Looking for pretty, affordable, safe small city to retire to (beach, community)
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OK, I'll tell you about the only 2 places I know. I have a property in each of them.
Central/northern Maine is a breath of fresh air for those who (like me) can't stand the heat. There are lots of lakes if you enjoy first-class fishing and boating. It has 3 biggies going for it: it's very safe as far as crime goes, it's outrageously "pretty" in all 4 seasons, and it's very affordable. Cons: it snows a lot in winter, and high-end entertainment (opera, off-B'way) is hard to come by. Lots of wimmin.
Western/central Tennessee is where our vacation place is. Also extremely "pretty". Our place is rural, and the crime is low there. It may be a bit higher in the towns, I dunno...but certainly not high crime. It's very affordable, the people are friendly, the food is excellent, and if you like country music, this place is the tops! A bit warmer in summer than I like, but really nice the other 3 seasons. Lots of wimmin, and they sure do cook well!
I was astonished to learn that the average daily temps between these 2 places is only 8-10F!
You don't give your age, so this is somewhat of a hip shot.
Tri Cities is probably not your best bet unless you are very conservative and church going. Only about 100 miles from me, BTW..
I've spent a ton of time researching the Tri-Cities, specifically JC. As a liberal atheist I was concerned about this but was told many in my shoes have fit in just fine. I don't really like to talk politics, they aren't that crucial to me. I can also overlook the occasional gay bashing joke etc or references to faith if the locals can accepot me and my beliefs. Do you see it as a problem?
I don't know about Des Moines, I been there, spent a few weeks once, not a bad city.
I agree with everything Tek says. When was the last time you were in Des Moines? The downtown and metro has changed dramatically in the last 15 years for the better. I've been to some of the cities in the SE part of the country but I still like DM the most for a city of its size.
Last edited by Count David; 10-11-2015 at 09:26 AM..
Reason: fixed quoting
You don't give your age, so this is somewhat of a hip shot.
Tri Cities is probably not your best bet unless you are very conservative and church going. Only about 100 miles from me, BTW.
I do just fine as an atheist transplant in the tri cities, gay rights bumper sticker and all. But like Dave, I don't talk politics or religion much and I am able to look over the occasional ignorant comment. It's just not an issue unless you are looking to force others to accept your viewpoint as the only correct one.
Something people need to consider when picking a place to retire, is the county they are going to be living in, check and see how many medicare advantage plans are available in that county. I live in Boise and fortunately Ada County has lots of choices, but if you live down the 84 freeway in Mountain Home in the county of Elmore, the choices are very limited. In some of these counties where the advantage plans are scarce, folks are forced to go with a supplement plan which are usually more expensive.
Hi there, looking for small, safe, pretty city to retire to. Looking for a place with low crime, pretty scenery, affordable housing, and a place that is easy to make friends and to date, as a single male. I have looked at places like Berea KY, Galena IL, Bellingham WA, Ocala FL, Rapid City SD, Tri Cities TN, Concord NH, and etc.....I am all over the map, and really have no idea where could work just yet. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
Two places you may wish to consider are Nixa (Pop: 20K) and Ozark Pop: 19K), MO. Nestled in the Ozarks (beautiful country) they are roughly 11 miles south of Springfield (Pop: 165K). They're about equidistant from Kansas City and St. Louis for your large city fix if you ever need one. Lakes, rivers and streams and springs are abundant and the fishing and hunting marvelous. Branson, a live entertainment center with tons of things to see and do, is a bit under 30 miles south.
The area has all four seasons and I don't consider any of them harsh or horribly uncomfortable. There's some humidity in the summer and some freezing days and occasional snow (I consider it light) in the winter. Fall and spring are beautiful.
The area is handily affordable, the natives friendly, the wildlife prolific and you could do a lot worse!
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I do just fine as an atheist transplant in the tri cities, gay rights bumper sticker and all. But like Dave, I don't talk politics or religion much and I am able to look over the occasional ignorant comment. It's just not an issue unless you are looking to force others to accept your viewpoint as the only correct one.
