Other attributes include good air quality and a high ratio of doctors per capita. Elevation is 850 feet. When they were ready to retire, Karen and David Griffiths sold their Spanish-style Los Angeles home and moved 700 miles north to a 134-year-old Eastlake Victorian in Ashland, Ore., with 11-foot ceilings, bay windows, a covered porch and views of the surrounding mountains. STATE'S TAX RATING FOR RETIREES: Mixed. The University of Notre Dame ranks the climate-change risk as low, although FEMA finds a relatively high natural hazard risk due to such factors as heat, drought, possible river flooding and lightning. COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 70% above the national average At the same time, the surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities for experiencing the outdoors, including access to the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. STATE'S TAX RATING FOR RETIREES: Most Tax Friendly. Days of sunshine a year: 208. SHARE OF POPULATION 65+: 13.9% COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 18% below the national average CITY POPULATION: 194,016 Outdoor experiencesforests, parks, hiking terrain and whitewater paddlingand in-town culture abound around this scenic city in the Blue Ridge Mountains region of western North Carolina. The city is famous for the Masters golf tournament, and the downtown is walkable and attractive, with restaurants, museums, galleries, and nightlife. Florida has no state income or estate tax. Theres a plethora of outdoor water and land activities, including dozens of golf courses. Sarasota has a relatively high (but not very high) risk of natural hazards according to FEMA. Plus, theres a solid volunteering culture. With water on three sides, including the Chesapeake Bay, this charming state capital city 30 miles east of Washington, D.C., is a big draw for those who fancy boating, fishing and kayaking. Elevation is 30 feet. Florida has no state income or estate tax. And for the first time, we considered climate change risk, using data from the University of Notre Dame Urban Adaptation Assessment which assesses the impact of future flood, heat, cold, sea level rise and drought. SHARE OF POPULATION 65+: 12% This scenic state capital mountain town 60 miles north of Albuquerque offers dozens of art galleries, fine restaurants and museums, plus world-class skiing and other outdoor land activities. CITY POPULATION: 715,522 There is no state income tax, but Washington state does levy an estate tax. There is no state estate tax. To that end, Forbes has identified 25 top places to follow seven leisure interests in retirement: arts/culture, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering, outdoor activities on water, outdoor activities on land, and a special subset, golf. But with the spread of work-from-home, even those who are delaying may be able to move now, points out George Rativ, a senior economist at the National Association of Realtors. Another: A 6.5% state income tax kicks in for couples at just $16,040 of taxable income. Serious crime rate is above the national average. The city is located in the Gallatin Valley, and that means mountains and forests. The Scotts used the Forbes list, among others, to research potential spots. On Monday, WalletHub published a report that found the best U.S. states to retire in in 2022. (You can read more about what makes Fargo special. One factor we now consider disqualifying is a very high susceptibility to climate change and natural hazards as measured by the Federal Emergency Management Agencys new National Risk Index, which looks at 18 natural hazard risks, plus communities preparation for and ability to cope with them. There is no state tax on Social Security benefits or on estates. This haven for foodies has a big arts/culture scene, more than 60 area golf courses, lots of other outdoors activities, a culture of volunteering and free senior citizen auditing of classes at Portland State University. This center of tart cherry production 250 miles northwest of Detroit is near the famous Interlochen Center for the Arts, which hosts hundreds of yearly music performances. The surrounding Sonoran Desert and mountains offer hiking and other outdoor land activities. City is very bikeable but not so walkable. Arizona is a state that may come up if you look for the best places for retired people to live. Plenty of parks and outdoors areas offer hundreds of miles of trails for hiking and biking. Boulder is also the home of the University of Colorado, which nurtures a big arts/culture and fine dining scene and allows seniors to audit courses for a minimal cost. STATE'S TAX RATING FOR RETIREES: Not Tax Friendly. The University of Georgia hosts an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, plus offers seniors free admission to regular classes. AVERAGE INCOME FOR POPULATION 65+: $55,814 FEMA rates Tampa as having a relatively high (but not very high) natural hazard risk. AVERAGE INCOME FOR POPULATION 65+: $65,727 In one of the best deals around, the University of Arkansas offers free tuition and fee waivers to senior citizens at its flagship campus in this Ozarks city 200 miles northwest of Little Rock. There are world-class restaurants and no shortage of museums and theaters. Charleston gets favorable ratings of low to moderate risk on climate change/natural hazard ratings by FEMA and the University of Notre Dame. Amid dramatic scenery, activities include skiing, hiking, climbing and biking. This last concern axed a number of big cities that made earlier leisure pursuit lists, produced before we applied a climate screen, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle as well as beach towns such as Sarasota, Fla. Our picks are listed in alphabetical order. Route 66 provides the historic backdrop for this outdoors-oriented town at an elevation of 7,000 feet, 145 miles north of Phoenix near the Grand Canyon. Best Places To Retire In Each State List Billionaire Secrets The List Spreadsheet Reprints Logo Licensing Filter list by: All states State Rank City Population Median Home Price Inside. Serious crime rate is above the national average. This coastal city 100 miles north of Boston has a wide variety of water and land recreation, including boating, kayaking, rafting, cross-country snow skiing, hiking and bicycling. Des Moines offers big city living at affordable prices. These include ratings by walkscore.com for walkability (how easy it is to shop and get to places on foot) and by the League of American Bicyclists on whether dedicated lanes and other measures make it easy to bike around town. It is very bikeable, although not as walkable. Serious crime rate is higher than national average. The amount varies year by year; according to the most recent data in 2022 it was $3,284, up from $1,114 in 2021. AVERAGE INCOME FOR POPULATION 65+: 9% below the national average The city is very bikeable and somewhat walkable. Another couple, painter Nancy Scheinman and retired architect Jim Wheeler, also moved cross-country last year, but in the opposite direction. Best Places to Retire Best Places Real Estate Money Home 150 matches Sort by: Real Estate Rankings Best Places to Live Best Places to Retire Population Size X-Large 2.5M+ Large. The countryside is also full of opportunities for outdoor activities, including hiking, horseback riding, fishing, boating, and more. As noted in the story above, we also give serious consideration to climate change and natural hazards. Big music and dining scene anchors an arts/culture experience in the capital of Texas that also features free senior citizen tuition for six credits a semester at the University of Texas at Austin. COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 4% below the national average AVERAGE INCOME FOR POPULATION 65+: $45,948 SHARE OF POPULATION 65+: 11.9% The business magazine ranked Green Valley No. Fayetteville is admittedly not a tax-friendly location. Florida is a retirement magnet for good reason: the climate is warm, and there are numerous attractions. Serious crime rate, however, is above the national average. Elevation is 600 feet. 5.5 Job Market. CITY POPULATION: 93,949. Reno bills itself as the Biggest Little City in the World, and its not hard to see why: it has no shortage of restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, and more. Median Home Price . New Baltimore Overall SnackAbility 9 /10 Population: 12,147 Plus, we look at whether a city encourages a healthy and active lifestyle with good air quality, convenience for walking and biking and low serious crime. A confusing state income tax structure tops out at 4.5% on high earners but is scheduled to drop to 2.5% in future years. Laconia is relatively affordable and offers the unbelievable recreation opportunities of the Granite State. Here are the 25 greatest states to retire in 2022, ranked from average to best. Thanks to its famed theater complex, the town of 22,000 also punches above its weight when it comes to art galleries and fine dining a priority for the Griffiths. That, and the current inflationary pressure on retirees budgets, makes Forbes 2022 list of the Best Places To Retire particularly timely. AVERAGE INCOME FOR POPULATION 65+: $51,454 SHARE OF POPULATION 65+: 17% Kansas City is famous for jazz: it is the home of Charlie Parker and the American Jazz Museum. The Northeastern United States is historically one of the more expensive regions in the country, making it difficult to retire there. It's safe, has lots of outdoor activities close by and beautiful views. Whats the best place to retire in the U.S. in 2023? A downside: The serious crime rate is above the national average. There are adequate physicians per capita and good air quality. Elevation is 140 feet. The scenic city is very walkable and bikeable and has a high ratio of doctors per capita, plus good air quality. Barbara, who worked in human resources for a health care system (particularly stressful during Covid-19), now happily puts in 25-to-30 hours a week as a grocery store clerk. There are over 100 parks, not to mention 5 public golf courses and a nature preserve. How long will $100,000 last me in retirement. While the cold Minnesota winters and the unfavorable tax situation may be a challenge for some, the city offers a small-town Midwestern vibe. Germany - safety, stability and high standard of living 13. Air quality is good. But many baby boomers are now, as the Scotts were, sitting on huge gains in home equity that could provide a cushion in retirementif theyre ready to move to lower-cost areas. AVERAGE INCOME FOR POPULATION 65+: $56,620 Scenic and far from hurricane paths, Knoxville is home to the University of Tennessee and its medical school, which translates into lots of doctors, restaurants and entertainment. Undeterred by cold winters, the Scotts considered the Lake region of western Minnesota, Rexs home state, but balked at its high state income tax. This year the best 25 are in 18 states and all the continental time zones. And if wine country is your preference, you can visit more than 200 wineries within a distance of 50 miles. The majority offer warmish weatherthree are in Florida, with two each in Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Mountains and water, including 25-mile-long Lake Coeur dAlene, make this city 300 miles east of Seattle a hot spot for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking and skiing. Florida has no state income or estate tax. The city has a high rate of volunteering as measured by Barda.org. The doctor data comes from countyhealthrankings.org while air ratings are from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. With frontage on an inlet of Lake Michigan, Traverse City also offers water sports, more than 30 area golf courses and a reputation as a top dining town. Every winter, the region's beaches overflow with Ann Arbor is a city of contrasts. It also has many hiking trails to visit and a local.The public schools are very top-rated and are supportive of your educational goals. COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 10% below the national average Delaware has something of a reputation for beach towns, making it a desirable location for retirement in the USA. STATE'S TAX RATING FOR RETIREES: Mixed. What drew them to Ashland was the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which stages nine months a year of productions ranging from the Tempest to modern musicals and is located just 300 yards from their home. COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 13% above the national average Two Arizona communities make Forbes' list of best places to retire in 2020. Elevation is 1,400 feet. CITY POPULATION: 123,851 The biggest factors we take into account involve money, including median home prices and overall cost of living compared to the national average, and state taxes, including special income tax exemptions for Social Security and other retirement income and state estate/inheritance taxes. Another downside: a serious crime rate above the national average. We also consider ratings in the Milken Institutes Best Cities for Successful Aging ratings, which looks at wellness, health care, transportation and other factors, but Milkens ratings are not determinative. Nature trails are just outside town. COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 13% below the national average Now, yes, Anchorage does also mean cold winters and higher cost of living. Located 285 miles south of Portland, this artsy outpost offers galleries, a vibrant restaurant scene and the acclaimed nine-month-a-year Oregon Shakespeare Festival, all set amid scenic mountains and forests. Paraguay - the most affordable in Latin America 18. The city is very bikeable, although not very walkable. SHARE OF POPULATION 65+: 15.7% COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 3% below the national average Far-north Fargo, N.D remains the only city on the list for all 12 years weve put it together. Suffice it to say, this is a senior-friendly town. SHARE OF POPULATION 65+: 13.8% Increased spending increases the risk of depleting your savings and performance is not guaranteed. The University of Arkansas offers free tuition and fee waivers to senior citizens at its flagship campus in this Ozarks city 200 miles northwest of Little Rock. Elevation is 150 feet. You may opt-out by. COST OF LIVING FOR RETIREES: 9% below the national average Serious crime is a little above the national average, and the city, while somewhat bikeable, isnt all that walkable. There is no state income tax on Social Security benefits or a portion of pension income, and no state estate tax. This year's list of the 25 Best Places to Retire highlights places with affordable homes, low taxes and high ratings for happiness and health care quality. Elevation is 3,333 feet. There is no state sales tax, and no state income tax on Social Security benefits, but there is a state estate tax. STATE'S TAX RATING FOR RETIREES: Tax Friendly. Alabama is not usually what people think of when they think about top places to retire, but Huntsville makes a good case for reconsidering Alabama. Elevation is 430 feet. Last year, Penny and Brad Bibey sold their Camarillo, Calif., home of 23 years and moved cross-country to new digs 700 yards from the first tee of the famed Pinehurst #2 course at the golf mecca of Pinehurst, N.C. Bibey reports that even though he and his wife are still working remotely (shes a refined fuels broker, he owns a commercial printing business) at least one of them now hits the links most days. 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