Best Retirement Places to Live for Every Budget and Lifestyle

You’re ready for the next phase of your life. The children are on their own and you’re ready to pack away your ties (or pantyhose). Now you are trying to figure out where are the best retirement places to live.

You have your choice of a downtown, more urban life filled with art shows and the theatre, or in the suburbs, where you find yourself fishing at a nearby lake.

You may even prefer living on or near a beach or in one of the thousands of golf communities. You’ll even have to decide whether you like a small town or a large populated city.

Since you have so many choices, here are a few suggestions for you to keep in mind.

Vermont is one of the best retirement places to live

Located in the New England region of the U.S., Vermont is one of the best retirement places to live. Vermont is ranked second for having the least amount of residents in the state.

Instead of the Atlantic Ocean, half of the state’s border is Lake Champlain, which it shares with New York State.

Burlington, Vermont

Once you’re sold on Vermont, you’ll find Burlington is the largest city in the state.

Burlington’s population is around 40,000 in the city. The metro area is home to 200,000 residents.

Although you’ll find snow squalls, producing a foot of snow around Lake Champlain, the winter months seldom dip below 20 degrees. The summers are a comfortable 70 degrees.

You’ll quickly notice cheaper utility bills in the spring, summer and fall.

Burlington has accomplished several achievements over the last few years:

• Ranked ninth as the best city to live; the criteria were health, quality of life and fitness

• Ranked 11^th out of one hundred for auto safety; the criteria were observing speed limits; accident infrequency; and seat belt usage

• Ranked second out of 100 for the ̎greenish ̎ driving; the criteria were gasoline consumption and air quality

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention gave high praises for the good health of the population

• Ranked as the best city to raise a family

• The government banned smoking within 25 feet of the city’s park and recreational area

Burlington is home to a major research hospital, several highly-regarded educational institutions, numerous arts and cultural venues, with recreational activities in all four seasons. If this still isn’t enough of a reason to convince you that Vermont is one of the best retirement places to live, the state is also home to the largest manufacturing of maple syrup.

Burlington for Retirees

A small college town for the University of Vermont. Burlington is popular with outdoor retirees who enjoy the youth and enthusiasm provided by a major university.

Some of the most popular activities for retirees:

• Mountain biking

• Skiing on the powder path

• Lake activities: fishing and boating

• Frequent festivals and shows

Burlington, Vermont Retirement Community Example

One of the best retirement places to live includes The Lodge at Shelburne Bay Senior Living Community in Burlington, Vermont. Located on Lake Champlain, The Lodge is an all-encompassing community of rental facilities.

There are several types of care available: independent living, assisted living, memory care or residential care. You’ll have your choice of one or two bedrooms

Vermont enjoys the four seasons, with rich colors of orange and red leaves in the fall. In the winter months, the temperature may dip but with a warm fireplace and a good book you’ll quickly forgive the chill in the air.

If you appreciate the slops, Vermont has over 80 ski areas, both large and small, scattered throughout the state.

Great Senior’s Benefits in Vermont

Senior citizens aged 65 and older qualifies for a tuition waiver at any Vermont State College, making Vermont is one of the best retirement places to live.

Vermont also provides caregiver support, senior nutrition programs, adult day programs, and health insurance guidance.

Alabama is one of the best retirement places to live

Eufaula, Alabama is one of the best retirement places to live. Eufaula is nestled high upon a bluff overlooking the beautiful 45,000-acre Lake Eufaula.

Located in southeastern Alabama along the Georgia border, approximately 90 miles southeast of Montgomery, the state capital, Eufaula has a population of around 14,000.

Cost of Living in Alabama

One of the best retirement places to live is in Eufaula, Alabama. The median income in the city is $28,000 and $38,000 outside the city limits.

The median home price is $145,000, well below the national average. Lakefront homes generally run $300,000 and lakefront condominiums can be found for $200,000. There are also six mobile/manufactured home parks.

Retiring to Eufaula, Alabama

The tax structure is favorable to retirees, who are being courted by the state. Property taxes for property valued at $200,000 will be less than $2,000 per year.

Real estate is assessed at 20% of its fair market value and homeowners 65 and older are exempt from all state property taxes.

Alabama is a friendly state when it comes to retirement and taxes. Overall Alabama has one of the lowest tax burdens in the country. Social Security, military, civil service, state and local government and qualified private pensions are all exempt from state taxes.

Features of Alabama

Eufaula, Alabama is one of the best retirement places to live. You have Lake Eufaula, known as the “Big Bass Capital of the World.”

Eufaula was featured in the movie, Sweet Home Alabama. Lake Eufaula has a picturesque 1,200 acre park located on the banks of 45,000 acres.

You’ll have plenty of fun activities:

• Lodge with modern campground

• 18-hole golf course

• Marina complete with launch facilities and boat slips

• Fishing

Eufaula, Alabama is one of the best retirement places to live. Off the beaten path, the quiet streets are lined with tall trees and in the spring, the dogwoods, magnolias and azaleas paint parks with pink and white.

You’ll live in a sub-tropical area of the country with hot summers, mild winters, and a fair amount of rain. The sun shines two-thirds of the year. The air and water quality are both well above the national average.

Eufaula, Alabama is an ideal option for one of the best retirement places to live with a crime rate well below the national average.

Eufaula has the ambiance that only an authentic, small Southern town can offer.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

You might consider Chattanooga, Tennessee as one of the best retirement places to live. The fourth largest city in Tennessee, Chattanooga is in the southeastern part of the state with over 155,000 people calling Chattanooga home.

Chattanooga is one of the most affordable cities in the country with affordable housing and a moderate cost of living.

Chattanooga Activities for You

• Museums

• Arts and Literature

• Performing Arts: Symphony and Opera

• Passenger train

• Parks for hiking, nature walking and camping

• Zoo

• Festivals

• College sports

• Rowing

• Mountain biking

If you choose Chattanooga as one of the best retirement places to live, you’ll enjoy all four-seasons. You’ll find the city, as with most of Tennessee, is humid-subtropical climate. There’s little snow and a daily high of 80 degrees in the summer months.

Your Options

• The shores of Lake Champlain with Vermont’s Green Mountains to the east, Burlington has been recognized as one of the best places in the country to live, retire and play.

• Eufaula is enticing with a quiet town atmosphere. In many ways, time here seems to have stood still. Ornate homes lend an aura of elegance and tradition.

  The lake shimmers under hazy blue skies. Neighbors say hello to one another and life is unhurried. This southern hamlet just may be the best place to retire the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

• Chattanooga, Tennessee for the laid back lifestyle in a mid-size community offering all of the amenities you need and one of the largest commerce in the city is healthcare, with several hospitals and other medical facilities.

These are three of the best retirement places to live. Each provides a different climate and you’ll appreciate the quality of life and pace at any of these destinations.

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