C.
9. Georgetown, S.C.
10. Ocean Pines, Md.

28. Hilton Head, SC Source: Bizjournals.com, G. Scott Thomas