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You are so right. We just spent a week in Sussex County DE. Looked at homes (which are plentiful), taxes good, but after speaking with quite a few people we learned they miss not having a close International airport, lack of shopping (no Costco, Sam's, Target, Kohl's etc) and healthcare issues. Three residents said they have tried 2 or 3 Internists and have not found one they like. One of these said she drives back to the Philly area to see two of her previous doctors, I had to laugh when one person told me he was just going to "hope he stayed healthy". So, you really have to weigh your options.
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Originally Posted by Unicorn hunter
No idea OP, but following this thread, as I, and I expect many others, are sort of looking for the same thing! Hence my user name! I have not found this ideal location as of yet, but considering Delaware, Tennessee and a couple of mid-Atlantic/mid-western states. Every state seems to have a draw back or two, there is no perfect place, at least not in the US!
A house on 3 acres for $75K, within 40 miles of a VA clinic and no hot humid summers and minimum taxes.
I doubt it exists.
Indeed. This would be difficult to find even in rural Ohio, unless the house is utterly dilapidated. But our taxes aren't exactly low, and the summers are humid.
I don't share the OP's cultural concerns; actually, mine tend towards the very opposite. Neither am I sensitive to housing-prices. Otherwise, our desires sound similar. Those whose income no longer derives primarily from remunerative labor, would often prefer lower costs/taxes in exchange for diminished amenities and services.
Also, 3 acres strikes me as being an awkward compromise; too large to comfortably mow, too small for genuine privacy or an agricultural operation. Living now on a somewhat larger plot, I find it still to be too small for privacy, as outdoor stereo-systems are remarkably voluble, even through a hundred yards of dense forest. So perhaps the desired minimum rises to something like 30 acres.
Too many "wants". I think you will have weed out the things you can do without or that you can tolerate and then start looking. Places at that dollar range are not going to be near large cities or VA. If you are just starting to look, keep a log of what you have discovered so you don't forget the stuff you learned.
rod5591 -- I would switch gears and go about your search from a different angle. I would do a backwards search, looking at VA clinic locations in smaller communities, then worry about the state and climate.
You may be able to pick up an older mfg home or small town home in the Midwest, but the climate will have colder winters. I have a relative who retired to Janesville, WI and he has used the VA clinic for years -- it is wonderful. I know some very happy retirees in Iowa, too. And IL and IN. IN have reasonable prices and some beautiful areas, and it is less humid than AR. Humidity and temperatures will be a trade-off.
Lower cost places exist, but living out-of-town on acreage can cost you. You may have to give up city water and that is pricey when it comes to well-digging! In Arizona, Prescott has a wonderful climate and a VA clinic -- but it is expensive to live there!
I would find a town with the VA clinic and hospital your wife wants first, and then think about compromise on the property size and go out from the town where the clinic/hospital is in. I don't think you have as many choices as you think. The United Farm website is useful to find smaller town properties.
Good luck with your search, and a big Thank You for your service to the USA!
My wife and I are planning to retire, on a budget, and we are looking for the state with:
1) No state income Tax
2) Lowest Sales Tax
3) Lowest Property Tax
Or the best combination of the three.
.................................................. ...........
There are a handful of states (not very many) which have no state income tax at all; they are easily found by googling, or on the Kiplinger website. One thing to look at regarding state income taxes (besides whether a state has one) is the actual rate structure. A highly progressive rate structure will create a very light burden for those with low incomes.
There are also a handful of states (not very many) which have no sales tax at all. Ditto for finding them. Look for exemptions here too. For example, in California the sales taxes are high, but groceries are exempt.
As for property taxes, they are frequently determined, at least in part, by localities (cities and counties), rather than state-wide, so that makes your search much more complicated.
In general, if a state has no tax at all in one category, then the other categories will be on the high side, as the state has to get its money somewhere.
A low cost of living, which you are seeking, has to do with more than just the tax picture. You are looking also for an extremely low cost of housing (real estate). If a livable house on three acres is actually available anywhere in the United States for $75K, then it will be way out somewhere in the boonies in an economically depressed area of the state. In other words, supply and demand. It will be located where very few people want to live. If you want to live there (and it would certainly be a very long way from a VA facility), then you are truly in luck.
A dose of realism will no doubt be created as you conduct your search. For your sake, I hope I am wrong.
In general, if a state has no tax at all in one category, then the other categories will be on the high side, as the state has to get its money somewhere.
A dose of realism will no doubt be created as you conduct your search. For your sake, I hope I am wrong.
This is pretty much what I have found in the research I've done. There are always trade offs.
Kiplingers has a decent site for comparing state taxes on retirees. It lets you pick several and then compare.
This is dated Oct. 2016, so they may be updating it soon, but it gives you a good idea...
We lived very happily in North Central FL for 25 years,age caught up and had to move to CT to be near family.
I am Korean veteran and used VA facilities in this area.
We found all county and state internet sites easy to use,after 25 years we had no taxes,8 year license and registration inexpensive.No personal tax and emissions or inspection.
Good easy access,north south east & west.We live in a miserable state now,CT.
Weather is a trade off,one hot and humid in summer,other cold and miserable in winter.
We had well and septic unlike cost here for water and sewer.
....... If you are just starting to look, keep a log of what you have discovered so you don't forget the stuff you learned.
THIS ^^^^
Having recently been in the market, haven't even closed yet, I found a notebook a must! I used printouts from the internet and stapled those in the notebook, too! Write everything down, so you are not looking at the same area over and over again when you have already disqualified it TWICE for whatever reason.
Went to each town/county Chamber of Commerce and got a local map, some I wrote to and requested, others have online Chamber websites that made it easy to request. This really helped us in getting to know our way around areas. We stopped to eat in the local places and struck up conversations with local people. Most love to talk about their towns. We made multiple trips visiting, started in Texas Hill Country (which was a must) and ended up in East Texas (wasn't even in the running initially).
Vist the places as much and for as long as you can, study the real estate market way before you intend to buy. The more familiar you are, the better choices you can make. The more you visit, the more things will naturally come into better focus and you will get a feel for where you belong.
You are probably going to have to compromise on some of your list, you will never find it all, neither the perfect place, nor the perfect house. Prioritize! Keep your eyes and options open.
possibly north central PA. There's a Veterans' hospital in Bath, NY.
There's no tax on SS and, thanks to the lottery, there's a tax rebate on property taxes if you qualify. Not sure how the other stuff compares.
Summers can get humid but compared to Florida and other southern states, probably not so much.
My wife and I are planning to retire, on a budget, and we are looking for the state with:
1) No state income Tax
2) Lowest Sales Tax
3) Lowest Property Tax
Or the best combination of the three.
We plan to buy a few acres and raise chickens, maybe a goat or two, and have have a garden and try to live a quiet life, minding our own business. We would love to find a house/manufactured home in good condition and 3 acres for not more than $75K. My wife would like to locate near but not in a small city maybe 25K in population with a full service hospital. I am a veteran and would like to be withen 40 miles or so of a VA medical center or clinic.
We don't have strong preferences about weather except we do not want humid hot summers such as Florida or the Gulf Coast states.
The weather here is California where we live is great, but its way too expensive here and taxes keep going up, plus the state is going the wrong direction culture-wise, with all the liberals and the crooked politicians. We would live Oregon and/or Washington, but prices are high in those areas and the liberals are ruining those states as well.
Some states we have looked at are Arkansas and Tennessee, Wyoming, Utah.
Can anyone suggest any good low cost states to retire?
Also where can I get the information about sales tax rates, property tax rates, etc?
Thank you for any help and/or advice.
East Tennessee is popular but anywhere on the East Coast has humid summers. Tough to find an area that will compete with So.Cal weather wise. Some good suggestions on maybe choosing a priority like a VA location and then trying to hone in on the other priorities. USA Today published the 50 best places to live on Friday. Where to Retire Magazine has charts that can be useful. Sometimes no move is the best move, good luck.
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