A view of the May River and Calhoun Street dock in Bluffton, S.C. m o n e y. c o m 51

YOU’VE WORKED LONG and hard for

this moment, the time when you

can ditch work once and for all

and just have fun. Whether that

means golfing, sailing, or going

back to school, your avocation can

now become your vocation, and

you can do it anywhere in the

country you want.

Wouldn’t it be nice if retirement

were as simple as riding of into

the future, trailing your golf clubs

and your favorite books behind

you? Maybe it can be—with a little

help from MONEY’s Best Places to

Retire guide.

We focused this latest edition on

pursuing an active life in ive popu-

lar categories: the outdoors, the

arts, waterfront living, continuing

education, and golf. To narrow the

ield, we started with the statistics

provided by Onboard Informatics

THESE 20 TOWNS

OFFER A WEALTH

OF OPPORTUNITIES

FOR ENJOYING YOUR

LIFE AFTER WORK—

WITHOUT CRACKING

YOUR NEST EGG.

B Y D O N N A R O S AT O

A N D S U S I E P O P P I C K

W H E R E Y O U ’ L L F I N D T H E B E S T P L A C E S

for our Best Places to Live database and identiied more

than 2,600 locales with at least 10,000 residents. We

wanted places big enough to guarantee a diverse array

of services and populations, with no more than 95% of

one race and at least 20% of residents over age 50, so

there’s no shortage of peers.

But with home prices expected to rise 5% this year—

on top of last year’s 6% gain—we worked overtime

searching for cities and towns with afordable real estate

and low taxes. We selected locations only where the me-

dian home price was below the national average while

giving extra consideration to places that ofered retiree-

friendly tax breaks. Other factors included proximity to

a major hospital (preferably within 30 miles) and crime

rates below the national average.

Only locations that scored well in all of those areas

were considered for the individual, lifestyle-focused lists,

where we applied our data on amenities: accessibility to

recreation, culture, and green space.

Numbers, though, can tell you only so much. To get at

intangibles such as community spirit and the vibe of the

town, we interviewed locals, both recent transplants and

longtime residents. After all, who best to know whether a

place is truly great than the folks who actually live there?

If we did our job right, some day soon you might become

one of their neighbors.

OPEN THE FLAPTurn the page and unfold

Sure, nice weather is a consideration. But since the

majority of people retire fairly close to home, we searched

for destinations scattered throughout the country.

Standing room at one of Boise’s busy pubs

BEST PL ACES TO RETIRE

J U L Y 2 0 1 5 m o n e y. c o m 53

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LOVELAND, COLO.

BOISE, IDAHO

RICHLAND, WASH.

ST. GEORGE, UTAH

VAIL, ARIZ.

STILLWATER, OKLA.

SANTA FE, N.M. CAPE CORAL, FLA.

CLERMONT, FLA.

BLUFFTON, S.C.

LEXINGTON, KY.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.

PRATTVILLE, ALA.

ATHENS, GA.

DOVER, DEL.

FISHERS, IND.

TRAVERSE CITY, MICH.

NORTHFIELD, MINN.

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.

CHATTANOOGA, TENN.

55 m o n e y. c o m J U L Y 2 0 1 5

WHY IT WON: What’s

made this southwestern

Utah town an outdoors

mecca? The multi-

colored terrain, for one

thing. The red-rock

clifs, desert sandstone,

sagebrush, and alpine

forests provide an idyllic

backdrop for weekend

warriors of all types. It’s

especially popular with

cyclists. The Gooseberry

Mesa trail ofers spec-

tacular views of nearby

Zion National Park. An-

other favorite route is

the Veyo Loop, a 45-

mile roundtrip named

for Veyo Pies, a bakery

that’s a regular pit stop.

“There are hundreds of

miles of trails in the St.

George area,” says assis-

tant city manager Marc

Mortensen.

St. George is also

home to the annual

Huntsman World Senior

Games. Every October,

more than 10,000 ath-

letes age 50 and over

compete in dozens of

events, including bas-

ketball, tennis, cycling,

and a triathlon. Can’t

make it? There’s al-

ways the St. George

marathon, one of the

most scenic runs in the

country and a prime

tune-up for the Boston

Marathon.

WHAT ELSE IS GREAT:

You don’t have to be

an athlete to enjoy St.

George. There’s also a

thriving arts commu-

nity. The Tuacahn Cen-

ter for the Arts, which

locals call Broadway in

the Desert, puts on mu-

sicals and concerts in

its 1,000-seat outdoor

amphitheater. Arts to

Zion runs tours of local

galleries, museums, and

artists’ studios, while Art

Around the Corner Foun-

dation brings a rotating

collection of outdoor

sculpture and interactive

art to the city’s streets.

St. George is one of

the fastest-growing

metro areas, according

to the Census Bureau.

Yet it’s still afordable,

particularly compared

with more well-known

retirement destina-

tions in the region such

as Tucson and Palm

Springs. The median

single-family home price

is below $200,000.

Museum, which hosts 20

exhibits a year along with

its own permanent col-

lection of contemporary

art, is in Julia Davis Park.

The shows go on

indoors as well. The Mor-

rison Center, based at

Boise State University,

is home to the Boise Phil-

harmonic, Ballet Idaho,

Opera Idaho, and national

tours of Broadway shows.

“These are quintessential

Boise experiences,” says

Mike Journee, communi-

cations chief for Boise’s

mayor’s oice.

Perhaps the most

distinctive cultural gem

is the Basque Museum

and Cultural Center. The

city’s Basque popula-

tion dates to the early

1900s, when immigrants

from Spain came look-

ing for work as sheep-

herders. Descendants

have retained that cul-

tural connection. There’s

a “Basque Block” of res-

taurants and stores

downtown. Even the

mayor speaks Basque.

WHAT ELSE IS GREAT:

Sports are also a big part

of the entertainment

scene. The city has mi-

nor league baseball and

hockey as well as Divi-

sion I football at Boise

State. It’s also a beer lov-

1. The Narrows in Zion National Park. 2. The cycling leg of the annual Ironman 70.3 NorthAmerica’s Pro Championship race

1 2

1. The Ballet Idaho company in perfor-mance. 2. The Oinkari Basque Dancers at the city’s annual San Inazio Festival

R U N N E R S - U P

VAIL, ARIZ.

More afordable than many desert towns. Because it’s set in a basin, it’s cooler too.

$199,500

FAYETTEVILLE,

ARK.

Tucked into the Ozark Mountains and on the shores of Beaver Lake. The University of Arkansas ofers part-time work opportunities.

$166,000

RICHLAND, WASH.

A ishing and boating sweet spot on the Yaki-ma and Colum-bia Rivers. No state or Social Security tax.

$205,450

32%

Population over 50

$1,542

Average property tax

$195,000

Median home price

182

Miles of biking trails

S T . G E O R G E , U T A H

P O P U L A T I O N 7 8 , 8 8 4

33%

Population over 50

$2,309

Average property tax

$184,500

Median home price

17

Museums within 30 miles

B O I S E , I D A H O

P O P U L A T I O N 2 1 5 , 0 0 0

R U N N E R S - U P

SANTA FE, N.M.

More than 300 galler-ies, an opera company, and a dozen museums. Houses aren’t cheap, but state and local taxes are low.

$248,000

CHATTANOOGA, TENN.

Home to the Riverbend Music Festival, as well

2

WHY IT WON: If you’ve

ever visited Boise, you

know that the star of

the show is Mother

Nature: the mountains,

the rivers, the desert,

the sunsets.

So it may be sur-

prising to hear that

Idaho’s biggest city is

remarkably rich in ur-

ban pleasures as well.

Even better, the cultural

treasures blend seam-

lessly with the natu-

ral beauty. The annual

Shakespeare festival

takes place in a 770-

seat outdoor amphi-

theater on the banks of

the Boise River, with the

foothills as a backdrop.

The Art Deco Boise Art

the arts

1

as to several art muse-ums and an aquarium. No state income tax.

$128,650

DOVER, DEL.

A thriving visual arts center, set in the capital of one of the country’s most tax-friendly states.

$136,000

er’s paradise, with its

own “Ale Trail” and plenty

of restaurants.

Despite its boom-

ing economy and strong

job market (unemploy-

ment rate is 3%), homes

in Boise are priced be-

low $185,000 on average.

One downside: The Idaho

capital is the most geo-

graphically isolated of any

metro area its size in the

U.S. On the other hand,

with so much going on,

why go anywhere else?

B E S T

P L A C E S

F O R

B E S T

P L A C E S

F O R the great outdoors

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m o n e y. c o m 58

WHY IT WON: If golf and

retirement go together

like gin and tonic, Pratt-

ville may just be the

Tanqueray 10 of goling

towns. It is home to three

championship courses

and sits in the middle of

the Robert Trent Jones

Golf Trail, a 468-hole,

26-course putters’ par-

adise stretching over

11 Alabama sites.

Each of Prattville’s

courses has its own

character. The Judge,

which hugs the Alabama

River, is arguably the

prettiest. The tough, hilly

Legislator winds across

a cypress swamp. The

Senator was named by

Travel + Leisure as one

of the 100 best courses

for under $100. They’re

all afordable and open

to the public. Greens fees

run $45 in the winter and

summer and up to $74 in

the spring and fall.

WHAT ELSE IS GREAT:

Developed by New Hamp-

shire native Daniel Pratt,

the town feels like a New

England village, with

two-story brick build-

ings dating to the 1800s.

There’s ishing, canoe-

ing, and hiking along the

Autauga Creek, as well

as a wealth of indoor di-

versions. “You don’t have

to drive to Montgomery

to ind good restau-

rants and shopping,” says

Patty VanderWal, presi-

dent of the Chamber of

Commerce.

Another selling point:

Annual property taxes

on a $200,000 home are

less than $1,000. Also no-

table is Baptist Health

Center, named one of the

top 15 facilities in 2014 by

Thomson Reuters and the

winner of many American

Heart Association awards.

friendly (beside the

winters): Minnesota

taxes Social Security

and pension beneits.

Fortunately, the below-

average cost of living

and $172,500 median

home prices help ofset

those expenses.

WHY IT WON: This river-

side hamlet 40 miles

south of Minneapolis is

lucky enough to house

two top-notch liberal

arts colleges: Carleton

and St. Olaf. Even luck-

ier: Each school ofers

programs tailored to

retirees.

Carleton’s Learning

in Retirement Program

consists of six-week ses-

sions for about $110. For

a more immersive expe-

rience, the St. Olaf Study

Travel Program conducts

faculty-led educational

excursions abroad. (A 12-

day trip to Turkey costs

$4,200 a person, not in-

cluding airfare.) There’s

also the Cannon Valley

Elder Collegium, which

provides classes—many

taught by retired profes-

sors—for $50 each.

WHAT ELSE IS GREAT:

With two colleges

at its heart, Northield

also has abundant cul-

ture. There are two or-

chestras, a dance troupe,

a theater company, and

a choir. Also, like many

campus towns, North-

ield is walkable. Amid

the Gothic buildings

you’ll ind lorists, restau-

rants, wine bars, cloth-

ing stores, and antiques

shops. “I love the pace of

life,” says Teresa Jensen,

the director of library

and IT services. “Traic is

slow to nonexistent, and

I can walk downtown and

stop for a chat.”

One thing that’s less

R U N N E R S - U P

ASHEVILLE, N.C.

The Osher Life-long Learning Institute ofers more than 300 courses at the local branch of the University of North Carolina.

$200,000

LEXINGTON, KY.

For only $20 a course, the Don-ovan Fellowship helps seniors take courses at the University of Kentucky. Also home to three major hospitals.

$142,000

ATHENS, GA.

The University of Georgia ofers retirees low-cost classes on the Civil War, tai chi, and more.

$128,000

1. The campus green near St. Olaf’s Buntrock Commons. 2. Carleton’s Skinner Memorial Chapel

2

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CLERMONT, FLA.

Its nine public courses are hilly by Florida stan-dards. One thing that’s not steep: the 0% state income tax.

$190,000

STILLWATER,

OKLA.

The site of Oklahoma State University and its top-light college golf program. Notable public courses include the Links at Still-water and Lake-side Golf.

$136,000

FISHERS, IND.

TopRetirements.com called Fishers the “best town for undis-covered golf.” Homes cost a bit more, but se-niors are eligible for property-tax breaks.

$228,000

R U N N E R S - U P

32%

Population over 50

$490

Average property tax

$150,415

Median home price

24

Golf courses within 30 miles

29%

Population over 50

$2,946

Average property tax

$172,500

Median home price

125

Classes open to retirees

P R A T T V I L L E , A L A .

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N O R T H F I E L D , M I N N .

P O P U L A T I O N 2 0 , 4 3 7

1. One of the three courses at Capitol Hill. 2. The walk toward the 17th hole on the Senator

2

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golf lovers

college-town life

BEST PL ACES TO RETIRE

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WHY IT WON: You can see

the May River through the

moss-draped oak trees

that line Calhoun Street.

You can also see it from

the bluf in Old Town.

In fact, you’d be hard-

pressed to miss the wa-

ter anywhere in Blufton.

Locals even named their

performing arts space

the May River Theatre—

and it’s not on the river.

Just across the Har-

bor River from Hilton

Head Island, Blufton has

more quirky charm and

artsy, close-knit commu-

nity than its resort neigh-

bor. There’s a downtown

farmers’ market every

Thursday, the Novem-

ber Beer Fest featuring

more than 190 brews,

and the Blufton Village

Festival’s pie-eating con-

test, now in its 37th year,

every May. (In the event

of a tie, the winner is the

contestant who ends up

wearing the most pie.)

There are more sophis-

ticated cultural events,

too, including HD simul-

casts at the Center for

the Arts of performances

by New York City’s Metro-

plitan Opera.

Of course, Blufton’s

main course is its sea-

food. This is a Low Coun-

try foodie’s paradise. The

Blufton Oyster Com-

pany is the only hand-

shucking oyster factory

left in South Carolina.

You’ll ind all sorts of

local shellish not far

away at the Blufton

Family Seafood House.

WHAT ELSE IS GREAT:

Blufton is a four-

season town with mild

winters and a breeze of

the river that knocks

down the summer hu-

midity a tad. Homes,

at a median $230,000,

are on the pricier side,

but Blufton is very tax-

friendly, especially for

seniors, with low prop-

erty taxes and no state

tax on Social Security

beneits.

One downside: Traf-

ic can get heavy in

the summer vacation

season, when tourists

stream over the bridge

from Hilton Head. But

that’s not usually a

problem for locals, says

Debbie Szpanka, Bluf-

ton’s public information

oicer: “We know all

the back roads.”

26%

Population over 50

$1,711

Average property tax

$230,000

Median home price

47

Miles of riverfront

B L U F F T O N , S . C .

P O P U L A T I O N 3 4 , 4 7 0

FEEDBACK: drosato@moneymail.com

waterfront livingB E S T

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R 60 m o n e y. c o m J U L Y 2 0 1 5

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1. The morning fog rolling over the May River 2. Bluffton Family Seafood House’s steamed shrimp platter 3. The Old Town Dispensary cafe2

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R U N N E R S - U P

TRAVERSE CITY,

MICH.

Miles of Lake Michigan beaches and lots of hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.

$161,250

CAPE CORAL, FLA.

Nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosa-hatchee River, it has 400 miles of canals—and no state income tax.

$144,900

LOVELAND, COLO.

Studded with lakes and only 45 min-utes from the Rock-ies. Homes can be pricey, but there’s no state income tax if you’re 55.

$225,000 2014 Time Inc. Used under license. MONEY Magazine and Time Inc. are not afiliated