Best Places to Retire: College Towns?
It might sound counterintuitive, but retiring in a college town has some of the best perks and most advantages that most retirees are looking for in their best place to retire.
Many college towns are surrounded by activities or areas that retirees find appealing: beaches, mountains, low taxes, affordable senior houses, golf ranges, high-quality health care, etc. CNN Money put together a list of college towns with notable lifelong-learning programs, most bearing the name of the Bernard Osher Foundation, which funds 120 retirees learning programs in 50 states.
Here are the top 10 college towns that offer retirees intellectual learning environments with the needed benefits of a traditional retirement area of retirement.
Hanover, NH – Dartmouth College
Percentage of 50+: 25%
Median home price: $401,000
State income tax: 5%
Lexington, KY – University of Kentucky
Percentage of 50+: 29%
Median home price: $144,200
State income tax: 6%
Durham, NC – Duke University
Percentage of 50+:
Median home price: $163,000
State income tax: 7.75%
Prescott, AZ – Yavapai College
Percentage of 50+: 49%
Median house price: $230,500
State income tax: 4.54%
Bellingham, WA – Western Washington University
Percentage of 50+: 30%
Median house price: $258,450
State income tax: n/a
Boise, ID – Boise State University
Percentage of 50+: 29%
Median house price: $140,100
State income tax: 7.8%
St. Petersburg, FL – Eckerd College
Percentage of 50+: 36%
Median home price: $150,000
State income tax: n/a
Huntsville, AL – University of Alabama, Huntsville
Percentage of 50+: 35%
Median home price: $137,625
State income tax: 5%
Austin, TX – University of Texas at Austin
Percentage of 50+: 22%
Median home price: $196,600
State income tax: n/a
Tucson, AZ – University of Arizona
Percentage of 50+: 28%
Median home price: $156,000
State income tax: 4.54%
