Are you looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city when you retire but don’t know where the best place is to settle down?
Continue reading to find out the best 10 small cities to retire.
Note: Cost of living is based on the US average of 100. The crime rate is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime).
10. Roanoke, VA
- Cost of living: 68.7
- Median home price: $158,800
- Population: 99,100; 15.4% of which are seniors 65 and older
- Access to healthcare: 5 hospitals within 25 miles
- Crime rate: Violent crime is 22.7; property crime is 59.6
Virginia doesn’t tax Social Security benefits. Eligible residents 65 and older can deduct up to $12,000 of other income per person. And the combined state and local sales tax rate is 5.73%.
As for diversity, 40% of residents identify as non-white. Additionally, the city has an established LGBTQ community that dates back to the early 1960s.
There are many outdoor activities, such as hiking up Mill Mountain, where you can see the Roanoke Star, the world’s largest free-standing man-made star.
The Appalachian Trail is another gorgeous hike! If you don’t have the energy to hike, you can take in panoramic views of the mountains at McAfee Knob. And it would be a crime not to visit the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Taubman Museum of Art.
Roanoke is pet-friendly, considering the many outdoor amenities Roanoke has to offer. There’s also the new Virginia Tech Animal Cancer Care and Research Center.
9. Palm Coast, FL
- Cost of living: 96.4
- Median home price: $215,000; Plus, there’s lots of active-adult housing.
- Population: 82,350; lots of retirees.
- Access to healthcare: Several hospitals in the area, with another set to open in 2022.
- Crime rate: Violent crime is 26.3; property crime is 49.7.
This small Florida town is tax-friendly. Property taxes are lower than average for the U.S., and there is no state income tax.
Palm Coast is also a culturally diverse city with many ethnic restaurants, including Italian restaurants, a French restaurant, a sushi restaurant, a burrito shop, an English tea room and an Irish pub.
There are many outdoor activities for your leisure such as going to the beach, playing tennis and golfing. Plus, you can get your steps in on the many walking and biking paths.
If you have pets, they will love all of the trails, beaches and parks that Palm Coast offers. Boating and fishing are very popular in this area as well.
