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.
You forgot Lavallette NJ….
Funny…RETIREMENT. Yeah if you are a millionaire!
I’d love to hear more about small towns. Mostly Hood River, Oregon.
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.
This gives me alot to think about.
INTERESTED
Paso is on top of my list for moving out of Oregon and back to California. Glad to see it made a list!
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.
Anything in Northern Idaho? Toward Canadian border.
Fredericksburg is my top selection.
All the others towns seem to be attractive as well.
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.
Port orchard wa is one of the best small town to retire too. Left Florida and never look back
You Went From A Red State With Low Taxes To A Blue Way Left Liberal State With The Highest Taxes In The Country? REALLY? Well Good Luck To You! We Left That State For Good And We’re Now In A Low Tax Red State!
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Who in their right mind would want to move to NJ?
High taxes and plenty of Democrat zombies No way Jose!¡!!!
“Democrat zombies??? Not as stupid and crazy like Trump and his MAGA country-destroying Reps
No one! Highest property taxes in the US. Worst governor 2nd only to Newsome in CA. No 2nd amendment rights in NJ. Worst business tax in the nation. Everything over taxed.
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!!🌅
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!
Minnesota has become a liberal s*** hole. Minnesota nice is a thing of the past.
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.
I couldn’t agree with you more. This would be the perfect place to life with a Class A motorhome.
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.
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!
Probably expensive in those areas in New England anyway. Surprise to see Massachusetts in the mix for retirees.
Unfortunately all the places you picked were white people places. Are there any places that are more diverse?
Thank you for asking this. I’m looking for a place with diversiry in race AND age.
98,000 is hardly SMALL city….
Good info
Retirees need to stay away from colleges these days for obvious reasons. That is if there looking for a peaceful life.
What about Sun City Arizona…? There are many activities and help for seniors there.
I really like Cedar Key, but it is a magnet for hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. All of us in Florida are aware of hurricanes, so it’s something that can be handled, but newcomers may want to consider that.
I found your small town for retirees interesting, but many do not want cold, hard winter areas. So, how about finding small towns with mild winters, which I realize is hard due to climate change. I was intrigued by the pretty storefronts. Include a report on the state taxes for retirees. That is a big issue for us retirees.
Very interesting locations.
Interesting! Please tell me more?
Conway SC should be on this list. Quaint downtown area, great weather and close enough to beach in summer, Myrtle Beach International Airport is 30 minutes away. There’s always events happening year round because of the mild climate plus property taxes are very low. Glad I retired here!
my first place destination is bozeman mt..great skiing,fishing and typical college town atmosphere..
Very poor reporting on Pittsfield Ma! I live a few minutes from Pittsfield. You didn’t mention it’s in The Berkshires, of Ma. That’s one of the most popular vacation venues in Ma. and a beautiful one. It’s the home of The Norman Rockwell Museum, many theaters, wineries and outdoor points of interest.(Appalachian Trail).
Thank you for your advice, do any of these towns/cities have a VA hospital or clinic.
Carolinas would be a good option…Got Beaches and Mountains. Virginias lovely high taxes I think. California? Pricey as well.