{"id":234161,"date":"2018-01-20T14:11:03","date_gmt":"2018-01-20T22:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/getrichslowly.org\/blog\/?p=234161"},"modified":"2019-10-15T21:59:33","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T04:59:33","slug":"best-cities-to-retire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/best-cities-to-retire\/","title":{"rendered":"Best cities to retire 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Retirees may have different tastes in culture and recreation, but there are some basic aspects of a retirement living environment that have fairly universal appeal. Getrichslowly.org ranked the 20 best cities for retirement to help you decide where to spend your golden years, coming up with a diverse list, with choices that span across the country. There are some names on the list you might expect, and some that will probably come as a big surprise.<\/p>\n
Getrichslowly.org took into account the following criteria when deciding where retirees may want to put down roots:<\/p>\n
– Personal safety
\n– Low property taxes
\n– An affordable cost of living
\n– A moderate climate<\/p>\n
The study looked at where 113 major U.S. cities ranked on each of those criteria, and then averaged those rankings to come up with a list of the 20 best cities for retirement.<\/p>\n
With reputations misleading at times, the quantitative approach taken for this study and objective look at the data might cause you to consider a location you would not otherwise think of as a retirement haven.<\/p>\n
Here is the top 20 list and why each place is great for retirees to settle:<\/p>\n
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A college town like the home of University of Oklahoma might not be an obvious choice for a retirement destination. However, an influx of young, well-educated people provides both economic stimulus and cultural diversity to add life to a community. But why did Norman in particular win the top spot on this list? It was above average in each of the four categories examined, and outstanding in two of those categories: cost of living, where it was the second most affordable, and safety, with one of the 10 lowest crime rates.<\/p>\n
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As part of North Carolina’s thriving Research Triangle, Raleigh offers healthy growth and a lively cultural and recreational environment. Quantitatively, it placed in the top quartile for safety, affordability and its moderate climate. Also, North Carolina’s property taxes are generally well below average.<\/p>\n
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This is one of the more traditional retirement locations on this list, offering a warm climate and proximity to beaches. With its major league sports and plenty of cultural options, Tampa also offers a big-city feel. In terms of the data looked at for this study, Tampa had the most moderate climate statistics, as measured in terms of avoiding extremes of temperatures and rainfall. It also ranked in the top 15 percent for safety, based on violent and property crime rates.<\/p>\n
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The coastal city of Savannah is so well-regarded for its beauty and architectural landmarks that it has become a popular locale for filming movies and television programs. As for what it can offer to retirees, the greatest strengths identified by this study were its safety and moderate climate, with Savannah ranking in the top 20 percent in both categories. It also is an affordable place to live, with Georgia’s property tax burdens and the overall cost of living in Savannah being lower than average.<\/p>\n
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Whether your vision of how you like to spend time in retirement involves a leisurely stroll through a rose garden, checking out some live music, or sampling some distinctive local cuisine, this Louisiana city has something to offer a variety of lifestyles. The study’s statistics show Louisiana generally has some of the lowest property tax burdens of any state. In addition, the cost of living in Shreveport is well below the national average. One caution though: Shreveport’s overall crime rate is a little higher than that of most cities in this study.<\/p>\n
Related<\/strong> -> How much do you need to save for retirement?<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since Durham is generally thought of as a sister city to nearby Raleigh, it is no surprise that it should also earn its way onto this list. Naturally then, Durham shares many of Raleigh’s favorable characteristics, though its higher crime rate (while still below that of most cities studied) pushed Durham further down in the rankings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Most readers will probably find this to be one of the more obscure names on the list. However, that is one of the merits of crunching the numbers – it can unearth some previously unlikely retirement possibilities. Round Rock is very close to Austin, so it shares many of the latter’s attractions, but with a much lower crime rate and a lower overall cost of living.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n History buffs will appreciate Charleston’s colonial architecture, while outdoors types will enjoy the fact that Charleston is convenient to both the Atlantic Coast and Francis Marion National Forest. Statistically, what stands out about Charleston for retirees are its low crime rate coupled with South Carolina’s generally low property taxes. Be advised though that despite those low taxes the overall cost of living in Charleston is a little higher than in most of the cities studied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first West Coast city on this list, L.A. has many well-known attractions. Still, you might think that L.A. is too big a city to be very retirement-friendly, but the stats show it has a few things going for it. Perhaps surprisingly, it ranked in the top 5 percent for safety due to its low crime rates. Naturally, the Southern California climate is another plus, and L.A. also benefits from California’s generally low property tax burdens. Those low taxes come in handy because, as you might expect from a city of its size, the cost of living in L.A. overall is among the most pricey found in this study.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Arts and technology come together to enliven the McAllen community, and it benefits from its proximity to both the Rio Grande and the Gulf of Mexico. It scored well primarily on the strength of having the most affordable cost of living out of any city in this study.<\/p>\n6. Durham, North Carolina (tie)<\/h3>\n
6. Round Rock, Texas (tie)<\/h3>\n
8. Charleston, South Carolina<\/h3>\n
9. Los Angeles, California<\/h3>\n
10. McAllen, Texas<\/h3>\n