9 Best Small Towns And Cities for Retirees in the US

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Charlottesville, Virginia

Thomas Jefferson laid the footing for the well-rounded city this small town has become. The Charlottesville area is an unexpected blend of Southern charm mixed in with a liberal edge. This makes it an excellent choice for a range of retiree characters.

And beyond the college campus or city center, you can find a ton of opportunities for outdoor recreation in the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including over 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail in close by Shenandoah National Park.

Generally, the city’s violent crime rate is at 175.4 reported incidents per every 100,000 residents, compared with a 297.8 rate for all US municipalities of similar size, says the FBI.

It also ranks 5th for overall well-being out of all the metro areas included in the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, with above-average scores in every category, including resident satisfaction and physical health.

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24 Responses

    1. It is expensive and windy in the gorge but charming. If you are a bit unfamiliar with Oregon, be prepared to get hit with a huge state tax but there is no sales tax.

  1. Paso is on top of my list for moving out of Oregon and back to California. Glad to see it made a list!

  2. Hood River is cute and spendy as well as windy in the gorge. If you are not from Oregon, be prepared to spend money (up to 9% or so) on state taxes but there is no sales tax.

    1. Live close to Fredericksburg and visit occasionally. Live a good life south of that Town in Kerrville. A beautiful live theater, a surprise for a small town. Lots of retirees here and good local restaurants. Good shopping and climate tho very hot summer this year. A big healthcare hospital, growing every year. Excellent medical care with transfer to excellent hospitals in San Antonio if needed. Lived here now @6 years. Great Senior Center with lots of Activities–beautiful building too.

  3. Port orchard wa is one of the best small town to retire too. Left Florida and never look back

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  4. My choice would be Greer,SC.
    Love the South, the coast and the charm of the South. Nothing beats it, except, maybe, Minnesota Nice, but I HATE snow, except on Christmas. But I can do without to see the sunrise on the coast Christmas morning!!🌅

    1. Shhh — don’t tell too many people about how great western Carolina is! We think it’s the perfect place to live – beautiful scenery, seasonal but no extreme weather, nearby medical facilities, not too expensive, but mainly SAFE! Sure, bad stuff happens anywhere but we doubt li’l ole Asheville would be a major target!

  5. I would love somewhere to park my class a rv in a permanent rv park.

    Any referrals , if any, would be much appreciated.

    Maybe open one up with other retirees pool, clubhouse, facilities for horses, very cool. fire pits, laundry facilities etc. I can dream.

  6. Are you kidding? Most of these places sound like good Spring or Fall weekend getaways; during the rest of the year they all seem to have severe weather by my standards. As to those standards: I now live in Monterey County CA, Salinas to be exact. Not a barrel of fun, Salinas, but at least you don’t have to endure sweltering summers or freezing winters. I guess most of the country does though so maybe these remote outposts have appeal to the general population and I’m just spoiled at this point. Put Salians on the list for mild weather and good hospitals with beautiful Monterey peninsula for entertainment.

    1. Some of us love Winter….snow and cold. You missed such nice small towns like Old Saybrook, CT and Westerly Rhode Island. That is okay by me because once a nice town is “discovered” the retirees flock in and the prices go way up. I like the small towns no one know about!

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