Great Places To Follow Your Passions In Retirement In 2019

Annapolis, Maryland

PASSIONS: ❤️ ⛵

Great for volunteering and outdoor water activities

POPULATION: 39,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $428,000

Water on three sides, good air quality and a moderate climate make this charming historic Chesapeake Bay city an ideal spot for those who love boating, fishing or a waterfront view. For the newbie, the city offers lots of recreational boating schools and chartering opportunities. There’s a high rate of local volunteerism and the downtown area, which doubles as Maryland’s state capital (and was the U.S. capital for a year starting in 1783) is very walkable. Doctors per capita are at the national average. Elevation is 40 feet. On the downside, cost of living is 41% above the national average and the crime rate is above the national average. Taxes are on the high side, too; while Social Security benefits are exempt from tax, the top state/local income tax rate is 8.31% and the state has both an estate and inheritance tax.

Ashland, Oregon

PASSIONS: 🎨 🎓 🍁

Great for arts, lifelong learning and outdoor land activities

POPULATION: 21,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $462,000

Located 285 miles south of Portland, this cultural outpost offers art galleries and the nine-month a year Oregon Shakespeare Festival, all set amid scenic mountains and forests. Southern Oregon University hosts an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and allows free auditing of regular college classes. The highly walkable downtown (elevation: 1,950 feet) is set in a moderate climate with little snow, good air quality, a low serious crime rate and a high number of doctors per capita. Nature trails are just outside town. But the cost of living is 40% above the national average and Oregon makes up for its lack of a sales tax with an income tax rate that hits 9% at just $50,000 of income (with Social Security excluded). There is also a state estate tax.

Athens, Georgia

PASSIONS: 🎨 🎓 🍁

Great for arts, lifelong learning and outdoor land activities

POPULATION: 127,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $178,000

This affordable college town, just 70 miles east of Atlanta, has a vibrant arts scene. The  University of Georgia hosts an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, plus offers seniors free admission to regular classes. Mild terrain and climate (the nation’s first garden club was founded here in 1891) and good air quality are all conducive to warm-weather outdoor activities at an elevation of 600 feet. The ratio of doctors per capita is sufficient. Cost of living is 7% below the national average and the serious crime rate is low. Georgia doesn’t tax estates or Social Security benefits and offers a generous additional break for other retirement income. Top state income rate is 5.75%. One notable downside: Not very walkable.

Austin, Texas

Passions: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ❤️ ⛵ 🍁 ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering, outdoor water and land activities and golf

POPULATION: 950,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $369,000

Sunny capital of Texas offers scores of dining and entertainment venues (including the annual SXSW festival), plus learning opportunities at the University of Texas, all surrounded by dozens of golf courses. The city boasts a high number of physicians per capita, good air quality, a good economy and a high rate of volunteering. The impressive state capitol building is higher than the one in Washington, D.C. At an elevation of 300 feet, the city is very bikeable and somewhat walkable. While there is no state income or estate/inheritance taxe, the cost of living is 30% above the national average and the serious crime rate is slightly above the national average.

Bend, Oregon

PASSIONS: ⛵ 🍁

Great for outdoor water and land activities

POPULATION: 98,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $440,000

Lots of snow guarantees vibrant downhill and cross-country skiing in this scenic “Outdoor Playground of the West” 160 miles southeast of Portland. Other outdoor pursuits at an elevation of 3,600 feet around the north-flowing Deschutes River include fishing, tubing, hiking, rock climbing, bicycling and paragliding. Besides good air quality, a low serious crime rate and a high number of doctors per capita, the area boasts a strong economy. But Oregon makes up for its lack of a sales tax with an income tax rate that reaches 9% on just $50,000 of taxable income (which excludes Social Security). There’s also a state estate tax. The town itself is not very walkable. Cost of living is 34% above the national average.

Boise, Idaho

PASSIONS: 🎓 ❤️ 🍁

Great for lifelong learning, outdoor land activities and volunteering

POPULATION: 227,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $299,000

The surprisingly mild climate in Idaho’s capital city, nicknamed “City of Trees,” is conducive to outdoor land activities, while Boise State University hosts an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and offers free auditing of regular classes for seniors. Other pluses include a high level of volunteerism, a high number of physicians per capita, a low serious crime rate, good air quality and a good economy. With an elevation of 2,700 feet, the city is very bikeable, though not as walkable. Cost of living is only 7% above the national average. There is no state income tax on Social Security earnings, nor a state estate/inheritance tax. Idaho’s income tax rate for married couples is 6.925% on taxable income above $23,000.

Boston, Massachusetts

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ❤️ ⛵ 🍁

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering and outdoor water and land activities

POPULATION: 685,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $604,000

This buzzy historic coastal state capital city of 685,000 offers a wealth of cultural. and educational activities. Not too surprising, considering there are more than 50 area colleges. Boston has good air quality, abundant doctors per capita, and a good economy. At an elevation of 140 feet, the city, named for an English town, is both highly walkable and bikeable. The top state income tax rate is only 5% and there’s no state income tax on Social Security earnings. On the negative side, there’s a state estate tax and a higher than average serious crime rate. But the big downside is the cost of living: 82% above the national average.

Boulder, Colorado

PASSIONS: 🎨 🎓 ❤️ 🍁

Great for arts, lifelong learning, volunteering and outdoor land activities

POPULATION: 107,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $742,000

This city, 30 miles northwest of Denver, is at the center of a huge recreational open space abutting the Rockies at 5,400 feet of elevation, which can be enjoyed in 10 months of annual sunshine. It’s also the home the University of Colorado, which allows seniors to audit courses for free. Boulder is a walkable and bikeable city with a low serious crime rate, good air quality, abundant doctors and a strong economy. Volunteering is a way of life here. While there is no state estate/inheritance tax, the state income tax (a flat 4.63%) does hit Social Security benefits. One big downside is the cost of living: 87% above the national average.

Chandler, Arizona

Passions: ❤️ 🍁 ⛳

Great for volunteering, outdoor land activities and golf

POPULATION: 235,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $317,000

This Phoenix suburb, named for Arizona’s first veterinary surgeon, offers myriad outdoor activities, including 185 golf courses in the region. There’s a low serious crime rate, a good economy and a high rate of volunteering. With an elevation of 1,200 feet, the city is very bikeable, although not all that walkable. There is no state income tax on Social Security earnings and no state estate/inheritance. The sate income tax rate tops out at just 4.54% on a married couple’s taxable income above $317,900. On the downside, the number of doctors per capita is below the national average and the air quality is poor. Cost of living is 23% above the national average.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 🍁

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning and outdoor land activities

POPULATION: 60,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $376,000

The home of the University of North Carolina, which offers free auditing of classes for senior citizens, this college town has been called America’s “foodiest small town” for its range of culinary options. It also has a high number of physicians per capita, good air quality, a low serious crime rate, a strong economy—and quirky blue fire trucks. There’s no North Carolina income tax on Social Security benefits and no state estate/inheritance tax. The state income tax rate is a flat 5.499%. At an elevation of 500 feet, the city is somewhat bikeable, but not very walkable. Cost of living is 30% above national average.

Charleston, South Carolina

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 ⛵ ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, outdoor water activities and golf

POPULATION: 130,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $322,000

This historic coastal city brims with activities, both indoors and out. (The first game of golf in the U.S. took place here.)  Pluses include a high number of doctors per capita, good air quality and a good economy. There’s no state estate/inheritance tax, no state income tax on Social Security benefits and there are additional tax breaks on pension income. But the state income tax rate tops out at an above average 7% on taxable income of just $14,860. At an elevation of 20 feet, the city is somewhat bikeable, but not very walkable. Cost of living is 22% above national average.

Dallas, Texas

PASSIONS: 🍴 ❤️ ⛳

Great for fine dining, volunteering and golf

POPULATION: 1.34 million

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $217,000

Scores of public golf courses plus fine dining (far beyond the nation’s first drive-in restaurant, which opened here in 1921) and what is said to be the nation’s largest arts district distinguish the Big D. At an elevation of 430 feet, the city is somewhat walkable and bikeable and has an adequate number of physicians per capita and support for volunteering. Atop of a strong economy, there is no state taxation of income, estates or inheritances. Cost of living is only 8% higher than the national average. On the downside, the serious crime rate is above the national average and the air quality is poor.

Fayetteville, Arkansas

PASSIONS: 🎓

Great for lifelong learning

POPULATION: 85,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $219,000

The University of Arkansas offers free tuition to senior citizens at its flagship campus in this Ozarks city 200 miles northwest of Little Rock. Besides a cost of living 1% below the national average, other pluses include good air quality, adequate number of physicians per capita and a good economy. At an elevation of 1,400 feet, the city (originally named Washington) is somewhat bikeable, although not that walkable. There is no state estate/inheritance tax and there’s no state income tax on Social Security benefits, plus there’s a small additional break for pension income. But the state income tax reaches 6.9% on a married-couple’s income above $35,099. The serious crime rate is above national average.

Las Vegas, Nevada

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 ⛵ 🍁 ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, outdoor water and land activities and golf

POPULATION: 2 million (Las Vegas Valley)

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $277,000

World-class entertainment centered around the hotels and casinos, famous chefs, and nearby water and land activities, including golf, grace this exploding desert valley. (In 1900, the population was just 18.) While summers are hot and dry, the other nine months are quite pleasant, and sun is year-round. At an elevation of 2,000 feet, the area is somewhat walkable and bikeable. A good economy is bolstered by no state income or estate/inheritance tax. Downsides include poor air quality, low ratio of physicians per capita and a high serious crime rate. Cost of living is 18% above the national average.

Los Angeles, California

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ⛵ 🍁 ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, outdoor water and land activities and golf

POPULATION: 4 million

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $686,000

The City of Angels has multiple colleges and universities offering reduced-price programs for senior citizens, world-class restaurants, numerous performance venues, a wide range of outdoor activities and many golf courses. Pluses include 28 days a year of sun, sufficient physicians per capita and a strong economy. Despites its reputation as car dependent and congested, the city, with an elevation of 300 feet, is both very walkable and bikeable (despites safety concerns for bikers). There is no state tax on Social Security benefits, estates or inheritances. But the state income tax hits a hefty 9.3% on taxable income above $150,000 per couple and goes up to 12.3% for the very wealthy. Among the drawbacks: poor air quality (although better than it used to be) and a serious crime rate above national average. Cost of living is 95% above national average.

New York, New York

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ⛵ ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, outdoor water activities and golf

POPULATION: 8.6 million

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $682,000

Dozens of colleges, fabulous arts and dining, and even golf courses accessible via subway can be found in the country’s largest city. Pluses include a high number of physicians per capita, good air quality and a strong economy. With an elevation of 30 feet, the Big Apple is very walkable and bikeable, despite concerns about bicyclist safety. There is no state income tax on Social Security benefits, plus there are additional state tax breaks on pension income. But there is a state estate tax, the combined state and city income tax rate can reach a whopping 12.696% and the cost of living is 109% above national average.

Pinehurst, North Carolina

PASSIONS: ⛳

Great for golf

POPULATION: 13,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $281,000

Some 40 golf courses, led by famous century-old Pinehurst Resort, plus golf schools surround this scenic village 90 miles east of Charlotte. Pluses include an extremely low serious crime rate, above-average rate of doctors per capita and good air quality. At an elevation of 600 feet, the town, originally named Tuftstown, is somewhat walkable and bikeable. There are no state taxes on Social Security earnings, estates or inheritances. The state income tax rate is a flat 5.499% and the cost of living is 11% above the national average.

Portland, Maine

PASSIONS: 🍴 ⛵ 🍁

Great for fine dining and outdoor water and land activities

POPULATION: 67,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $314,000

This coastal city offers a wide variety of water and land recreation, including boating, kayaking, rafting, cross-country skiing, hiking and bicycling. There’s a good restaurant scene, a low serious crime rate, a high ratio of doctors per capita and good air quality. The city—named after an island in the English Channel—has an elevation of 60 feet and is very walkable and bikeable.  There is no state income tax on Social Security earnings, but there is a state estate tax. The state income tax rate reaches 7.15% at taxable income above $103,400 for a couple. The

Portland, Oregon

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ❤️ 🍁 ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering, outdoor land activities and golf

POPULATION: 648,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $426,000

City affords wide range of pursuits, including free senior citizen auditing of classes at Portland State University. Pluses include a high ratio of physicians per capita, good air quality, a high rate of volunteering and a good economy. At an elevation of 50 feet the city—named after Portland, Maine—is highly walkable and bikeable. The state makes up for its lack of a sales tax with an income tax rate that hits 9% on just $50,000 of income (with Social Security excluded). There is also a state estate tax. Cost of living is 48% above the national average.

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Salt Lake City, Utah

PASSIONS: 🎓 ❤️ ⛵ 🍁

Great for lifelong learning, volunteering and outdoor water and land activities

POPULATION: 201,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $402,000

Mountains, lakes and rivers create a choice of outdoor activities, including skiing, bird watching and fishing around this state capital city. Indoors, the University of Utah offers courses a wide range of courses for seniors in concert with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The city has a high rate of volunteering, a high rank on the Milken Institute list of best cities for successful aging and a strong economy. At an elevation of 4,300 feet, it is very walkable and bikeable. There is no state estate tax, but the state income, levied at a flat 4.95% rate, hits Social Security benefits. The cost of living is 27% above the national average.

San Francisco, California

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ⛵

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning and outdoor water activities

POPULATION: 860,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $1.36 million

Surrounded by water, this scenic city is a mecca of culture and food, with 57 Michelin starred restaurants (compared to 76 in 10 times more populous New York). Opportunities for senior learning are offered at an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State and at other venues. There’s a high ratio of doctors per capita, good air quality and a strong economy. Despite the famed hills, the city, with an elevation of 50 feet, is very walkable and bikeable, with both trails and protected bike lanes. There is no state estate/inheritance tax and no income tax on Social Security benefits, but the state income tax rate is a hefty 9.3% on income above $150,000 per couple and goes up to 12.3% for the very wealthy. The serious crime rate is above the national average, but the biggest downside is the cost of living: a stunning 205% above the national average.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🍁

Great for arts, fine dining and outdoor land activities

POPULATION: 84,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $397,000

Scores of art galleries, fine restaurants and museums, plus world-class skiing, distinguish this scenic state capital mountain town (elevation 7,200 feet), 60 miles north of Albuquerque. Somewhat walkable and bikeable, the city has a high number of doctors per capita, good air quality and a low serious crime rate. There is no state estate tax, but the state income tax does hit Social Security benefits. The state income tax rate is 4.9% on taxable income of married couples above $24,000. The cost of living is 21% above national average.

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Sarasota, Florida

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ❤️ ⛵ 🍁 ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering, outdoor water and land activities and golf

POPULATION: 57,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $261,000

Nearby beaches, fishing, boating, a big arts/cultural scene and 30 golf courses dominate this Gulf Coast city 60 miles south of Tampa. With an elevation of 16 feet, the area is very walkable and bikeable, with good air quality, a strong economy and an adequate number of physicians per capita. The cost of living is only 9% above national average. There is no state income or estate tax. One downside: a serious crime rate above the national average.

Seattle, Washington

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 🎓 ❤️ ⛵ 🍁 ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering, outdoor water and land activities and golf

POPULATION: 725,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $730,000

Still-booming Puget Sound city offers all the passions, including an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington. At an elevation up to 500 feet, the city is extremely walkable, bikeable and even boatable, with good mass transit. Other pluses include good air quality, a high ratio of doctors per capita, a very strong economy, and a good volunteering culture. There is no state income, estate or inheritance tax. But the cost of living is a whopping 104% above the national average and the serious crime rate is also higher than average.

Traverse City, Michigan

PASSIONS: 🎨 🍴 ⛵ ⛳

Great for arts, fine dining, outdoor water activities and golf.

POPULATION: 16,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $255,000

Frontage on Lake Michigan, the famed Interlochen Center for the Arts, 50 area golf courses and a reputation as a top foodie town all make his city, 250 miles northwest of Detroit, a top passions choice. There’s good air quality, above-average doctors per capita and a decent economy. At an elevation of 600 feet the city—center of the nation’s largest area for growing tart cherries—is very walkable and bikeable. Cost of living is only 2% above national average.  There’s no state estate or inheritance tax and no tax on Social Security benefits, plus additional breaks for pension income. The state income tax rate is a flat 4.25%. One downside: The serious crime rate is above the national average.