Choosing The Best Places To Retire In For Cost And Climate

When considering the best places to retire in the world, two key qualifiers come to mind: cost of living and climate.

No one wants to compromise on quality of life in his or her golden years. Therefore, this overview focuses on these top two areas.


Best Places to Retire and Relocate for an Affordable Cost of Living

Retirement income for most seniors accumulates from three primary vehicles. These include Social Security benefits, employment pensions, and investment income. While some people elect to remain in their home state following retirement, others consider the advantages of relocating.

When downsizing is not enough to offset the impact of relinquishing your income from full-time employment, it is worth evaluating the best place to retire in the United States. There are some locations, with respect to climate advantages, that are outside of the US. This is not currently the case regarding cost and value.

Cost of living is based on a few important factors. Included in these are your residence, taxes, health care, food and other consumables, utilities, transportation, and recreation. When weighed against national averages, there are 9 locations in 8 states that measure up.

Some have no income tax requirement at all. Others enforce no estate death taxes. Gainesville and Pensacola in Florida made the list. Among the remaining seven are Coeur d’Alene, ID; Bloomington, IN; Natchitoches, LA; Holland, MI; Paris, TN; Kerrville, TX; and Lynchburg, VA.



Best Places to Retire in for a Great Climate

Interestingly, only one overlapping location fit both categories: Gainesville, FL. Have no fear, however; the climate-friendly options discussed here have been pre-screened for moderation in the cost of living category as well. Among the ranks of the best places to retire in for climate, two of the nine spots are in Mexico.

It comes as no great surprise that seniors want a terrific climate in order to enjoy their retirement and relaxation. Many on the list are warm or hot year-round. Others allow for the four seasons, but are temperate. Avoiding the risks and downsides of brutal winters is understandably a strong advantage for retirees.

When weather is a driving force in the choice of the best places to retire in the world, Arizona, California, and New Mexico snag the top 4 of the highest 9 selections.

The remaining includes Scottsdale, AZ; Gainesville, FL; Asheville, NC; Lake Chapala, MX; and San Miguel de Allende, MX. Mild and comfortable conditions, which lean toward warmth rather than chill, are what all of these locations share in common.

It certainly helps, when looking for the best places to retire in the US or globally, to know which ones the experts recommend that you avoid. Curiously, there are entire states that are statistically shown to be the top 10 not to choose, particularly from a cost of living standpoint. Some of these contradict the locations ranked on our first list. Simply keep in mind that this selection considers each state overall, as opposed to a specific location within the state.

Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin are all considered high-risk locations, due to a potential services decrease that is anticipated despite substantial projected upcoming tax increases. While this is based upon speculation and forecasting, it is worth considering in your evaluation. It would be foolish to overlook potentially useful input.

During the selection of the best places to retire in the US, or elsewhere, both cost of living and climate are highly influential in any senior’s review. As with any long-term plan, substantial and current research should be the basis of the decision. Although your ultimate choice will be subjective to an extent, remain informed in order to enjoy your golden years fully.




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