Seniors in Forsyth County should consider themselves lucky when it comes to their post-retirement social scene, per a recent study by financial technology company SmartAsset.

The study, which looked at the best places to retire in the state and nationwide, named Cumming the top city in Georgia with the most recreational and social opportunities for retirees and ranked it fifth nationwide.

Cumming was also deemed the best place to retire overall in Georgia and the second best nationwide, falling behind Naples, Florida, which took the top spot. The numbers were based on tax burden, Medicare and recreation and social centers.

Cumming ranked first nationally and statewide for its number of doctors’ offices and medical practices as well.

Ruthie Brew, director of the county’s Senior Services Department, credits the high rankings to Forsyth’s “three beautiful facilities in which older adults, or as we like to say, people 50 and better, can gather in community.”

The facilities — the Center at Charles Place, the Hearthstone Lodge Community Center and the Sexton Hall Enrichment Center — all offer different services to seniors and retirees in the county.

“Our residents have the opportunity to participate in classes, events, concerts and all kinds of other things,” Brew said. “Our different facilities offer different things; Hearthstone Lodge is our fitness facility and only costs $60 for the year.

“Charles Place offers half-day activity programs for residents to socialize, play games and have lunch, and Sexton Hall is our all-purpose active adult center where we have computer classes to art classes. We have hundreds of people gathering almost every day between these three centers just socializing, recreating and enjoying life.”

Brew said with an aging population nationwide, it’s important to have these kinds of services, though they are especially important to have in Forsyth County, where she said she read a study that said 16 percent of county residences had at least one person over the age of 60 living there.

“Centers provide a place for socialization and support and a place to gather in the community,” Brew said. “Our residents could go to a lot of different places [in the county], but because we have so many things at our centers, it’s a stimulating environment and that’s attractive.

“The key to aging well is staying active and being involved and we facilitate that by having our centers open for the community.”