Top Ten Places To Retire
Where will you end up?
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How do you find the best place to retire? We asked John Brady from topretirements.com.
Here are the top ten places to retire:
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a prosperous small city of just over 75,000 (400,000 in the metro area) in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Because of its charming environment and mild weather, it has long been a desirable retirement community. Asheville has a great collection of art deco architecture, antique stores, art galleries and boutiques. Those who prefer the outdoor cafe or coffee house setting will enjoy its many cafes. Asheville's demographic makeup ranges from artists and musicians to corporate executives, merchants and entrepreneurs.
Median sales price for a home: $200,000
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a town of 52,000 on Florida's central west coast on the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay. Development began in the 1920s; the town has dozens of historically significant buildings and institutions. This popular retirement community is considered by many to be the cultural capital of Florida. Sarasota has one of Florida's best downtowns with many interesting neighborhoods. An impressive array of cultural facilities are gathered there along with high-rise, luxury hotels.
Median sales price for a home: $185,000
Prescott, Arizona
Located at an elevation of 5,400 feet in the mountains of north central Arizona, the City of Prescott (population almost 43,000 in 2008) was the original territorial capital of the Arizona Territory. This old mining town and now popular active adult retirement community borders the Prescott National Forest to the south and west. Prescott . Carrying the nickname, “Everybody’s Hometown,” Prescott is home to the downtown Courthouse Plaza, famous Whiskey Row, World's Oldest Rodeo, Prescott Fine Arts Association, Sharlot Hall Museum and the Phippen Art Museum.
Median sales price for a home: $270,000
Paris, Tennessee
Retirees come to Paris, Tennessee not for its resemblance to the famous French capital, but because they like living near one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Paris is a small town of about 10,000 in northwest Tennessee, 15 miles from the vast and popular "Land Between the Lakes" recreation area. An active adult lifestyle is easy here and there are a variety of affordable retirement community options. The mild climate makes this an ideal place to live in retirement.
Median sales price for a home: $89,000
Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas is becoming a very popular retirement community for a variety of reasons. For one, it was selected by Money Magazine as the second best big city to live in. The University of Texas and its array of cultural activities is perhaps the biggest draw for Austin; its cosmopolitan and high-tech, quirky soul is another reason. U.T. is just one of nine colleges and professional schools in the area. The area is a hotbed of semiconductor and software industries.
Median sales price for a home: $189,100
Green Valley, Arizona
Green Valley offers very good value for the money in terms of the housing and amenities offered. It also has the warmest winter climate in Arizona. Because of its size, the range of its activities and the diverse demographics, it is more extensive than most other active adult communities.
Median sales price for a home: NA
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is often referred to as the Twin City. Active adults 55 and older in retirement here will find plenty to do. The Hanes Mall is the largest shopping mall in North Carolina. The cultural scene is rich with many theaters and museums. According to the Visitors Center there is live music, vintage films, avant-garde dance, classic plays, museum visits and wine tours. The wineries are in the nearby Yadkin Valley. Golf Digest named the Triad the best big city for golf in America in a survey of 330 cities. There is a plethora of public golf courses – two of the most distinguished are Tanglewood Park and Salem Glen – both are home to big tournaments. There are also many parks in the city.
Median sales price for a home: $120,400
Beaufort, South Carolina
The Old South lives on in the quaint seaside charm of Beaufort, South Carolina. Known as the “Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands”, this popular retirement community of 11,000 was discovered by the Spanish in 1514 and chartered by the British in 1711. It lies in the Sea Islands or “Low Country” area of South Carolina, just north of Hilton Head. Beaufort holds so much history that 304 acres of the town have been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Enjoy horse-drawn carriages that roll along streets in the town’s charming historic district, which is framed by Spanish moss The area offers a laid back atmosphere that most people find very relaxing.
Median sales price for a home: $181,800
San Diego, California
The second largest city in California, San Diego, (population almost 1.3 million) has been a popular retirement community since the end of World War II. Its scenery, climate and lifestyle are second to none and appeal to active adults ages 55 and older. Its bustling downtown area has a busy convention area and city parks set alongside hundreds of anchored pleasure boats. The University of California, San Diego is a vital force in the community along with the famed San Diego Zoo.
Median sales price for a home: $393,000
Ft. Myers, Florida
As a retirement community Ft. Myers is old and new Florida at the same time. Located on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River on the southwest coast, its roots go back to 1886. It has the charming Thomas Edison Museum and a beautifully restored downtown along the river. New developments go off in every direction; in the early 2000's day it seemed another ranch or forest was turned into an active adults 55-and-older development every day. Golf courses are everywhere, both public and private. Ft. Myers is a dynamic city with a diverse population of all ages. Fort Myers is the capital of Lee County.
Median sales price for a home: $94,000
Click here for tips on how to choose where you should retire.
At our site anyone can recommend a town or active adult community. We also are always on the lookout for great places to retire, and we visit as many of them as we can (or rely on people familiar with them). When we find one, we write a review for it. Every year we look at our statistics to see which towns had the most page views. This statistic tells us which towns our visitors are most interested in learning about, and that is how we come up with our 100 (actually 125) most popular places to retire.
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