Best places to retire for under $40K

A modest income needn't mean deprivation. These cities offer top-notch medical care, plenty of things to do and a low cost of living.

By Emily Brandon, U.S. News & World Report

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extremenewenglander Hoop
Nov 13, 2012 12:17PM
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are you kidding? with proper planning and having housing paid off by 50 yrs/ old.......good thing......since I was forced into retirement from a rare autoimmune disease and able to do it t 15k per year. I also have very little savings by the way.
kat975
Nov 13, 2012 12:17PM
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HA! You're about 6 years too late in Buenos Aires regarding housing prices. $70,000/$400 will get you absolutely NOTHING in any neighborhood where a non-Castellano speaking North American would feel comfortable living...even in the more "Argentine" neighborhoods, it'd be a stretch. The prices estimates for Guatemala and Chang Mai are also very much outdated.

Who does your fact checking?
Linda Harr (lgharr)
Nov 13, 2012 12:03PM
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Hello: The comments are more interesting than the actual article. I live in Denver, CO. in low income housing. Pay heat, low rent and now qualify for once a week help for housekeeping. I wish I could have had a $1,200 a month  retirement from SS to live on. We survive okay because we have a social coordinator here who helps us find things we need like hearing aids and glasses, walkers, etc. I also have food stamps. Denver is a pretty place to live in but a little expensive for rent. Sluggish economy but gettiing a little better. We have a smart governor here

and enjoy pretty scenery year round. Well good luck to all!

idiot42
Nov 13, 2012 12:01PM
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By 'best'  do you also mean crime free? Public transportation? and other 'benefits' too numerous to mention?
Jim Missy luttrell
Nov 13, 2012 12:00PM
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How strange that the cities in this article are in the "10 States You Don't Want to Retire In" article! Seems that these states all have high crime rates!! Low cost of living = high crime rate. High cost of living = low crime rate. Higher taxes = better police protection. Lower taxes = spending your money on alarm systems and personal firearms. Gonna cost ya either way!

 

Just an ordinary teacher
Nov 13, 2012 11:33AM
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Lived in Pennsylvania...not that bad.  I couldn't afford to live on the "Mainline" now. But, Philadelphia and its environs had so much to offer academically at the time.   Never considered Pittsburgh because it was just not pleasant looking with so much pollution.
Born in the South though, used to attitudes down here...not the best.   Certain ethnicities make more than others and live better too.  Crime is bad because so many people from other places moved here and brought their bad habits with them.  But, you can still find safe havens with the right amount of money even if you are not part of the preferred "Red State" group.  Be prepared...still a great deal of separation down here and aside from lower rent in unsafe places, everything else is sky high.  The high influx of people sent our underwater house prices through the roof.  That is why they are so underwater.
tomcat girl
Nov 13, 2012 11:30AM
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How about a list of areas (small cities or rural life) where the living is slow paced, not rushed and people are kind and friendly. There are such places in foreign countries but what about the U.S.? Isn't there any laid-back areas of the United States. Don't want the hustle and bustle and demands. Want to live my retirement with a slow pace, like a villa in Italy only here in the U.S. Any suggestions on those types of locations. Only thing I can think of is Sedona but it's too expensive.
lulubr
Nov 13, 2012 11:28AM
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You should also add the non fantasy elements like crime rate, DWI, literacy, drop out, teen pregnancies, etc. all of which are major factors in deciding where to live retired or not. Albuquerque? Really? Post a picture of a home and not some pie in the sky image.  People don't live in those hot air balloons and those that can afford them are not living on 40K!
Just an ordinary teacher
Nov 13, 2012 11:03AM
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Unfortunately most of these locales are in "Red States" and I am a little wary of local attitudes towards those who may not share the same ethnicity, religion or culture.  I am already living in a red state and in a community outside of one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in the southeast.  I have the unfortunate distinction of sharing an underwater house and mortgage payments that make my life less than optimal right now.  However, I have learned to live frugally.  I sincerely hope that the economy will improve so that I can sell the place and move.  Looks like Pittsburg and Albuquerque are my only choices.  Not really, you can live almost anywhere with the right attitude.  You might have to devote more to rent and secure part-time income.
Scooby snack227
Nov 13, 2012 10:58AM
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Are you kidding me?  You are encouraging seniors to retire to cities where crime is rampant, the minority population exceeds 50% in most and the economy is strugging?  With the exception of San Antonio, Albuquerque and Pittsburgh, you couldn't PAY ME to move and retire there...much less reccommend that I do so!  What type of quality of life would you have when you fear living your house in the evening and when you are afraid to go to certain parts of town because of all the minorities? 

 

Bad article guys...I'm sure our seniors could retire for much less than $40k in let's say Nogales, Juarez or take your pick of any US/ Mexican border town!

TheWise
Nov 13, 2012 10:57AM
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Pennsylvania is a decent place to retire because the state government doesn't tax regular distributions from retirement plans. 
equal justice1961
Nov 13, 2012 10:49AM
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Literally, I just read an article on these same states are the worst to live in because of the crime rate; make of your mine MSN.

 

Secondly, Add to that a modest nest egg of $250,000; really give me 250,000.00 and I'll show how modest it is; I'll buy me a couple of rent houses and list them with HUD and live off of that very comfortably.

 

 

putor
Nov 13, 2012 10:43AM
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How about an article on how a single person survives in retirement.  How about an article telling young women whether it's more important to stay home and raise their children or get a job that will give them the means to afford retirement.  Obviously this article assumes the husband cannot afford to support a family or themselves alone.

John6th
Nov 13, 2012 10:41AM
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How about next time write an article about which state has the best public housing or subsidized housing to retire in.

Carla Wells
Nov 13, 2012 10:34AM
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They left out Bella Vista, AR which IS the retirement community in AR. The person writing this article really didn't do enough research.  How about putting in cities where people WANT to retire and has affordable cost of living. People don't want to retire in cities with a high crime rate if it was there choice and could make it. Little Rock, Jackson AND St. Louis all have high crime rates...
If you really want a nice place to retire, research Bella Vista, AR.  It borders MO... is close to KS AND OK... Lots of fun stuff to do for retirees... especially those that like golf. Weather is ideal too.

jockmama
Nov 13, 2012 10:34AM
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Rermarkable how so many of these so-called "inexpensive" cities are in the former C.S.A. They're inexpensive because no one from outside the southeast WANTS to live there. No Blue State retiree wants to move to a Red State, considering all the downright hatred there is now between the two ends of the political spectrum. I lived in Knoxville back when it was perfectly all right to be a Yankee "transplant." It isn't, any more. And most of these cities are even FARTHER south...
NYC Bob 75
Nov 13, 2012 10:28AM
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Before retiring we spent 3 years looking at some of the places you have mentioned. Your statistics are skewed as to costs because you have not factored in the slums of those cities. You also apparently did not consider the crime rate which is a product of those slums.We chose Greenville, SC and it is far and away superior to any of the places you mentioned.
karl Beee (Taxes and the Middle Class)
Nov 13, 2012 10:24AM
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A nest egg of $250,000? Really? Better aim a bit higher... say 1M to be realistic. At 1% interest that spins off only $2,500. Not to mention escalating medical costs, inflation, etc. This person cannot be a CFP.

Dr_CEC
Nov 13, 2012 10:23AM
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Wow, this article totally misses the mark.  As someone has already mentioned, why are most destinations in the South?  I just moved from there (San Antonio/Austin) to the Midwest and will never go back.  Something can be said about the type of people you choose to be around. 

I can understand omitting rural places, but at least look at medium sized cities where good healthcare is viable.  

Alternatively, moving to a different country (and I don't mean Central or South America) may be the best option.  I guess it depends on how you see this country shaping up.  For me, 3rd world in a decade or two -  faster if the dollar is debased as the world currency.  
Dark Star
Nov 13, 2012 10:11AM
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San Antonio would be a good bet they didn't vote for Obammy the socialist.
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