Best state to retire to based on cost of living

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Where You Should Retire in the USA: States Ranked From Worst To Best.

I read this article today and since our very own Smokeywolf is moving within the next two weeks I couldn't help but think of him.

49. CALIFORNIA
Cost of living: 52% above the average in U.S. Population: 39.56 million. Best city: Beverly Hills, per Yahoo! HIGHLIGHTS: It is hard to argue against California's natural attraction. The state has forests, deserts, beaches, and more. It is home to big cities for those desiring fast-paced living.

CHALLENGES: Apart from Hawaii, this state has the second highest costs of living. If you are a fan of bright weather, you will have to pay up! Some are, and it is costing them — 19% of California's residents live in poverty, says the U.S. Census Bureau.

1. ARKANSAS
Cost of living: 17% below U.S. average. Population: 3.0 million. Best city: Bella Vista. HIGHLIGHTS: A really low cost of living in the Natural State, as well as average health charges being the 3rd lowest for retired couples. Arkansas is recognized for its wildlife, hot springs, mountains, lakes and rivers — hence the name the "Natural State."

CHALLENGES: The state taxes are not that easy on your pocket. Social Security benefits and about $6,000 of other retirement earnings are exempt. Income tax rates can hit 6.9% if the income is over $75,000. Poverty rates in Arkansas for retirees are the 8th highest in America. Also, this Southern state is not the place to be for those desiring big city living!

So . . . He's going from a cost of living 52% above national average to 17% below national average. And they didn't even mention taxes, crime, traffic or a repressive gubmint, NO firearms banned list, no ammo licensing, everything you can think of highly regulated, from a "city" of around 15 million to a whole state with 3 million.

I just don't get it. Why would he want to leave utopia? :headscratch:
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
If you homestead your home in Scott County you get a $374 tax break on the land and house etc .
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Heat, bugs, chiggers, moskeetoes and all those darn trees, can't see anything! Plus it rains!
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Wow. AARP doesn't even show Arkabama in the top ten, nor did Kiplinger. Now Nebraska has an important claim to fame as being the least tax friendly state for seniors according to Kiplinger. Top that!
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Heat, bugs, chiggers, moskeetoes and all those darn trees, can't see anything! Plus it rains!

42. WASHINGTON
Cost of living: 21% above U.S. average. Population: 7.1 million.

As one that has been to Washington several times I'm pretty certain that they have bugs, skeeters, rain and far more than their fair share of trees. On the bright side there are 8 states more expensive to live in. ;)

Now don't get me wrong here, i love the Pacific NW. It's where i wanted to retire for many years, simply couldn't afford it up there.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
There are two WA's. The Seattle one is like CA. The eastern one is like ID. No income tax and cheap housing in the small towns. Sales taxes are high but you can shop in Oregon tax free. We have lots is spiders snakes and arachnids. Worst thing is new gun laws: Ruger 10/22 is an assault rifle.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
heard Arkansaw might have some decent duck hunting there, if you can find an open spot on public land.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I've heard that also, up & down the east side along the Mississippi. I popped $25 for the lifetime hunting/fishing license but didn't get the water fowl endorsement cause I don't bird hunt.
 

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
I'm also not that far away from my property tax being locked for the remainder of my life on the new property. Those taxes by-the-way, are a little less than half of what I'm paying now.

Have an old friend who is retired L.A.P.D., lives in Battleground, WA (no income tax) and does all his shopping in Portland, OR (no sales tax).

Back when I was around 10 years old, I really liked the Coos Bay area in Oregon. Thought that would be a pretty nice place to spend retirement years. By the time I was in my teens, property taxes in Oregon were well on their way to doubling and I figured I better keep an open mind for somewhere else.

As some of you know, we've been studying where to spend our retirement years for the better part of 10 years.
We've taken into account weather (including frequency, severity, potential for natural disaster), topography, demographics, crime rates, cost of living, current and future political leanings & influences, access to and quality of medical services and of course, taxation and property values, or "bang for the buck".
 

Intheshop

Banned
From a hardcore,student of precision riding,motorcycle standpoint.....

You can do a WHOLE lot worse than the Ozarks. Meaning,they have been some of my favorite twists N turns.

Tennessee is sort of a riding enigma.... only way to get to the Ozarks from here.... anyway,the eastern 50 miles of Tn are pretty close to nirvana.... but,that next 400 miles heading west is some of the most boring riding this hillbilly has ever slabbed.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I'm also not that far away from my property tax being locked for the remainder of my life on the new property. Those taxes by-the-way, are a little less than half of what I'm paying now.

Property taxes much less than half if you consider how many sq. feet of house you have in CA on a city lot and with a Home owners Assoc. vs. the house here on 14 acres.

And yes, in addition to the homestead act property tax here is frozen at age 65.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Another important consideration on deciding on a state to move to is the financial health of the state itself. As an example Illinois is ranked number 49 of 50 for the states financial health. Looking at tax rates today may not mean much in just a few short years when they decide YOU should bail them out. CA is billions in debt every year and already have some of the highest taxes and still raising taxes every year. Arkansas consistently runs a budget surplus. Something to consider.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
Wow, interesting thread. My wife and I have two kids in High School now, and we are considering moving away from Texas for retirement - primary reason is the summers, as we get older (been here since 1996) we don't tolerate them as much any more. Plus property taxes keep going higher and higher, and our 8.25% sales tax is not that great either.

We have talked about a more moderate weather state, of course friendly to outdoors, firewarms, camping, etc.. We lived in Indianapolis, In for 7 years and don't want to ever have that much snow/cold weather either!. We like the areas of Northern Arizona (Flagstaff), Southern Colorado, etc., but we are still in the "looking for a place to retire".
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Flagstaff's elevation is 7000' and that equates to a lot of snow. The Williams/Flagstaff would be more attractive, to my wife and I, if it weren't for all the snow. Haven't been to the Prescott area, yet, but have been close to Payson (Show Low/Heber/Overgaard) and the snowfall is minuscule compared to Flagstaff.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Rick,
The latest data -- read it this morning -- says that another 19% of Californians live in "near poverty". Rounding the numbers up, that means 20-million people are either living in poverty, or near enough to it.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Speaking from the municipality side of the equation, I don't see any state avoiding increasing taxes in the future. The demand for services, mandated and otherwise, and the natural desire of bureaucracies to grow and grow makes it near unavoidable. It's a matter of degree IMO.