Traverse City And Other Top Spots

Forbes screened greater than 800 locales within the U.S. for all the things from local weather change danger to crime to availability of medical doctors. We then in contrast people who made the lower for what they supplied in spare time activities—from the humanities, high-quality eating and studying to mountain climbing, snowboarding, watersports and golf. Listed here are the highest 25.

_{by William P. Barrett, Contributor}

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Terry and Al Hershey can afford to reside anyplace they please after their profitable careers—she within the company places of work of Time Warner, he operating companies in medical system manufacturing and contract analysis and growth. So, once they loaded up their 34-foot RV at their Bonita Springs, Florida residence and hit the highway to scout a second retirement locale, they headed to what may sound like a shocking place: Traverse Metropolis, Michigan, a small city (inhabitants 16,000) 250 miles northwest of Detroit, that sits on a bay opening to Lake Michigan. In 2021, the Hersheys moved right into a 132-year-old, 5-bedroom Victorian three blocks from Grand Traverse Bay, the place they spend six months a 12 months with their goldendoodle and Aussiedoodle. Now each 76, they hike, bike, kayak and motorboat and may select from scores of musical performances a 12 months on the close by Interlochen Heart for the Arts and by the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. “We needed a summer time base,” Terry explains. Why not spend all 12 months in Traverse Metropolis? They don’t thoughts the chilly (they lived for a few years in Colorado), however discover the dearth of sunshine throughout the winters in Traverse Metropolis too dreary, she says.

It is a good downside to have. These prosperous Child Boomers and Gen Xers who’ve lots saved for retirement nonetheless have to plan—in the event that they’re to take advantage of out of what might be many years of leisure. One method is to maneuver to a spot (or a few locations) that match their pursuits. That’s what John and Terry Fish did this 12 months once they moved to Bend, Oregon, a rising city of 107,000, recognized for its outside life-style. Again in 2019, after John, now 57, and Teri, now 53, took early retirement, they moved from Washington D.C. (the place he was a lobbyist, and she or he a Congressional staffer) to Sullivan’s Island, S.C., throughout the harbor from Charleston. Why one other retirement transfer now? “We have been prepared for a brand new journey,” John says. Neither the Fishes nor the Hersheys have kids, which provides to the liberty they really feel to maneuver anyplace they like.

Besides these {couples} aren’t going simply anyplace. Traverse Metropolis, Bend and sure, Charleston, too, are all on Forbes’ record of 25 Finest Locations To Take pleasure in Your Retirement In 2023. That is the seventh time we’ve produced this record, which identifies nice locations to pursue seven distinct passions: arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, volunteering, outside actions on water, outside actions on land, and golf. All 25 of our picks are beneath, in alphabetical order.

In distinction to our annual Finest Locations To Retire record, which options 25 websites providing nice retirement residing at an inexpensive worth, neither excessive residing prices nor excessive taxes disqualify candidates from this passion-centric record. However we do be aware these prices on every place profile, and when you’re on a restricted finances, preserve studying. 5 of our 25 ardour picks, unfold throughout the U.S., have a median home worth beneath the nationwide median: Fayetteville, Arkansas; Iowa Metropolis, Iowa; Madison, Wisconsin; Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Tucson, Arizona.

Along with leisure actions, we contemplate a wide range of quality-of-life metrics, starting from air high quality and availability of main care medical doctors to critical crime and a city’s walkability. One disqualifier: a really excessive susceptibility to local weather change and pure hazards as measured by the Federal Emergency Administration Company’s Nationwide Threat Index, which seems to be at 18 pure hazard dangers (together with warmth, wildfires and hurricanes), plus communities’ preparation to cope with them. That’s a giant purpose no Florida cities are on this 12 months’s record and why New York Metropolis and Los Angeles didn’t make the lower, both. However you don’t should swear off metropolis life: Austin, Texas and Seattle are each on the record for all seven passions. Boston makes the record with six.

As for Traverse Metropolis, it has the smallest inhabitants of all 25 picks. Along with being nice for outside actions and golf, it punches means above its flyweight culturally and in addition provides the high-quality eating that’s attribute of a reside efficiency mecca. Our choices are geographically various, unfold throughout 17 states and for the primary time, with the addition of Honolulu, 5 time zones. Whereas most of our decisions excel in a number of areas, Flagstaff, Arizona, is listed just for outside land actions (together with snowboarding and mountain climbing), whereas Pinehurst, North Carolina, has made the record yearly, solely for its standing as a golf capital.

You’ll be able to learn extra about our methodology, the right way to discover your personal retirement bliss, and the way three {couples} are discovering theirs, right here.

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2023 classes

Arts/tradition 🎨 | Fantastic eating 🍴 | Lifelong studying 🎓 | Volunteering ❤️ | Outside water actions ⛵ | Outside land actions 🍁 | Golf ⛳

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Annapolis, Maryland ⛵ ❤️

PASSIONS: Nice for outside water actions and volunteering

POPULATION: 41,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $570,000, 40% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 22% above nationwide common

This water-flanked state capital 30 miles east of Washington, D.C., on the Chesapeake Bay, is residence to the U.S. Naval Academy and a haven for boaters of all varieties—from kayakers to sailors to powerboaters. On high of a robust volunteering tradition, Annapolis has a typically agreeable local weather, good air high quality, sufficient physicians and a positive FEMA ranking for pure hazard and local weather change danger. At an elevation of 40 toes, town could be very bikeable and considerably walkable. Drawbacks embrace an above-average critical crime charge; each a state inheritance and state property tax; and a mixed state and native earnings tax charge topping 8%. Nevertheless, Social Safety advantages, plus $34,300 per particular person in sure pension funds and retirement withdrawals, are tax exempt.

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Asheville, North Carolina 🎨❤️⛵🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, outside water and land actions, and volunteering

POPULATION: 99,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $451,000, 11% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 6% above nationwide common

This enticing metropolis, within the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, provides an inviting mixture of indoor arts/tradition and outside alternatives, together with various mountain climbing terrain and whitewater paddling. Air high quality is sweet. An elevation of two,100 toes makes even summers bearable. Town is considerably bikeable, though not all that walkable. There’s a excessive charge of volunteering. Major care physicians per capita are significantly above the nationwide common. Asheville is at average danger for pure hazards. The intense crime charge is above the nationwide common. The state earnings tax charge is a flat 4.75%, however Social Safety earnings is exempt and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Austin, Texas 🎨🍴🎓❤️⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, outside water and land actions, golf and volunteering

POPULATION: 980,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $557,000, 37% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 29% above nationwide common

The buzzy capital of the Lone Star State clicks with all of the leisure passions we consider. There’s a big music and eating scene, plus free senior citizen tuition for six credit a semester on the College of Texas at Austin, rated #31 on Forbes’ High Schools record. Outside water and land actions abound, together with dozens of close by golf programs. Town boasts a strong variety of main care physicians per capita, good air high quality and excessive marks for volunteering. Austin could be very bikeable and considerably walkable. Local weather is heat however nice. Elevation is 300 toes. There isn’t a state earnings or property tax. The draw back: Austin has a comparatively excessive (however not very excessive) danger for pure hazards and a critical crime charge above the nationwide common.

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Bend, Oregon ⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for outside water and land actions, and golf

POPULATION: 107,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $724,000, 78% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 31% above nationwide common

This outside playland 160 miles southeast of Portland provides plenty of motion. Actions alongside the north-flowing Deschutes River embrace downhill and cross-country snowboarding, fishing, tubing, mountain climbing, mountain climbing, bicycling, paragliding and, besides within the useless of winter, golf on practically two dozen close by programs. Different pluses embrace good air high quality, a low critical crime charge, a excessive variety of medical doctors per capita and a low pure hazards danger ranking. At an elevation of three,600 toes, the city is bikeable however not all that walkable. Oregon has no gross sales tax however compensates for that with an earnings tax charge that hits 8.75% at simply $18,400 of earnings for joint filers (with Social Safety excluded) and tops out at 9.9% for taxable earnings above $250,000. There may be additionally a state property tax.

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Boise, Idaho 🎓⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for lifelong studying, outside water and land actions, and golf

POPULATION: 242,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $473,000, 16% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 17% above nationwide common

Idaho’s capital metropolis enjoys a surprisingly average local weather conducive to outside actions, whereas Boise State College provides discounted tuition for seniors. Different interesting attributes embrace a excessive variety of physicians per capita, a low critical crime charge and good air high quality. At an elevation of two,700 toes, town could be very bikeable, although not as walkable. FEMA ranks Boise comparatively low in pure hazard danger. Idaho’s flat state earnings tax charge is 5.8%, beginning at $5,000 of earnings for married {couples}. However there isn’t a state earnings tax on Social Safety advantages and no state property or inheritance tax.

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Boone, North Carolina 🎓⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for lifelong studying, outside water and land actions, and golf

POPULATION: 21,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $449,000, 10% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 3% beneath nationwide common

This mountain city 120 miles northwest of Charlotte provides rather a lot for the outside inclined. Actions embrace mountain climbing, caving, canoeing, whitewater rafting, fishing, snow snowboarding, snowboarding and {golfing} at 17 programs within the space. Indoors, retirees can audit programs without spending a dime at Appalachian State College. Elevation is 3,333 toes. Professionals embrace good air high quality, an sufficient variety of medical doctors per capita and a low critical crime charge. Boone is considerably walkable and really bikeable. Local weather change/pure hazard danger is rated as comparatively low by FEMA. The state earnings tax charge is a flat 4.75%, however Social Safety earnings is exempt and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Boston, Massachusetts 🎨🍴🎓❤️⛵🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, volunteering and outside water and land actions

POPULATION: 667,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $719,000, 77% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 53% above nationwide common

This historic coastal state capital satisfies quite a lot of passions, particularly lifelong studying, with its greater than 50 space schools. Arts/tradition and high-quality eating are thought of tops and there are ample alternatives for outside water and land actions (aside from golf). Boston has good air high quality and plentiful medical doctors per capita. Winters may be chilly. Elevation is 140 toes. Town is each extremely walkable and bikeable and will get excessive marks for volunteering. FEMA charges the pure hazards danger as average. The intense crime charge is above the nationwide common. The state earnings tax charge is a flat 5% on earnings as much as $1 million, and 9% above that. There’s no state earnings tax on Social Safety earnings, however there’s a state property tax.

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Boulder, Colorado 🎨🍴🎓❤️🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, outside land actions and volunteering

POPULATION: 108,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $991,000, 143% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 68% above nationwide common

At an elevation of 5,400 toes, this metropolis 30 miles northwest of Denver sits amid a big leisure open area towards the Rockies. Outside actions embrace mountain climbing, climbing, biking and fishing. Boulder is residence to the College of Colorado, which nurtures a giant arts/tradition and high-quality eating scene and permits seniors to audit programs at minimal price. Boulder itself could be very walkable and bikeable, with a low critical crime charge, good air high quality, plentiful medical doctors and a comparatively low danger for pure hazards. Volunteering is a lifestyle. The state earnings tax is a flat 4.40%, however it now excludes Social Safety advantages and as much as $24,000 of different retirement earnings. There isn’t a state property or inheritance tax.

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Charleston, South Carolina 🎨🍴🎓⛵⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, outside water actions and golf

POPULATION: 159,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $520,000, 28% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 20% above nationwide common

This historic coastal metropolis provides pretty outdated properties, high-quality eating, a strong arts scene, outside water actions and golf (with 39 programs within the space). The Faculty of Charleston exempts senior residents from tuition. With an elevation of 20 toes, Charleston is reasonably walkable and really bikeable. Town enjoys a excessive variety of main care medical doctors per capita and good air high quality. Charleston has a comparatively excessive (however not very excessive) danger for pure hazards, in line with FEMA. The 6.5% state earnings tax charge kicks in for {couples} at simply $16,040 of taxable earnings. However there’s no tax on Social Safety advantages and $30,000 of retirement account/pension earnings for a pair can also be exempt. There’s additionally no state property or inheritance tax.

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Eugene, Oregon 🎨🍴🎓⛵🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, outside land and water actions

POPULATION: 178,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $475,000, 17% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 7% above nationwide common

This outdoorsy faculty river city, 110 miles south of Portland, provides rafting, kayaking, and bicycling, operating and strolling trails. College of Oregon permits senior residents to audit lessons without spending a dime and contributes to the massive native arts and eating scene. Metropolis is considerably walkable, with good air high quality and an above-average variety of main care physicians. FEMA charges the pure hazards danger as average. Elevation is 430 toes. Oregon has no gross sales tax however compensates for that with an earnings tax charge that hits 8.75% at simply $18,400 of earnings for joint filers (with Social Safety excluded) and tops out at 9.9% for taxable earnings above $250,000. There may be additionally a state property tax.

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Fayetteville, Arkansas 🎓⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for lifelong studying, outside land and water actions, and golf

POPULATION: 100,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $340,000, 16% beneath nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 8% beneath nationwide common

On this Ozarks metropolis 200 miles northwest of Little Rock, the College of Arkansas provides free tuition and price waivers to senior residents. The plush space has quite a few parks and waterways conducive to mountain climbing, fishing and boating, plus 21 golf programs. Town could be very bikeable, however not so walkable. Elevation is 1,400 toes and air high quality is sweet. The variety of main care physicians is common. Fayetteville has a average pure hazard danger. The intense crime charge is above the nationwide common. The highest state earnings tax charge is 4.7%, however there’s no state earnings tax on Social Safety advantages, plus $12,000 per couple of different pension/retirement plan earnings is exempt. There’s additionally no state property or inheritance tax.

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Flagstaff, Arizona 🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for outside land actions

POPULATION: 77,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $629,000, 55% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 19% above nationwide common

This Route 66 metropolis sits 145 miles north of Phoenix, amid inviting surroundings good for snowboarding, mountain climbing, climbing and biking. At an elevation of seven,000 toes, Flagstaff’s winters are chilly, however the payoff comes in the summertime, when, owing to the next elevation, temperatures are significantly cooler than in Phoenix. Town could be very bikeable, however not so walkable, has good air high quality and an sufficient variety of main care medical doctors. Downsides embrace a critical crime charge above the nationwide common and a comparatively excessive (however not very excessive) danger of pure hazards, in line with FEMA. There’s a 2.5% flat state earnings tax. Social Safety advantages are exempt and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Fort Collins, Colorado 🎓🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for lifelong studying and outside land actions

POPULATION: 169,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $558,000, 37% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 17% above nationwide common

Sitting 5,000 toes up on the base of the Rocky Mountains, this metropolis 60 miles north of Denver is sweet for a wide range of outside land actions. Colorado State College provides a number of methods senior residents can attend lessons without spending a dime. Town has a excessive variety of main care physicians per capita, good air high quality and a low critical crime charge. Fort Collins could be very bikeable, though not as walkable. FEMA offers it a middle-of-the-pack average pure hazard danger. The state earnings tax is a flat 4.40%, however it now excludes Social Safety advantages and as much as $24,000 of different retirement earnings. There isn’t a state property or inheritance tax.

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Hilton Head, South Carolina ⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for outside water and land actions, and golf

POPULATION: 38,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $723,000, 78% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 20% above nationwide common

This Atlantic Ocean barrier island sits amid greater than 60 golf programs and provides numerous different outside recreation on land and water, together with mountain climbing, fishing, kayaking and boating. Hilton Head has good air high quality, an sufficient variety of main care physicians and a low critical crime charge. The island is considerably bikeable, however not all that walkable. Regardless of an elevation of simply 10 toes, Hilton Head has a average FEMA ranking for pure hazard danger. The 6.5% state earnings tax charge kicks in for {couples} at simply $16,040 of taxable earnings. However there’s no tax on Social Safety advantages and $30,000 of retirement account/pension earnings for a pair can also be exempt. There’s additionally no property or inheritance tax.

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Honolulu, Hawaii ⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for outside water and land actions and golf

POPULATION: 349,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $801,000, 97% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 69% above nationwide common

Hawaii’s capital metropolis anchors the scenic Pacific Ocean island of Oahu, with a variety of water and land leisure alternatives, together with 40 golf programs. The tropical city has a excessive ratio of main care medical doctors per capita, good air high quality, and a low critical crime charge. Town is very walkable and bikeable. Honolulu has a comparatively excessive (however not very excessive) danger ranking for pure hazards from FEMA. For a joint return, the state earnings tax hits a stiff 8.25% on taxable earnings of $96,000, however Social Safety advantages and all pension earnings are exempt from the tax. Hawaii’s state property tax hits estates above $5.5 million at a ten% to twenty% charge.

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Iowa Metropolis, Iowa 🎨🎓

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition and lifelong studying

POPULATION: 75,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $285,000, 30% beneath nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 13% beneath nationwide common

College of Iowa gives quite a few lifelong studying alternatives and acts as a catalyst for arts and cultural actions on this conventional faculty city, 115 miles east of Des Moines. There’s a excessive variety of medical doctors, good air high quality and a low critical crime charge. Town could be very bikeable and considerably walkable. Elevation is 700 toes. FEMA offers Iowa Metropolis a positive comparatively low danger ranking for local weather change and pure hazards. State earnings tax tops out at 6% on joint return taxable earnings above $150,000, however Social Safety advantages and all pension/retirement earnings are excluded from taxable earnings. There’s a state inheritance tax.

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Madison, Wisconsin 🎨🎓❤️⛵

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, lifelong studying, volunteering and outside water actions

POPULATION: 275,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $377,000, 7% beneath nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 1% above nationwide common

College of Wisconsin-Madison is on the coronary heart of this metropolis’s enchantment, providing quite a lot of studying applications aimed toward senior residents in a lake-festooned state capital, 150 miles northwest of Chicago. Town has a terrific ratio of main care physicians per capita, good air high quality, a low critical crime charge and could be very walkable and bikeable. Elevation is 900 toes. FEMA offers it a positive comparatively low ranking for pure hazard danger. State earnings tax is 5.3% for typical joint filers however tops out at 7.65% on taxable joint earnings above $405,550. Social Safety advantages are usually not taxed. There isn’t a state property or inheritance tax.

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Pinehurst, North Carolina⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for golf

POPULATION: 21,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $471,000, 16% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: At nationwide common

Some 40 golf programs, anchored by the century-old Pinehurst Resort, distinguish this scenic village 90 miles east of Charlotte. The ratio of main care medical doctors per capita is excessive, the air high quality is sweet, and the intense crime charge could be very low. Elevation is 560 toes. FEMA charges Pinehurst as having a comparatively average pure hazard danger. The state earnings tax charge is a flat 4.75%, however Social Safety earnings is exempt and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Pittsfield, Massachusetts 🎨🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition and outside land actions

POPULATION: 45,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $282,000, 31% beneath nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 12% beneath nationwide common

A world-class summer time arts/tradition scene makes this outdated industrial metropolis, 135 miles west of Boston and 40 miles southeast of Albany, N.Y., stand out. Close by state parks, snowboarding and wildlife areas abound within the scenic however not-so-high Berkshire Mountains. The ratio of main care medical doctors per capita is excessive, and there’s good air high quality. FEMA charges Pittsfield as having a really low danger for pure hazards. One draw back: the intense crime charge is above the nationwide common The state earnings tax charge is a flat 5% beneath $1 million, however 9% above that earnings. There’s no state earnings tax on Social Safety earnings, however a state property tax kicks in on estates over $1 million.

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Portland, Maine🍴⛵🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for high-quality eating, and outside water and land actions

POPULATION: 68,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $514,000, 26% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 12% above nationwide common

Maine’s most populous metropolis, 100 miles north of Boston, provides all kinds of water and land recreation, together with boating, kayaking, rafting, cross-country snow snowboarding, mountain climbing and bicycling. The restaurant scene is terrific. There’s a very excessive ratio of main care medical doctors per capita, plus good air high quality and a low critical crime charge. Town could be very walkable and bikeable. Elevation is 60 toes. FEMA charges Portland as having a comparatively low pure hazard danger. The Maine state earnings tax tops out at a hefty 7.15% on taxable earnings above $116,100 for a pair. However there isn’t a state earnings tax on Social Safety advantages and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Santa Fe, New Mexico 🎨🍴🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating and outside land actions

POPULATION: 88,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $567,000, 39% above the nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 14% above the nationwide common

This four-century-old state capital mountain city, 60 miles north of Albuquerque, is laced with dozens of artwork galleries, high-quality eating places and museums. It additionally provides world-class snowboarding and different outside land actions. Santa Fe has a excessive variety of main care medical doctors per capita, good air high quality and a low critical crime charge. Elevation is 7,200 toes. Town could be very bikeable and considerably walkable. Santa Fe has a positive average pure hazard danger ranking from FEMA. The state earnings tax charge for many {couples} is 4.875% on taxable earnings that excludes Social Safety advantages—if, that’s, a collectively submitting couple has adjusted gross earnings beneath $150,000, and neither celebration is above $75,000. There isn’t a state property or inheritance tax.

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Seattle, Washington 🎨🍴🎓❤️⛵🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, lifelong studying, volunteering, outside water and land actions, and golf

POPULATION: 779,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $835,000, 105% above the nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 68% above the nationwide common

This scenic isthmus within the Pacific Northwest, between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, provides a strong arts/tradition scene, well-known eating places, and each an Osher Lifelong Studying Institute on the College of Washington and an “elder audit” program at Seattle College. There’s all kinds of out of doors actions obtainable on water and on land, together with 54 space golf programs. Town is extraordinarily walkable and famously bikeable. Different attributes embrace good air high quality and a excessive ratio of main care medical doctors per capita. Elevation is 500 toes. Among the many drawbacks: a critical crime charge above the nationwide common and a comparatively excessive (however not very excessive) pure hazard danger ranking from FEMA. There isn’t a state earnings tax, however a brand new 7% “excise tax” is imposed on capital positive aspects topping $250,000 from investments excluding actual property. There’s additionally a hefty gross sales tax and a stiff property tax.

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Traverse Metropolis, Michigan 🎨🍴⛵⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, high-quality eating, outside water actions and golf

POPULATION: 16,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $418,000, 3% above nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 3% beneath the nationwide common

Some 250 miles northwest of Detroit, this middle of tart cherry cultivation is close to the well-known Interlochen Heart for the Arts, which hosts scores of yearly music performances. With frontage on an inlet of Lake Michigan, Traverse Metropolis has water sports activities, greater than 30 space golf programs and a status as a high eating city. There’s good air high quality and an above-average ratio of main care medical doctors per capita. At an elevation of 600 toes, Traverse Metropolis has a really low pure hazard danger, in line with FEMA. The intense crime charge is barely above the nationwide common. The state earnings tax charge is a flat 4.25%, however it excludes Social Safety earnings and a few pension earnings, and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Tucson, Arizona 🎨🎓🍁⛳

PASSIONS: Nice for arts/tradition, lifelong studying, outside land actions and golf

POPULATION: 552,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $323,000, 21% beneath nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 4% beneath nationwide common

The College of Arizona gives quite a lot of lifelong studying alternatives whereas supporting a strong arts/tradition scene, simply 70 miles from the Mexican border. Surrounded by the Sonoran Desert and mountains, Tucson provides mountain climbing and different outside land actions, together with greater than 40 golf programs. There’s good air high quality and an abundance of main care medical doctors. At an elevation of two,600 toes, Tucson could be very bikeable and considerably walkable. Tucson has a comparatively excessive (however not very excessive) pure hazard danger ranking from FEMA. The intense crime charge is above the nationwide common. Summers are scorching, although a bit cooler than in Phoenix. There’s a 2.5% flat state earnings tax. Social Safety advantages are exempt and there’s no state property or inheritance tax.

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Walla Walla, Washington🍴🍁

PASSIONS: Nice for high-quality eating and outside land actions

POPULATION: 34,000

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $405,000, on the nationwide median

COST OF LIVING: 6% beneath nationwide common

This nice rural city, 260 miles southeast of Seattle, boasts a surprisingly sturdy high-quality eating scene, fueled by 130 close by wineries. The world is appropriate for mountain climbing and biking. There’s a excessive ratio of main care medical doctors per capita, plus good air high quality and a low critical crime charge. Town could be very bikeable and considerably walkable. Elevation is 950 toes. FEMA charges the pure hazard danger in Walla Walla as comparatively low. There isn’t a state earnings tax, however a brand new 7% “excise tax” is imposed on capital positive aspects topping $250,000—from investments excluding actual property. There’s additionally a hefty gross sales tax and a stiff property tax.

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