Freeper Suggestions on Where to Retire

Me | 4 Dec 2001 | Me

[hattend]

I am looking for suggestions from FReepers in lower 48 for city/state recommendations on where to retire.

I have pretty much decided on the western US (excluding the Pacific Coast states) and would lean to the southwestern states. I would stay in Alaska but I am tired of the long winter nights.

Would prefer acreage but you can try to convince me to live in town. :-)

If you know of any on-line newspaper links that have the classified, a URL would be appreciated.

Thanks
Don

[Arkinsaw]

TAXES are low?

The Arkansas tax burden is actually one of the lower ones. I have a friend who has a house on the lake in north-central Arkansas and pays about $40 a year.

[Arkinsaw]

This is from Public Affairs Research.

Six of the states studied rank among the the bottom ten in total state and local tax burden per capita: Mississippi (50), Alabama (49), Tennessee (48), Arkansas (47), Oklahoma (44) and Louisiana (43).

We are usually between 47th and 50th in everything. Being 47th in this category is not bad though.

[breakem]

No wonder traffic is so bad on the bridge.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

As you say you want to be in the west, I suggest in no order:

Arizona

Santa Fe, New Mexico .. they need more Conservatives

The lakes above Austin, Texas

Texas east of I-45

Colorado

[CRAW]

I spent a summer in North Carolina and I almost drown, from the humity.

[CRAW]

#4 New York

[wtc911]

Not NY. Goes without saying....what do you know first hand about the state that gave us BCM and his brothers? Do you know about the four seasons, the ocean beaches, the sailing in the sound, Lake Placid, winter sports, every kind of eco-system except a desert, the Finger lakes, Cooperstown, the hiking in the Catskills or the Adirondacks, the hunting in every county but those urban boros (even Nassau County), the museums, the symphanies, the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Bills, the Rangers, the Isles, the Knicks, the bravest city with a guy like Rudy for mayor, Broadway, the Tenth Mountain Division and the Fighting 69th, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Times Square, the Intrepid, me....

Or do you just see the down side...because if that's all you see you won't be happy anywhere.

I know it's not for everyone but for a lot of us on this forum it's our home by birth and by choice....btw...no offense taken, I'm sure none was meant.

[JDoutrider]

Lake Tahoe...on the Nevada side. Best skiing in America! One of the prettiest spots on earth...gorgeous summers, great snow in the winter. It's grown up quite a bit since I lived there, back in the 50's and 60's, but I still go down there for fun! Pricey, however...

[Grampa Dave]

This may come as a surprise, but Crescent City, Ca. which is on the upper NW coast of California and 20 miles south of the Oregon border might fit the ticket.

First of this is a conservative county/city that voted very well for president Bush in 2000.

Property costs in this area are low compared to most of California. The area is still rebounding from the spotted owl disaster for logging. The biggest employer is the state prison at Pelican Bay. It is considered to be the most secure prison in America and the worse for prisoners.

Being twenty miles from Brookings/Harbor, Oregon, you can buy your clothes, tv and other items with no sales tax in Brookings. Oregon has no sale tax. California's income taxes and property taxes versus Oregon's are lower.

The fishing for salmon and steelhead on the Smith River probably exceeds most Alaska rivers. The biggest steelhead on the American West Coast are Smith River steelhead. Up north 20 miles is the Chetco River with massive King salmon and abundant steelhead. 20 miles north of Brookings/Chetco is the Gold Beach Area with the mouth of the Rogue River! Great King salmon, Coho, steelhead and 1/2 pounders. Then you have the Elk River and Sixes River up by Bandon!

Some of the greatest wilderness areas in America would be just out your back door.

Winters are mild compared to Alaska, it seldom freezes in the Crescent City to Brookings areas as this is a Banana Belt Area.

There are a lot of nice pre fab home developments in the area, and most lots and acreages will allow you to install a nice pre fab on your lot!

Crescent City has an airport. In one hour you can be in Eureka and two hours in Sacamento. I don't know about flights from Portland!

The coast line from Crescent City to Port Orford, Or is one of the most beautiful coast lines in the world. If you like to fish in the ocean, you can fish for salmon, rock fish and trap Dungeness Crabs right out of the Crescent City harbor. Or you can bring your boat up to the mouth of the Chetco or the Rogue during the salmon season. No motor boats are allowed on the Smith River, which may be the most beautiful river in America.

I pinged fishhawk who grew up in the nw part of California and his sister works and lives in that area. He could help you re newspaper and other data!

If you love the outdoors, fishing and hunting, and want mild weather, Crescent City, Ca. may be your answer!

[CRAW]

I think they want to stay here in the US,if he went to Vermont he would have to give up his citizenship

[CRAW]

To close to the Boston Red Sox's 1918,hehehehehehehe

[bert]

Come see us in East Tennessee, solid Bush country, low taxes, nice people, including many retired military. The mountains offer the best trails in eastern US, good deer hunting, many lakes with excellent bass and trout fishing, Bristol Motor Speedway, large duck and goose populations, several ski resorts within 60 to 90 mile radius.

Freep mail if interested. We need more FReepers.

[Saundra Duffy]

Nowhere in California.

[CRAW]

Hay Pappy....Can't fool me, I saw those same pictures in Home and Garden. Only Kidding, looks real nice, how do I get there from NYC

[Beach_Babe]

Sorry to butt in on hattend's query but do you know anything of the tax situation in Gulf Breeze FL? Such as state sales, property, income tax rates?

I'm in the boonies of North Marion County (Horse Country)...see post #33. I'm on the edge of the Ocala National Forest, about an hours drive to either the gulf or the ocean, and about two hours north of Disney. I have seven arces on a private spring-fed lake surrounded by Georgia-Pacific tree farms. It's more than six miles to the nearest store and about 20 to the closest city.

We have a 6% sales tax and no state income tax at all. There's a $25,000 homestead exemption on your primary residence, more if you are widowed, resulting in extremely low property taxes. And I believe there are additional exemptions for senior citizens or if you use your land for agricultural purposes.

[NH Liberty]

"I'd consider New Hampshire. There are parts where they're giving land away."

Yep. New Hampshire is great. However, there are lots of people from MA moving up here all the time. We would roll out the welcome mat for more Conservatives!

BTW, let me know where you heard about cheap land here in NH. We're always looking for a good deal.

[Big Horn]

Here in Wyoming we have hunting and fishing, men are men and so are 85% of the women.

[thirst4truth]

Southern Oregon, specifically Roseburg, Oregon. The weather is mild, no snow. You are one hour from the coast, the beautiful Oregon coast and the dunes. Population 27,000 and not growing. Lots of country property with 5,10 or 20 acres and a nice house under $200,000. Three hours from Portland, one hour from Eugene. Where they still pump your gas and no sales tax! Go to roseburgproperty.com for some property costs. Good luck!

[fish hawk]

Better Yet Dave, Live on beautiful sunny Maui and still go to all the places you mention for great fishing.

I have my freezer full here and talk to the folks over in the North Coast rain. Actually I love both places so have the best of two worlds. Aloha from Maui

[Stopspin]

The beach property is expensive in SC . The beaches are all great .

The Isle of Palms near Charleston has a gated community which offers "Everything" a retiree could need and most of the things that might fall in the wanted category .

Santee SC is located near the junction of I-26 and I-95 . There are a couple of gated communities in Santee . Golf and boating are great .There are probably 100 golf courses within a 2 hour drive from Santee .Two [or fewer] hours will get you to Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head , Charleston , Columbia , Seabrook Island ,Kiawah Island , Folly Beach , and Edisto Island . Santee sits astride I-95 and adjacent to the Santee Cooper Lakes [Marion and Moultrie]. You can put your boat in the lake at Santee and take a trip to Charleston via the locks at Moncks Corner .

Undeveloped land is available around the lakes and along the Cooper River between Santee and Charleston .