The Best Cities in the US To Retire To

When it’s time for you to retire, you might consider moving to another city to attain the quality of life you have been looking forward to for years. Not all cities are going to give you the chance to live the life you’ve always dreamed of, but there are a lot of great places in the US where you can retire in style.

What are the best cities in the US to retire or downsize to right now? Learn about some beautiful places to retire to and why you might be interested in each of these locations.

Photo by Christian Bowen on Unsplash

Asheville, North Carolina

Ranked as one of the best places to retire in the US multiple times by different organizations, Asheville, North Carolina has been attracting more retirees each year.

Asheville is located 200 miles northeast of Atlanta in North Carolina, and there are many reasons why people are interested in coming to this area for retirement. The environment is beautiful, with a great climate as well as stellar air quality. There are over 200 days of sunshine a year. This allows for many outdoor activities, and many people enjoy those even in retirement.

Additionally, the region has many doctors and great healthcare systems that are vital to those entering retirement.

While the median home price in this area is just under 5% higher than the national median, many retirees are still in an affordable place to relocate.

Clearwater, Florida

When people think of moving for retirement, many people historically think of moving to Florida. That is still true today, as many cities and areas of Florida are great for retirees to move to!

Clearwater, Florida is one of those cities. Clearwater has a population of just over 110,000 people and is a very affordable place to live. The homes in the region run 20% below national median prices. Affordable housing is key for many retirees, so this is a huge pro.

One reason that Florida is so popular with retirees is that there are no state income or estate taxes, so it makes sense for those with a limited budget or trying to avoid heavy taxation to relocate here.

Clearwater has many tourism and entertainment options to enjoy. With white-sand beaches and various places to visit, retirees will never run out of places to visit in the region. Additionally, there is an international airport nearby so that friends and family can easily come to visit.

Fairfax, Northern Virginia

Sitting just west of Washington, D.C., Fairfax County offers a thriving, diverse urban community, bursting with beautiful public parklands and an abundance of leisure activities.

Alexandria in Fairfax County is a wonderful place for retirees to enjoy the best of both worlds – the rich history and city-living of the nation’s capital, juxtaposed with a wide variety of hiking and trails, golf courses, lakes, camping grounds, and national, state and regional parkland.  

Fairfax residents can also enjoy a vast array of cuisine options, including ethnic and fine dining. It is also home to America’s only performing arts national park, the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, where locals can take in an impressive mix of arts, such as music or theatrical shows. 

Retirees living in Fairfax enjoy a temperate climate, stunning scenery and excellent medical care services. 

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans has become an increasingly popular location for retirees for a host of good reasons. For starters, it’s a tax-friendly destination, offering a range of attractive tax breaks to pensioners. It is also one of the lowest states in the country for property taxes, further adding to the financial gains that Louisiana offers retirees looking to invest in a New Orleans home. The cost of living in New Orleans is also lower than the national average.

Aside from the financial drawcards, New Orleans offers up plenty of fun and activity options for retirees that don’t want to overly slow down their pace of living. Hiking, hunting, fishing, golf, biking, boating, and the famous artistic culture of New Orleans means that anyone retiring in the Big Easy will certainly never be bored. 

Augusta, Georgia

In recent years, retirees are starting to see the potential of moving to Augusta, Georgia in retirement. Augusta is located along the Savannah River, and it has a population of just over 200,000 people.

In this area, homes are incredibly affordable. They are priced at more than 50% below the national median. Another thing that makes the area affordable for retirees is because there are many exemptions for retirees for their retirement income. With finances in mind, many retirees can see the appeal of Augusta.

Beyond the financial appeal, the area also has excellent weather and a fantastic healthcare system. You will have many different types of doctors to choose from when living in this region of Georgia because of this.

Jacksonville, Florida

Another city in Florida that many retirees are thinking about moving to is Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville is actually the state’s largest city, and nearly 1 million people live in the region. Though located in Florida, Jacksonville offers a great blend of the beachy state at a more pleasant temperature.

The average temperature is just under 60 degrees throughout the winter, making it a very comfortable place to be no matter what time of year it is.

Jacksonville is another affordable option for retirees as well, and this makes it very appealing. The prices of homes in the region are more than 30% below the national median, and there are no state income taxes in Florida.

Finally, there are many other retirees in this part of Florida, making it easy to find a community of like-minded adults to spend time with. 

San Antonio, Texas

Finally, here’s one more city that is a great place to retire to: San Antonio!

San Antonio is a growing city home to more than 2 million people, and it has many different benefits for retirees. The area has an excellent economy but still maintains an affordable cost of living for many retirees. Since there are no state income taxes, you can make your retirement income go farther than in other states.

When spending time in San Antonio, you get an outstanding balance of country and city living. There are many things to do and a thriving cultural community, but you can also get the scenic Texas living that many people dream of.

San Antonio has many retirees in the area, and this number is likely to keep growing. This ensures that the services that seniors need most will be a priority in the area. That makes it a very sensible place to retire to!