On the cusp of retirement or in its early phases and thinking about relocating to a city more pleasant and conducive to your lifestyle – and with a reasonable cost of living?
Think twice about coastal towns. These tend to be pricey and may be too crowded for your taste in “the season”. Instead, think college towns, which, among other things, tend to be rich in culture, could help you maintain a youthful mindset and tend to be populated with reasonably priced homes.
At least this is the way Forbes sees things, which has released its annual list of the 25 Best Places to Retire in the U.S. Nine of the cities – more than a third – are college towns in states such as Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Texas and Florida. Conventional wisdom says middle-class retirees should have a nest egg of $1 million to $1.5 million to retire comfortably, but you can probably get by with less in some of these places, especially if you land a part-time job at the local college or elsewhere.
Forbes’ selections were not made willy-nilly. In addition to the availability of cultural events, other attractions and the cost of living, it examined the quality of medical care, quality-of-life components such as crime rate and air quality, and volunteer opportunities. Tax rates were also taken into account, although the survey notes that states with no income tax, such as Texas and Florida, often offset this with higher real estate and sales taxes.
Here is the list, in alphabetical order. (Bear in mind that the towns on this annual list come and go frequently):
Athens, Ga.
Bella Vista, Ark.
Bethlehem, Pa.
Boise, Idaho
Brevard, N.C.
Clemson, S.C.
Fargo, N.D.
Colorado Springs, Co.
Grand Prairie, Texas
Green Valley, Ariz.
Harrisonburg, Va.
Iowa City, Iowa
Jefferson City, Mo.
Lawrence, Kan.
Lewiston, Maine
Lincoln, Neb.
Maryville, Tenn.
Ocean Pines, Md.
Peoria, Ariz.
Port Charlotte, Fla.
San Marcos, Texas
Savanna, Ga.
Summerville, S.C.
The Villages, Fla.
Wenatchee, Wash.
If you are thinking about your plans for retirement and want to secure income for life, you can speak to an advisor today by calling us at 1-866-223-2121 or send us an email at support@annuityfyi.com.
